In Mark 3:24 Jesus responded to the Jewish leaders who accused Him of casting out demons through Satan’s power by saying “if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom is not able to stand.” His word made sense in His present situation, but it also applies to some of ours.

Kingdoms divided against themselves can’t stand. That’s a good principle which unfortunately applies to many of our churches today as well. If a church is divided against itself: member against member, family against family, faction against faction, THAT kingdom is not going to stand, either. Sadly this is just what we DO in fact see in too many churches. People have turned against each other, for numerous personal and other reasons.

What they often fail to recognize, however, because they are focused on their own strong feelings, is the disastrous results of their enmity. When they are party to a quarrel or division in a church, it renders that church ineffective for the Kingdom. Churches fighting among themselves are unable to advance the Kingdom of God. All of their efforts are turned inward, working against others in the church, instead of outward, advancing the Kingdom against Satan’s dominion. And those who hear of the enmity in the church (which they undoubtedly will) will have absolutely NO desire to attend or join that dysfunctional, divided body.

Divided kingdoms cannot stand. This explains why the enemy so consistently attempts to employ this weapon against churches. And it explains why you must be on guard against taking up an offense against someone in the church, or becoming part of a faction that would divide a church, for anything less than the most grievous doctrinal error. There is too much at stake for the Kingdom of God for you to divide your church over a perceived personal slight or an individual preference.