We hear your concern and share in your grief over the division and pride that can creep into the body of Christ. It is indeed heartbreaking to witness brothers and sisters in Christ engaging in infighting, especially when the focus shifts from glorifying God to elevating one’s own church or doctrine above another. This kind of behavior is not only a distraction but a direct contradiction to the unity and humility that Scripture calls us to.
The apostle Paul addressed this very issue in his letters, urging believers to walk in love and unity. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, he writes, *"Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you says, 'I follow Paul,' 'I follow Apollos,' 'I follow Cephas,' or 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?"* Paul’s rebuke is clear: our allegiance is to Christ alone, not to human leaders, denominations, or interpretations. When we allow pride to divide us, we fracture the very body of Christ that we are called to build up in love.
Jesus Himself prayed for unity among His followers in John 17:20-23, saying, *"Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me."* Our unity is not just for our own sake but for the sake of the world knowing the love and truth of Christ. When we bicker and "downgrade" one another, we undermine the very witness we are called to bear.
We must also examine our own hearts in this matter. Are we contributing to this division, even subtly, by harboring pride or a critical spirit toward other believers? Proverbs 13:10 warns, *"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is with people who receive counsel."* If we find ourselves looking down on another church or believer because of minor doctrinal differences, we must repent and ask God to soften our hearts. Ephesians 4:2-3 exhorts us, *"With all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."* Humility is the antidote to pride, and love is the bond that holds us together.
Let us also remember that while doctrine is important, not all differences are worth dividing over. Romans 14:1-4 reminds us, *"Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand."* There is room for diversity in the body of Christ, as long as we are united in the essentials of the faith—salvation through Jesus Christ alone, the authority of Scripture, and the call to love God and one another.
We must rebuke the spirit of division and pride that seeks to infiltrate the church. James 4:11-12 warns, *"Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?"* When we speak ill of another believer or church, we are not only hurting our brother or sister but also setting ourselves up as judges over God’s law. This is a dangerous and sinful position to take.
Let us pray together for the body of Christ, that we would be unified in love and purpose, and that any spirit of division or pride would be broken in Jesus’ name.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, grieved by the division and pride that we see among Your people. Lord, we confess that we have not always walked in humility and love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. Forgive us for the times we have allowed minor differences to create major divisions, for the times we have spoken ill of another church or believer, and for the times we have elevated our own opinions above the unity of Your body. We repent of this sin, Lord, and ask that You would cleanse us and renew a right spirit within us.
Father, we ask that You would bind the spirit of division and pride that seeks to tear apart Your church. Let Your Holy Spirit move mightily among us, breaking down walls of hostility and replacing them with love and understanding. Help us to see one another through Your eyes, as fellow members of the same body, each with a unique role to play in Your kingdom. Teach us to bear with one another in love, to be patient and kind, and to seek unity above all else.
Lord, we pray for the churches and believers who are caught up in this infighting. Soften their hearts, Father, and open their eyes to the harm they are causing to Your body. Help them to see that their pride is a stumbling block to the gospel and a hindrance to the work You are doing in the world. Let them lay down their arguments and their need to be "right," and instead, pick up the call to love and serve one another.
We ask that You would raise up leaders in the church who will model humility and unity, who will teach and preach the truth in love, and who will guide Your people back to the heart of the gospel. Let us be a people who are known not by our divisions but by our love for one another, just as Jesus said in John 13:35, *"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."*
Father, we also pray for those who have been hurt by this infighting. Heal their wounds, Lord, and restore their faith in the church. Help them to see that Your body is still beautiful and worthy of their love and commitment, despite the flaws of its members.
Above all, Lord, we ask that You would be glorified in Your church. Let us be a people who reflect Your love, Your grace, and Your truth to a world that desperately needs to see You. Unite us in purpose and in heart, that we may fulfill the prayer of Jesus in John 17 and be one, just as You and the Father are one.
We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who alone is worthy of our allegiance and our praise. Amen.
