Why Do Brethren Fight?

Bill Crowder wrote today’s Our Daily Bread devotional, The Cost of Fighting. Though he briefly recounted war’s terrible cost, his title referred to the staggering cost of church infighting within the congregations and denominations of Christendom. The world observes so much backbiting and bickering among “Christians” that such discord has become cliche.

But the world’s disdain isn’t directed only at “carnal Christians.” Since alleged Christ followers claim God’s Holy Spirit indwelling, and represent our Savior in this mortal realm, Christian infighting amounts to attributing strife and hatred to God’s Spirit. Matthew 12:31-32 records Jesus’ words condemning the Jewish religious leaders who accused Him of working miracles by Satan’s power. Theologians and preachers over the centuries have speculated as to the meaning of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit,” which was Jesus’ pronouncement against His accusers.

Could there be a more inflammatory slander against God than fighting one another in Jesus’ name? That is, in fact, what we “Christians” accomplish when we treat one another with anything but Christ’s love.

Need a refresher course in godly love? Study 1 Corinthians 13 once again, applying it to your relationship with your enemies. “Unrealistic,” you say? Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:43-48 say differently.

The Christian religion can be easily counterfeited; charlatans abound, who have mastered Christianese for fun and profit. The true evidence of God’s Holy Spirit infilling, however, defies imitation. That evidence is fruit born of His Holy Spirit, as listed in Galatians 5.

But we have allowed one more great tragedy to persist: Some of the world’s religious philosophies produce disciples who more closely resemble Christ than we who claim His name. Do we seriously believe we are exempt from Christ’s indictment of religious hypocrites? Wishful thinking won’t impress Judge Jesus on that fateful day.

Well, don’t just sit there. Fall on your face in repentance right now, so you won’t have to on your day in Christ’s court, because then, the indictment will stick...eternally.