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Conflicts among Believers

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Having a disagreement is a typical normal social interaction these days.  We don't have to go far in order to see a clear example of a disagreement, just look at today's presidential elections.  Trump? Hillary? Maybe someone else? Who is right and who is wrong?  Who said what and who said when?  Uhh...  We disagree with our spouses, teachers, kids, neighbors, police officers, co-workers, and the list goes on.  And when it comes to a church, that represents a picture of Christ's love and unity, disagreement among each other also seen.  Sadly, there is a point when two believers who don't want to see each other in the same church.  Now, I believe there can be a normal healthy disagreement among Christians, which I will not address in this post.  I am talking about a disagreement that leads to anger and bitterness.    

Bible presents two strong truths for this area that I want to talk about.  First, disagreements dominate a believer because he yielded himself to his sinful human nature.  James write about this, "What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" (4:1).  He asks a simple question: why do you fight?  Ask yourself this question, really, why do you fight?  James does not mean physical fight but verbal.  New American Standard Bible uses a slightly different wording, "quarrels and conflicts."  A clear picture of two believers who can't come and be united in the discussion.  James asks a question and then he provides the answer, "they come from your desires that battle within you."  So, the nature of a conflict is rooted in sinful nature which dominates the discussion.

The second unavoidable truth that the bible presents is rooted in Christ nature.  The Apostle Paul asks a divided church a question.  "Is Christ divided?" (1 Corinthian 1:13).  Just before this question, Paul writes this, "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Cor 1:10).  Paul clearly states that among believers, there is one solution to a disagreement is to come to unity in the same mind and the same judgment.  Why is that? Christ is not divided. Since believers are identified that they are saved by Christ and He is their Lord, they represent His nature–and His nature does not divide.

Now to summarize, the nature of a conflict bases itself on a sinful nature or on the one who is not a believer.


Questions to think about:

  • Are you in a conflict with someone today?  
  • What does the bible say about your conflict? 
  • Is Christ magnified in your relationship with other believers?  
  • Is there an excuse to your conflict?  



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