Division
“ ‘Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’ (Luke 12:51-53). “There are two kinds of peace. False peace…is a shallow harmony that results from ignoring issues of truth. Genuine peace is reconciliation to God through faith in Christ and surrender to truth. Genuine peace has division as a byproduct because not everyone wants truth. In the fallen world, divisions are necessary for truth to be manifest.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Luke 12:51)
“Our divisions are indeed like an elephant, and I think we are too easily intimidated by it. I think a lot of the devil’s strategy centers on the simple principle of “divide and conquer…What unites us is not an idea or a set of ideas or our consensus about those ideas. It’s a Person, a real Person, a divine Person.” (Peter Kreeft)
“As we live in this life, we are constantly tempted towards the divisions that threaten us. We see the world as “them and us.” These believe; these don’t. These care; these don’t. These behave; these don’t, and so on. The divisions are frequently quite insignificant. These divisions are primarily the symptoms of our failure to love. The people surrounding Christ were consistently scandalized by His persistent comfort and ease with those identified as “sinners.” No doubt, many of them were “unbelievers.” Somehow, Christ embraced all and announced this as central to His life and purpose.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“...divisions happen. They happen in families and in friendships; they happen within churches and among them; they happen wherever the Evil One has an opportunity to interfere with the natural operations of the human heart, which seeks belonging and yearns for union…Every division in the history of the church has been viewed as a denial of its nature, a separation from Christ’s body, a departure from the temple of the Holy Spirit. (Bishop John Michael Botean, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Clapsis)
“When I was seven years old my mother bought me math flash cards. I remember how excited I was when I sat alone in my room and taught myself multiplication. I noticed that three groups of seven made twenty-one and seven groups of three also made twenty-one. When we started learning multiplication in school I was ready and did really well. For some reason, I didn’t do so well with division. I had a mental block and trouble mastering the concept. I still do though differently. All the divisiveness, division, hatred, and toxic shaming in the media and social media, and the delight people seem to take in it based on the social media commentary I read, makes me want to go back to my room, be alone, and stay there in silence and solitude. It is so antithetical to what I believe about God’s love, freedom, and diversity that results in true unity without diabolical uniformity. But I know I am called, like all others, to do my part to show God’s love and truth as best I can and have to come out of my room.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“The very word symbolos in Greek means “to throw two things together.” Interestingly, the opposite of symbolos in Greek is diabolos, which means “to divide…God does not dwell where there is division and anger…Flee from divisions, as the beginnings of evils.” (Fr Stephen Freeman, St. Ignatius of Antioch)
“Division among God’s people gives Satan a tremendous advantage in conquering our usefulness, joy and peace. The destructive influence of murmuring, contentious words must be exchanged for words that produce confidence in Christ and encouragement to His people.” (Joseph Stowell)
“There is too much rhetoric today that is divisive. Politicians of all kinds are constantly tearing each other down in the media. Everyday people use social media to trash each other mercilessly, writing things they would never say to someone’s face. Christ unites and the devil divides. Christ said if you are not with Him you are against Him. Each one of us needs to pay constant and close attention to our own rhetoric with a high degree of self-awareness so we can truly see whose side we are on.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“We observe how the Lord often focuses attention on our disdain for one another. We encounter this common attitude in ourselves every day…the Lord teaches that such disdain puts us “in danger of hell fire” (Mt 5:22). Whenever there is antipathy, disdain, or anger in our hearts, reconciliation with God is our foremost need, followed by reconciliation with our brother (vss. 23-26).” (OCPM 6/7/2017)
“Racial, social, and gender distinctions that so easily divide in no way hinder a person from coming to Christ in order to receive His mercy. All people equally can become God’s heirs and recipients of His eternal promises (Galatians 4:5–7).” (Foundation Study Bible, Galatians 3:28)