Unity—Division

Unity—Division

Jesus prayed that all who believe in Him may be one, just as He and His Father are one. Believers have pursued this oneness and have spoken about it, but the result has been more and more division. Yet the way to unity is so simple: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another . . . .” 1 John 1:7. They have not found this way, and so they try in every possible way to fabricate something that outwardly appears to be unity; however, in actual fact it has nothing to do with the unity that exists between the Father and the Son.

Just as they do not find the way to unity, they do not understand the strife and the division of which the Scriptures speak and which is meant to be. Rom. 8:5; Matt. 10:35; 2 Cor. 6:14-18.

This separation and this division among believers began with Cain and Abel. It began when these two were serving God. Both of them were bringing a sacrifice, and so the strife began. Gen. 4:3-8.

“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.” Heb. 11:4.

Cain sacrificed what he had of the fruit of the ground. He had no comprehension of the meaning of a sacrifice. Abel understood the purpose of sacrificing. He brought of the firstlings of the flock. He sacrificed life, and blood was shed. He had come to this understanding by faith. Cain’s sacrifice did not cause the shedding of blood.

Believers have brought sacrifices throughout the years, and many of them have sacrificed much. We can see many believers—such as preachers and missionaries—sacrificing much: their money, time, and strength, but not their life. All of it is a Cain’s sacrifice. We understand this from what they call “having worked for God” for many years; they have, nevertheless, not become spiritual. They are mere men and get offended if they do not get credit for their labors, just like Cain. There can never be unity among such people even if they hold ever so many ecumenical meetings.

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end, everlasting life.” Rom. 6:22.

We have to sacrifice our life if we are to have this fruit from our ministry. Blood has to flow. Then, and only then, do we serve God, and all those who do serve Him become one just as the Father and the Son are one. Unity is not a problem for them.

We can follow this separation throughout the Bible. We can see it between Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, between Joshua and Caleb and the ten spies, between David and Saul! The separation is between those who want to spare their life and those who lay it down; between those who seek earthly things and those who seek the heavenly things; between those who seek their own honor and those who seek God’s honor. David went against Goliath because he was zealous for God’s glory. 1 Sam. 17:26, 36. Saul sought his own glory. 1 Sam. 15:12, 30. “Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.” 2 Sam. 3:1. This is also how it is today, and it cannot be otherwise. “But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.” Gal. 4:29. Those who do not believe and do not want to lay their life down will always stone those who believe and lay their life down. Num. 14:10.

Then we can say, “It shouldn’t be like this among believers!” Correct! But it is like this because this is their mindset. Jesus’ words also caused separation between the seventy and the twelve whom He Himself had chosen. The seventy were glad for the gifts they had received, but Jesus corrected them right away. Luke 10:17-20. Afterwards it became evident that Jesus’ words which were words of eternal life for Peter were hard words for them, and they left Him. John 6:60, 67-69.

Only a few servants of the Lord can speak in such a way that those who are carnally minded are revealed and go away. Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. Only with such words can those who are carnally minded be revealed so that they go away, and the spiritually minded can be edified on their most holy faith in the unity of the Spirit. Jude 20-21.

Jesus’ words always caused this division among the people. John 7:12-43, 10:19. May God in these last days raise up many such servants whose words are spirit and life, so that the upright can be gathered to become one, and the others can be separated.