Breaking the Chains of Division: Rediscovering Unity in Christianity

Leah Ramirez

Reflecting on Romans 14, we see a clear directive: “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.” Who are we to judge another’s servant? Each person stands or falls before their own master, and they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

One person esteems one day better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each should be fully convinced in their own mind. The one who observes the day, does so in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, giving thanks to God; while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

How many denominations were birthed out of the spirit of division? I don’t know. I’m guessing hundreds, maybe thousands… Actually, I just paused my writing to look it up. Here’s what I found: A recent compilation lists 33,089 Christian denominations worldwide, including the massive Roman Catholic Church (with a billion adherents), 25 principal forms of Eastern Orthodoxy, numerous varieties of Protestantism, and tiny storefront churches with fewer than 100 members. (https://www.wesleyan.edu/christianitystudies/pathways/world.html)

I wonder how many were birthed out of a true revelation from heaven? I hope the majority.

But if you’ve been on social media lately, and I know you have because you are reading this, then you know that we are being blown apart by the spirit of division. Can women preach? Is yoga of the devil? Should we be celebrating Christmas? Are tongues from God? Is prophecy for today? Once saved, always saved? Are the gifts for today? And the list goes on and on.

But what do we do with all of our questions? And we have many. We do the word. I think in a lot of ways, it’s okay to land wherever we land. The issue is whether where we are landing is from a place of faith. Are we doing, whatever we are doing, from an honoring heart? And by that, I mean, honoring to God and one another.

Can we come back to the main and plain of the Gospel? Can we come back to Jesus? Christ alone saves! Right?! Isn’t this the crux of our faith? Isn’t it? Our faith must rest in what Christ has done, or whether we know it or not, we have bought into some other kind of righteousness. Some other kind of salvation, that is based on our works. And that’s no salvation at all.

Let’s be careful to remain in the faith. No one stands before us to give an account. No, we all will bow to one Man. He alone will judge our hearts and minds and motives. Let’s leave His role to Him.

Psalm 133: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompts

1. Exploring Unity in Diversity: Reflect on Romans 14:3-6. How can you apply the principle of not judging others for their differing beliefs in your daily interactions within your faith community? Consider a time when you struggled with this and how you can grow from that experience.
2. Personal Convictions vs. Collective Faith: How do your personal convictions align or clash with those of your wider faith community? Journal about ways you can honor your convictions while still fostering unity and love among your fellow believers.
3. The Impact of Division: Reflect on the staggering number of Christian denominations mentioned. How does this division affect the global Church’s witness to the world? Write about steps you believe could bridge gaps within the Christian community.
4. Honoring to God and One Another: Considering the variety of practices and beliefs within Christianity, how can you ensure that your actions and beliefs are honoring to God and respectful to others’ convictions? Journal about a specific belief or practice you hold and explore how it honors God and respects others.
5. The Crux of Our Faith: Focus on the central role of Jesus Christ in your faith. How does keeping Christ at the center help prevent divisions and keep the focus on what truly matters? Reflect on ways you can contribute to a more Christ-centered community.

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