Strife And
Division In The Church
I Corinthians 11:19
The church at
1. Satan is always busy sowing strife and
discord among those who profess to be the disciples of
Christ. Strife and confusion is satan's work. Where
there is the most potential for good, he is most active. Though Peter, Paul and
Apollos were united in Christ and in the doctrine of Christ, satan
sought to divide them. Though he failed to do so, he did succeed in getting
lesser, weaker men to divide into warring factions under the names of those
faithful men. And this wickedness was maintained and promoted in the name of
Christ, with each rival faction claiming to preach the gospel! The church at
2. But these horrible evils are not beyond
God's control. Our great God, in his infinite wisdom and sovereign goodness,
providentially overrules the wicked factions caused by satan
to separate his wheat from the tares and his sheep from the goats. He takes satan's devices and uses them for his own defeat and to
accomplish the very thing the devil tries to prevent, the everlasting good of
his people!
3. When the dust of division settles those
who are true followers of Christ will be made manifest.They may waver in the
confusion. But God's saints will not be moved away from the hope of the gospel.
When the sowers of discord have had their last fling, the cause of Christ will
not be hindered, and believers will still cling to Christ with stronger faith
than ever before.
Don Fortner