NOV 14

1 Corinthians 12
Memorise 1 Corinthians 12:25
“…there should be no schism in the body”

In any group or organization in society, as long as there is more than one person involved, there will be conflict. Why do conflicts arise? They have their origins in a sinful heart. Before the fall of Man, Adam and Eve lived in harmony with each other. Immediately after they fell into sin, they turned against each other, with Adam pointing an accusing finger at Eve to blame her for his sin. Blaming others for your sin, selfishness that only demands one’s own way, pride that refuses to listen to the opinion of others’, lack of love towards others and other sinful behaviour are just some of the causes of conflict. Sadly, the church is not immune from such conflict. As long as we are in this fleshly body, the motions of sin will threaten to cause us to fall when we are not careful.

This is not what God desires of His people. In 1 Corinthians 12:25, Paul notes that there really should not be any “schism in the body”, referring to division or disunion within the church. How can we let our flesh tear down that which had been bought by so great a price, even the blood of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ? Paul goes on to say that God wants us to “have the same care one for another”, showing love to one another and not discriminating against the seemingly “weaker” people in the church. He gives more honour to “that part which lacked” (1 Corinthians 12:24), showing us that we should view all church members similarly and not discriminate against those we judge to be weaker.

So what if you have conflicts with brethren? First of all, you need to examine your heart and decipher the true instigating factor for the conflict. As seen above, most conflicts arise from a sinful heart. Has your pride or lack of love led to the conflict between you and your brethren? If it has, repent and be the first to seek forgiveness from the other party. Conflict between church members is one tool that Satan can use to disrupt and distract the church from fulfilling her goal of propagating the Gospel. We should not give any chance to the enemy to do so. If on the other hand, you realize that the conflict is due to doctrinal issues, it will be wise to involve your church leaders for guidance and advice.

Thought: Can I ever say that I am entirely faultless in any conflict that I am involved in?
Prayer: Help me to flee conflicts with my fellow church members, Lord, and instead learn to love them as You do.