Let's Go Back to the Bible

The Devil Is Trying to Divide Us

The nature of God is love (1 John 4:8).  He expects His people to be characterized by love (John 13:34-35).  Thus, anything that is not of love but is associated with hate is of the devil and not of God (1 John 3:8-15).

The nature of God is peace (Phil. 4:6-9).  He expects His people to be characterized by peace (Rom. 12:14-21).  Thus, anything that is not of peace but is associated with discord is of the devil and not of God (Jas. 3:13-18; Prov. 6:16-19).

The nature of God is unity (Eph. 4:4-6).  He expects His people to be characterized by unity (1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 4:2).  Thus, anything that is not of unity but is associated with division is of the devil and not of God (1 Cor. 3:1-4).

The nature of God is truth (Deut. 32:4).  He expects His people to be characterized by truth (Eph. 4:15; 3 John 3-4).  Thus, anything that is not of truth but is associated with lies is of the devil and not of God (John 8:44).

These four divine qualities ought to help us to put what is happening in our culture into perspective.  How much of what we see is of God?  How much is of the devil?  If we allow the things of this world to come into the church, hijack the church and even direct the affairs of the church, it is certain that the devil is behind it and working to divide the church.  Here are three dangerous symptoms to guard against.

The devil is trying to divide us when we turn inward with fear instead of outward with faith.  If the circumstances around us turn our faith into fear, that is not of God (2 Tim. 1:7-12).  Though the outward circumstances of the early Christians were dreadful, they still “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).  Does that (could that) describe us?

The devil is trying to divide us when we focus on the color of skin instead of the image of God.  Being concerned about any element of someone’s outward appearance is not of God (1 Sam. 16:7).  Every person on earth, without exception, is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), and it is not his nationality that matters but whether he seeks the Lord and does His will (Acts 10:34; 17:26).  The color of skin does not matter in Christ (Gal. 3:28).

The devil is trying to divide us when we engage in accusing our brethren rather than serving our brethren.  It is easy, perhaps, to allow a “root of bitterness” to spring up between brethren and “cause trouble” (Heb. 12:14-15).  But the very same context that warns us to not “bite and devour one another” also commands us “through love [to] serve one another” and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:13-15).

The nature of God is love, peace, unity and truth.  He expects those same qualities to characterize His children.  May God help us to not allow the devil to divide us…ever!