Peacemaker or Divider?
What does Jesus mean when he says he has come to bring division?
“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain' and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? - Luke 12:49-56
Jesus knows that his message will bring division because some people will reject it while others will fully accept and support it.
We have division today, even within our faith as Christians.
As we move further and further away from what some believe are the core values of our faith, division results.
It is a natural occurrence. The more accepting we become, the more we stretch the rules, so to speak.
Jesus himself opened the door to this wide interpretation of his teachings when he accepted sinners into his midst. He said that he came for the lost sheep, so accepting those who had sinned makes sense.
But what did he expect them to do? Continue to sin? No, he expected them to repent and sin no more.
This is where traditionalists break with the more progressive and inclusive believers. Ironically, both ends of the spectrum are accepting of everyone. But where they differ is on what comes next.
Conservative Christians see the Liberal Christians as causing division, while the opposite is true as well.
So, we began with division, and we still have division.
That's not very productive, is it?
Which perspective is the true one?
Notice that I didn't ask which was right and which was wrong. That would only cause more division.
More to come...