Causing Division
Good Morning,
Most of us understand that some things people do are “bad.” We usually list them in groups like murder, theft, adultery, and more. Our list of “bad” deeds may vary between people, but one thing on God’s “bad” list is the act of causing division – which is often missed.
Of a wicked person, God says, “Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.” (Proverbs 6:14)
According to God, causing discord is wicked. A few verses later, God makes a stronger stand against causing divisions in a list of things God HATES. (Yes, the Lord mentions many things He hates; any diligent Bible reader is familiar with them.) God is usually more generic in His description of wrongs or says it is an act or a pattern of things God hates, but in Proverbs six, God says there is a person He hates.
Proverbs 6:16 “These six things doth the LORD hate…”
vs. 19 “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
Notice the word HE that God hates, not the discord.
Proverbs 6:14 says a wicked man sows discord, and verse 19 tells us that God hates the MAN that sowed discord among brethren.
Much can be said regarding how God feels about various things, but for a moment, I will focus on discord. Some teen or adult children cause discord between parents. In-laws may sow discord between married couples. Some employees create discord at work. There are even some people who carefully use their words to draw people away from one friend to gain a closer relationship to themselves.
God hates all of that! Liberal politicians have mastered the art of division. They have created division over everything possible in our society. Proverbs 16 warns about people who cause strife and separate friends.
Proverbs 16:28 “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.”
Paul tells us to mark people who cause divisions and to avoid them. You do not need be unkind, but you do not need to be nice either – avoid them!
Romans 16:17 “…mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
Most of us have read a book or watched a movie in which the villain (a lady as often as a man) who acts nice only to cause hurt and division; we hate it and so does God!
Unnecessary division caused most national revolutions. In the case of the American Revolution, it was thought through, worked on, and after years of seeking peace, a break had to happen, and the Declaration was written. In Russia, Germany, and many other countries, economic disaster and division were created – even division over race as the Germans and the Jews.
America is experiencing this very phenomenon. A division between us and our Founders has been created, and a division between economic class and race has been magnified.
Satan is a master divider. He has used division in churches for centuries. Satan has used division in homes to break up a cherished institution. Long ago, I made a decision that if someone starts to cause division between me and the people or things I love, they will no longer be a part of my life! That is why I do not watch most news, and have avoided many Christians. Once someone has identified himself as one who tries to divide friends, I am done with them!
As I wrote earlier, God hates the person who sows discord!
Pastor