How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life for evermore.
Psalms 133:1-3 NIVUK
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mark 3:24-25 NIVUK
How I wish God's people would fully understand these verses!
When I sat as a young child and looked on in utter disbelief as members of the church where I worshipped stomped out the service because their pastor read from a different translation of the Bible.
When more stomped out again because the worship leader wanted to use a different hymn book.
When I've watched dumbfounded as brothers and sisters fell out over the colour of paint on the walls.
When my work as leader of a mission team has been frustrated over gossip and petty interpretations of the past.
When I've watched on in stunned silence from the pulpit as church members stage a walk-out and level dreadful allegations against their leaders.
When I've seen so-called mature believers throw tantrums that even a toddler would be ashamed of, create battle lines and boycotts and protests, often for the most pitiful reasons.
When so-called believers show how far their gaze has been distracted by earthly matters by taking their brothers and sisters to court over finances and property.
It really is saddening.
And yet sadly it's all real. All too real.
In front of a watching world, it makes us a laughing stock. "Some Gospel of love!" unbelievers will joke. "Look at these Christians! They're even fighting among themselves!"
If we are brutally and uncomfortably honest, it's almost never over something worthwhile. On almost every occasion, it's not for spiritual reasons. It's hardly ever about major doctrinal points. It's never about the truths of the Gospel.
No, it's over minor things that actually do not matter at all.
And it is shameful behaviour. Nothing short of shameful.
It is actually sinful. The centre of it, although we try to spin it into something holy, is pride. Nothing more. Nothing less. It is Christ deposed from the throne of our hearts and replaced by ourselves. It is a criminal act of idolatry.
It is hardly ever the right thing to do. It happens when our hearts and minds are distracted from heavenly things and snatched away by the things of this world (Colossians 3:1-17).
Now, having been in the storm of division on multiple occasions, I know that many people have been very deeply wounded by them. That is something we must acknowledge. It is very real. And wounds from someone who calls themselves a Christian heal much, much more slowly because of the deep disappointment that comes with them - we expected better and we were badly let down. I get that. I really do.
But the wounds to the Body of Christ when believers are disunited are much, much deeper. There may have been an underlying issue. It may have been serious. But falling out over it and dividing churches is like giving yourself a frontal lobotomy to cure a slight headache. It is utterly disproportionate, completely harmful and, unless the issue is of critical importance to the Gospel, totally wrong.
My namesake in the Bible was quick and impassioned with his words on disunity, both among the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:10-17), the Galatians (Galatians 5:15), Ephesians (Ephesians 4:1-6), Philippians (Philippians 2:1-11, 4:2) and Colossians (Colossians 3:11-15).
Nowadays the situation is much, much worse. Our Christian brothers and sisters - particularly Asian and Black - are being subjected to awful, disgusting abuse just for the colour of their skin. It isn't acceptable. It was never acceptable. It will never be acceptable.
We as Christians have the antidote to this vile hatred in our hands: unity. We stand united with our fellow believers who are being unjustly persecuted and hated without cause. When society sees how we react as a body of believers, this will send out a powerful statement and our preaching of the Gospel will resound louder and more clearly than ever before.
This tiny psalm, this small example of ancient Jewish poetry, this short song of the People of God, speaks clearly and eloquently on the benefits of unity.
The question is: are we listening? Or are we too busy trying to get our own way?
Firstly, let's look at UNITY IS WELLBEING.
Unless the church takes this on board we will be in the same position 20 years from now.