SUNDAY October 25, 2020
Causes of Division
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
2 Corinthians 12:20 NIV
In Rome, Paul dealt with divisions in the church. He would also deal with similar issues in the Church of Corinth. People love to talk and gossip, to get opinions from others. When this happens, anyone bringing an accusation should be instructed to speak, face to face, with the person they have a problem with (Matthew 18:15). Often those who have judged have done so without knowing the whole facts. It is best to go to the horse’s mouth––go and get the facts right from the source.
Think about gossip for a moment. If you take a pillow, cut off the corner, and leave it outside on a windy night, in the morning, you will find that the feathers have flown away––they have gone everywhere! When we spread gossip, our words extend far and wide.
Understand, people are made in the image of God; therefore we should fear God before opening our mouths. A gossiper is guilty of destroying another person’s character. Gossip causes division which God hates. Keep your life focused on Christ; maintain your own life, not everybody else’s lives. We need to be united, not divided.
How many people are discouraged from attending church because they see Christians with a double standard of life? They see discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder! They do not see evidence of holiness or the fruits of the Holy Spirit: …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). Any actions taken are to be done according to the law of love.
Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
~James 4:11~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!