Healthy or Hateful

Division.

Sometimes it’s helpful, as in a catalyst for change or healthy discourse. Other times it’s harmful, as in taking a contrary point of view for no good reason or inciting discord among a group. In today’s social media age, it’s hard to tell the difference.

The arguments on various social media platforms trend both ways. I’ve seen lifelong friends and confidants argue over the veracity of victim claims, the piety of politicians, and the state of the heart when taking either side. It’s disheartening that we’ve digressed to the point where even friends gain satisfaction from airing grievances against one another in such a public forum. I remember a time when we were all taught to praise in public and correct in private. That leadership pillar seems to have been leveled.

Take a conversation between two Christians. One touts her extensive research of the issue while the other admits he hasn’t spent much time following the news. The latter is willing to listen to his friend’s cogent argument, but is instead blasted with accusations of false Christianity for trusting a longtime Christian leader – himself a product of a public persona. The former has no more direct ties than her friend, but believes the media is a reputable source of information. Her attacks become more aggressive until the point when she seems less interested in discussion and more interested in division.

The church at Corinth experienced much of the same division, but without the intrusion and enabling that comes from social media today. Paul teaches the Corinthian church that jealousy and strife are fleshly traits and their secular argument over Paul’s or Apollos’ supremacy serves only to divide a people who should be focused on Christ. (1 Cor 3:1-23)

Much in this way, our friends on social media have fallen into the same trap, dividing believers into groups who believe one MSM report over another. If I chastise you for trusting a reporter with a history of avoiding inconvenient facts without also admitting that my own research is at best third or fourth-hand based on similar weaknesses, then I have myself become a mere resounding gong or clanging cymbal. (1 Cor 13: 1) However, that same source of information may be beneficial to a discussion formed out of and framed with the love for another’s spiritual wellbeing. We may passionately disagree on the known facts, but attacking each other’s spirituality or the purity of another’s heart seems like a tactic borne less in love than in jealousy or conceit.

Further, Satan loves no more than to see believers tearing each other down over issues of zero cosmic importance. Denominational issues, political issues, even legal issues bear little weight in the mission to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Using these distractions to further tear down the Church in today’s last days seems just slightly self-serving.

Finally, to the acquaintance who challenged my authority to teach scripture via private blog – I have none. I am no purer, no wiser, and no holier than the next guy. Thank you for challenging me to be consistent and humble, and to remember that my own flaws color my opinion of scripture. And thank you for reading my posts despite your fervent disagreement with my position.

So I challenge everyone today to keep it in perspective. Don’t follow anyone’s leading without testing it for a sound scriptural foundation – whether it comes from your chosen denomination or otherwise. At the end of the day, all that matters is Jesus Christ. If you are dividing the Church, please rethink your strategy.

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile. So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.” (1 Cor 3:20-23, ESV)