Doctrines of Demons, Part 4: Justifiable Divisiveness

Pre-trib or post-trib? Free will or God’s sovereignty? Is Beth Moore apostate? OMGoodness 🙄. Christians, stop doing Satan’s work for him. “shun profane and idle babblings” (2 Timothy 2:16).

Are you pre-trib, post-trib, or mid-trib? Do you believe in free will or God’s sovereignty? Is Beth Moore apostate? We humans tend to entangle ourselves in internal debates, like fish in nets. When we do, our study, even our worship, becomes self-centered and narcissistic. Self-defeating.

No matter whether we fixate on debatables large or small, divisiveness is demonic doctrine. And divisiveness rises not from the church, but from our own human hearts. Thus, it manifests from the foundation stones of small backwoods chapels up to the steeples of every global denomination. Likely, everyone reading this article, including myself, is an unknowing partaker of divisiveness to one degree or another.

So, let’s define the issue so we can address it.

One

In John 17:21, Jesus prayed for all believers, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Catch that? The result of our oneness in Christ is conversion of nonbelievers. Knowing this, division would be an intelligent tactic for the kingdom of darkness to employ, don’t you think? It goes against Scripture, against this prayer of Jesus Himself, and against the furtherance of His will for the world to believe in Him.

Our divisiveness is no small issue, and it’s bigger than we realize.

Wherever we find Christian criticizing Christian, Satan is at work. And no matter which is his side, he wins. Like Tom Sawyer convincing other boys to whitewash his fence, we’re doing Satan’s work while he lounges back. Yes, rebuke and correction are a necessary activity of the church, and I address these below under No, We Are Not OK, but be aware that Satan has operatives stationed everywhere, even within ministries, and he loves trolling Christians. Brothers and sisters, don’t take his bait.

The accusations you see against a minister may not be from anyone in-the-know, rather from Satan hiding behind an account or ministry with a Christ-centered name. Sometimes they are from well meaning, but deceived, believers. For example, I recently noticed several posts speaking against Beth Moore. Thus, I reasoned she either A) spoke/acted directly against Scripture, or B) was targeted by the kingdom of darkness. Reading through several such articles, I was disappointed to read nothing substantive. No hard evidence. One provided quotes, but never linked to their source, nor I could find the quotes elsewhere on the internet. They made them up. Another provided documented quotes, but they didn’t even support the indictment. In fact, the quotes defended Beth Moore. (I’m talking to you,

Jim McCraigh

,

Reformation Charlotte

, and many others. I welcome your comments and polite, substantive discussion.) Thus, we Christians immediately recognized this as a psyop and politely corrected the author in the comments. Right? Wrong!

Instead, the comments piled on more visceral condemnation, still only founded upon human perspective. Satan sat back and smoked a cigarette while Christian slashed Christian in a Mad Max style Thunderdome conflict. “Two men enter. One man leaves!” We took the bait. Option B it was.

This is but one example. Social media is filled with others.

Christians, think critically! Learn to recognize a psyop. Listen to the Holy Spirit and be curious when something doesn’t settle within. Stop depending upon others to fill your spiritual cup, and talk directly with God every day. All day. “You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over” (Psalm 23:5). If an article stirs up righteous indignation, chances are that’s not the Holy Spirit. Swim away from the net!

Authors, discern between the spirits. Even James and John spoke carelessly, being influenced by an incorrect spirit. “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of” (Luke 9:55).

No, We Are Not OK

Christians are to be those, “rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer” (2 Timothy 2:15-17). So, how do we determine how to rightly divide truth, allowing room for God’s grace in other believers, and shun profane babblings all at the same time? Well, those options are not opposed. It’s OK, and often proper, to disagree with another believer. But maintain oneness. When we disagree, we should remain agreeable.

However, we should not wink at sin within the church, nor be complicit with apostacy. The oneness taught in Scripture is not a weak, passive love where everyone is OK. That is enablement, which is of Satan. When needed, confront one another from a heart of love. Matthew 18:15-17 provides clear instructions for discipline within the church, and James 5:20 says, “he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” Thus, when Scripture is clear, rightly divide truth. Is a member of your fellowship practicing homosexuality? That is a topic addressed multiple times in Scripture and any gray area is self-delusion. Confront this brother, encourage them, and engage church discipline if needed. Correct and rebuke with grace.

Idolatry of Theology and the Institution of the Church

One of the most divisive battlegrounds within the church is the idol of theology. An idol is anything we honor more than God, and we’ve propped up our internal catalog of beliefs (theology) to justify our division from other believers. Theology is important, but if it results in divisiveness within the body of Christ, something is amiss. Paul wrote, “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

For over three hundred years, throughout the Roman empire, Christians were mutilated, raped, tortured, and slaughtered like food. Yet, the church thrived. Suddenly, something changed. Emperor Constantine recognized the legitimacy of Christianity in AD 313, and by AD 380 it was adopted as the official religion of Rome. A victory for the church? Maybe not, because through this the institution of the church arose. It continued through the Reformation and thrives today in Protestant and Catholic denominations alike. We fixate on administrative structure and hyperfocus on internal topics, thereby neglecting the charge given by Jesus in the Great Commission to reach beyond ourselves. How can the world believe God sent us when so much time is wasted on internal profane and idle babblings?

And yes, just as Scripture warned, these distractions are spreading like cancer.

Go

What did Christ instruct us to do? “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:7-8). All of this is external. Christ has already done the inner work. Focus not on the net, but the ocean.

So, how do we express our beliefs, but not be divisive? How do we debate the finer points of Scripture, but not alienate other believers? Simple. Obey Scripture. Don’t be divisive. “But avoid foolish disputes,…contentions, and strivings…for they are unprofitable and useless” (Titus 3:9). We can disagree with other believers, but remain agreeable. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

All this brings us back to Jesus’s prayer for oneness. No, Christian, divisiveness is not justifiable, but is a snare of self-delusion – the same delusion that says homosexuality is acceptable, abortion is justifiable, and “We’re all OK”.

How will the world believe in Him? By Christians remaining in Him, not twisting themselves into the net.

Love one another.