A House Divided

You have probably seen the tags on cars or banners flying at a house. It reveals that the house is divided over sports teams, racing drivers and so forth. One person in the home may be for Alabama while the other supports Auburn. One may hope that Earnhardt wins the race while another pulls for Gordon. For some the division is a serious matter. To them it is almost a life and death situation. A lot of money has been made selling “A House Divided” themed goods. Where did they come up with the idea?

Matthew, Mark and Luke record (Matt. 12:25; Mark 3:25; Luke 11:17) that Jesus used the analogy of a “house divided.” What lesson was He trying to teach His disciples? Unity was the message behind Jesus’ words.

The scriptures plead for it. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). The only possible source of being a house divided is to remain loyal to the Word of God. The answer for religious division is a return to the New Testament teaching.

Jesus prayed for unity. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:20-23). By being a house divided we hinder the prayer of our Savior.

Do we practice unity? “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psa. 133:1). Unity needs to be more than show. Unity comes when we love Christ, His word, and one another. Unity is necessary if we are going to carry out the great work that Jesus has given His church. Let us strive to be united rather than a house divided.

Terry Claunch