1. The Foundation: Self-Examination and Spiritual Maturity
In our journey of love and understanding of God—both as individuals and as His people—we must regularly step aside and examine our actions objectively. This kind of self-reflection is a mark of spiritual maturity.A child acts without deep introspection, but as they grow, they begin to recognize when their actions are right or wrong. In the same way, Christians must develop well-formed consciences that allow us to discern whether we are truly walking in God’s will. Scripture tells us, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).Without this humility and self-examination, even entire communities can drift into error—sometimes for generations. Prejudices such as generational racism are a sobering example of how an unexamined conscience can perpetuate sin.
2. The Early Unity and the Wound of Pride
When Jesus hung on the Cross, He united all believers in Himself. But as the Church grew, cracks appeared. The early Church had systems to discern whether disagreements were genuine deviations from truth or misunderstandings born of misplaced good intentions.Most early heresies were not born of deliberate malice but from disordered thinking, pride, and lack of obedience. Pride is dangerous because it blinds us to correction. Scripture warns, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).Even today, we see examples of people who reject centuries of discovery and human experience—like those who insist the earth is flat—requiring others to believe they alone possess the truth. This mirrors how spiritual pride operates: it isolates believers, fosters suspicion, and drives separation.
3. Division in the Body of Christ
We are brothers and sisters in Christ, but we are deeply divided. Some divisions are clearly born of evil and falsehood. Others began subtly, centuries ago, when individuals rejected the authority Christ gave His Church (Matthew 16:18–19). Christianity did not splinter because God’s truth was flawed, but because human pride resisted obedience to the Spirit.The Bible gives clear instruction on resolving disputes (Matthew 18:15–17), yet many historical rifts were handled poorly. While we are not personally guilty for the sins of those who came before us, we are responsible if we refuse to work toward reconciliation today.
4. The Scandal of Disunity
Imagine a Christian wearing a shirt that declares: “Jesus is a myth, and science is God.” Every believer would immediately condemn the message. Yet when it comes to serious disagreements about doctrine—truths Christ entrusted to His Church—we often treat them as if they are minor or optional.Consider a convert from Islam who sincerely seeks to follow Jesus. Instead of one clear witness, they encounter a fractured Christian world where each denomination claims exclusive truth and condemns the rest. It is as if we are inviting them to spin a wheel, pick a church, and hope they chose the right one. Jesus prayed, “That they may all be one… so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). Disunity is not just a family problem—it’s a stumbling block to evangelization.
5. Spiritual Warfare and the Enemy’s Work
Our divisions are not merely human disagreements. Even the angels once rebelled—Lucifer, in his glory, sought to be equal with God. Those fallen angels now actively work to twist our words, sow distrust, and convince us that disobedience is faithfulness.The Apostle Paul reminds us, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The devil’s “recruitment” is proof enough of hell’s reality. If no one went there, why would he labor so hard to draw us away from Christ?God’s forgiveness is freely given to those who repent sincerely (1 John 1:9). But without repentance, forgiveness is not automatic. “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). Preaching about caring for the poor means little if we pass them by on our way to comfort. Likewise, speaking of unity while ignoring or condemning fellow Christians is hypocrisy.
6. A Call to Reconciliation
If God places a Christian from another tradition in your path, it is not to condemn them—it is to reconcile. Reconciliation may take time, but God is the Lord of time. He will give us the words, the patience, and the humility needed to walk together into truth.We must work to heal the Body of Christ. One day, we will stand before the Father and give an account of how we treated His Son’s wounded body, the Church. Better to say, “I worked to repair what pride had broken” than to admit we perpetuated division.
Conclusion:
Our Marching OrdersChrist’s command is not optional: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:3–5).If we commit ourselves to unity—with humility, prayer, and obedience—God will do the rest. The work may take generations, but it will be worth it when we hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
The musings of Peter 