John Woodhouse: The Babylonian Unity of the Church

http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/6387/

[Stand Firm] 27 Sep 2007--The unity God is creating through the power of the Spirit and the proclamation of Christ, itself creates a division. It is the division between those to whom the word of the cross is foolishness and those to whom it is the power of God.

That is one kind of division. It is the kind which Paul told the Corinthians was necessary. Not pleasant. Not desirable. But necessary wherever Christ is proclaimed.

But there is also division caused by human sin, human “boasting”. This is the kind of division caused by personalities, by personal preferences, by human pride. This kind of division is a denial of Christ. “Is Christ divided?” Paul pointedly asked the same Corinthian Christians.

Faithfulness to Christ must be willing to accept and even cause the first kind of division. But we must oppose and — where appropriate — repent for the second kind of division.