For a Divided Church

God Wants Unity

Part I

Today, God’s Church is divided, fragmented and in much disarray. All one needs to do is read this Journal to see that division. We need to understand how the Church became this way and how to once again have real unity.

The Church is the house of God (Ephesians 2:19 ). It is supposed to be united and compacted together (Ephesians 4:11 -16). Jesus Christ tells us:

“And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25 ). Division in the Church today is not of God. He wants unity.

Jesus does mention God’s way of life may very well divide families, even those closest to us (Matthew 10:36 ). On one hand, Jesus says a divided house cannot stand, but then on the other, He says there will be division within a house. This sounds like a no-win situation! In Luke He says:

“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

“For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

“The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law” (Luke 12:51-53).

In these verses He is speaking of the physical family. When one is put into the spiritual family of God, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13 ), it may well cause division within the physical family.

Division is not of God for He wants unity, but it commonly happens to those who believe and act upon hearing His Word. Family members may become enemies of a Church member (Micah 7:5-6, Matthew 10:21 , Luke 21:16 ).

When initially converted, you and I made the decision to come out of this world, spiritual Egypt . We began to live a different lifestyle patterned after God’s Way of life. We now think and act differently than relatives and people of this world. We pursue different goals than before conversion.

Although we continue to live in this world, we are not to be part of it (John 17:14 -17). We worship God differently. God says we are not to mix this world’s ways with His (II Corinthians 6:14-17, James 4:4, I John 2:15). These differences cause alienation from friends and family. Divided homes have been the natural result. The Bible says two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement (Amos 3:3).

This principle applies to everyone, even those closest to us, our immediate family members. If we are truly striving to live God’s Way , it will separate us from the ways of this world. We are to live by His standard. His Way of life (II Corinthians 6:17 ).

The spiritual family always takes precedence over the physical family. That’s why Christ makes it clear we must put Him first if we are going to be a disciple (student) of His (Luke 14:26 -33). These verses should always be explained thoroughly to those seeking baptism.

But for us already called and placed into His Church, God definitely wants us to be united together (Ephesians 4:1-6). We must be speaking the same things (I Corinthians 1:10 ). Unity is a good and pleasant thing for brethren to enjoy (Psalm 133:1-3).

Jesus stated this same desire for unity in His prayer for His disciples. He included us in His prayer: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

“I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:20-23).

Jesus said He and His Father are ONE (John 10:30 ). We in God’s Church should also be united as ONE . We are to have the same mind Jesus Christ had, the same mind of the Father:

“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

“Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Philippians 2:1-2,5).

Is the Church today of the same mind as God the Father and Jesus Christ? No, we are not! Being divided and splintered into various groups is positive proof many are not of the same mind as they, else we would be united together as one. SHAME ON US!! The Church needs to repent of being divided, among many other things.

Now, in order for us to become united once again, we must first learn what caused the Church to be divided and fractured in such a short time after the death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong?

This division is an effect. There is a cause for every effect. This is a principle taught to us by Mr. Armstrong.

We had an end-time apostle that taught us about the two trees in the Garden of Eden. He showed us where Adam had to make a choice, a decision. That choice has affected the future of all mankind since. Adam’s decision has affected you and me.

God gives us free moral agency to make choices, the prerogative to make our own decision. But He encourages man to make right decisions for his own good (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19).

Brethren, do we in God’s Church realize what God’s apostle, Mr. Armstrong, was trying to tell us? Do we yet fully understand every decision we make, no matter how big or small, is based on one of those two trees?

One tree, the Tree of Life, leads to eternal life in the Kingdom of God . The other tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, ends in eternal death. It is the Tree of Death. Do we understand the significance of our daily choices? God makes this quite clear:

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil:

“In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live…

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

“That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life…” (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19-20).

This is what Mr. Armstrong, God’s apostle, was trying to get us to understand those last few years of his life. He kept saying over and over to us: “Brethren! I don’t think most of you get it, and that includes most of you ministers” (Pentecost sermon, 1985). Time has proven he was right with that statement. The divided and splintered Church today is proof positive that most of us, including the ministry, truly did not “Get it.” Do we even now fully grasp what he was saying? Do we “Get it” ? Apparently most do not.

Why are we in God’s Church today divided? And just who is Jesus Christ holding accountable for this division? Finally, how can we become united once again? These questions will be answered in the future ads. Meanwhile, please request our eye-opening booklet “The Work of God in the Laodicean Era”. It explains why and how to solve the division in God’s Church today in simple, understandable terms.