Write The Author
By Neal Griffin
The apostle wrote that after the first and second admonition we are to "reject" the divisive person. The Holy Spirit did not leave us in the dark as to how to identify a divisive person. The preceding verses make it clear in what the factious person is lacking: "being gentle, not contentious", and, "showing meekness". These characteristics are not to be found in a divisive spirit, and one does not necessarily have to be wrong in order to be divisive.
There is a very real possibility of being contentious over an issue in which the disputant is correct. Divisive issues over which Satan pits brethren against one another usually involve one side being correct, and quite often it is the correct side that insists on compliance with its conclusions to the point of being exclusive. This is the point where divisiveness rears its ugly head. Whether or not its conclusions are correct it is the factious spirit that demands compliance and excludes fellow believers. As I view it when the excluding, argumentative, contentious, factious, divisive spirit draws saints out of the body and unto itself it is a heresy regardless of the right or wrong of its position on the particular peripheral issue. If the 14'th Chapter of Romans teaches anything at all it teaches that our attitudes toward one another should take precedence over our positions on peripheral issues.
Please consider the "church splits" you have observed! On one side, the other, or both were there contentious disputants? Was there impugning of motives? Were the disputants "gentle" with one another? Did they demonstrate "patience", "kindness", and "meekness"? Did either or both insist on compliance with their positions? Did either or both impose their conclusions as tests of fellowship? I believe that most of the heresies of the Church of Christ are bound up in the, "I'd rather fight than switch", mentality. Every divisive schism within this denominated religious institution recruits spokesmen (paid pulpit ministers) who are contentious about their particular exclusively divisive, party positions. The Church of Christ certainly is not the only denominated religious organization that demonstrates this characteristic, and even among the so-called "home churchers" this character flaw quite often appears.
Probably the base cause of this cancer in the body of Christ is a misunderstanding of the admonition to "be of the same mind", and many feel compelled to force everyone else into their particular "camp" of understanding. This passage (Philippians 2:2) has nothing to do with fraternal agreement on peripheral issues. It has to do with loving one another and Romans Chapter 14 confirms the thought, but divisive men have a way of elevating their conclusions on peripheral issues and calling them, "Gospel truths", insisting that compliance with them is essential to salvation.
This probably would be the best point to define, "Gospel", and "peripheral". The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It is the good news of what God has done to save His creation, and Jesus is the underlying basis of it. It constitutes the historical facts about Jesus and we are saved by trusting in Him. It is in Him that the power abides.
"Peripheral", as I use the term, means any issue outside of salvation by grace through faith. There are at least one hundred peripheral issues about which men have exalted their conclusions to Gospel status, but thanks be to God, we are not saved by reason of our conclusions on peripheral issues. We are saved by reason of our faith in Jesus. There is only one correct conclusion that is essential to salvation. We must conclude that the Gospel is true, and the substance of the Gospel is Jesus. The Truth that we must believe is Jesus. He is the Truth and the Life. John 14:6. It is not so much "what" we believe as it is "WHO" we believe. If we are lost it will be because we have not believed in Him and not because we were wrong on some peripheral issue. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Romans 1:16. The power of God unto salvation is not in our ability to choose the correct answer to peripheral questions. God be praised! If it were not so at least half of the professing sons of God would be lost.
What is the Bible admonition regarding divisive issues and the men who are contentious about them? The Bible says to "refuse" them (2'nd Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9-10), but traditionally the denominated religious organizations (and others not so organized) heap unto themselves spokesmen to harp their particular party lines and proselyte as many as they can out of one heresy and into another. Shame on someone!
Please consider these thoughts. I believe them to be in keeping with the Word.
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