Luke 12:51
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Unity is the great desire of many, but what they call unity is often compromise. Interestingly, those who stand for truth do not trumpet the call for unity, but for people to stand for truth. However, those who have compromised truth trumpet the call for unity, but what they mean by unity is for those trumpeting the call for truth to compromise for the sake of unity. I would rather be called a divider because I trumpet truth than a uniter who has compromised from truth to unite.
Jesus said, Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? His question was more of a statement than a question. Jesus knew there would be those who trumpet the call for unity, but He wanted people to be focused on truth more than on unity. In fact, Jesus said that because He came, it would cause division. Let the Scriptures explain how Jesus is truth. Jesus says in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life:… Notice that Jesus calls Himself the truth. So, if Jesus is truth, it causes division when you stand for truth.
Notice the division it causes. Truth causes families to be divided. Why? Because one in the family focuses on truth while others in the family focus on unity, and the division occurs because those focusing on truth are more interested in truth staying true instead of turning truth into a lie. The unpleasant byproduct of truth is division. It does not matter how you present truth, when you are focused on truth it always upsets those who have compromised by not following truth. Let me give a few thoughts about this unpleasant byproduct of truth that many fight against.
First, truth is always under attack. From the beginning of Creation, truth has been under attack. Compromise is always at war with truth because compromise sees truth as progressive, but truth is not progressive; it is unchanging.
Second, don’t make unity your focus of life. When unity is the focus, compromise always follow. Compromise is always the byproduct of focusing on unity. If unity is your focus, you will seek unity at all costs, which means you must compromise to have unity.
Third, seek truth as your focus of life. You cannot be concerned with what others think about you, but you must keep your focus of life and what you do on truth. The fact that truth never changes means that you don't have to seek truth because truth is always in the same place it has always been. Where is that place? That place is in the King James Bible, God’s Word. The great thing about focusing on the truth of God’s Word is that you will always know what truth is; therefore, you never need to seek truth because it has not changed with society.
Fourth, don't seek division, but don't run from it when truth causes it. This is the great mistake many make. Division is unpleasant, but it is the result of staying focused on truth. Unfortunately, when focused on truth, you will be divided from family and friends who compromised from truth.
Fifth, when you focus on truth, you will find unity with those who are also focused on truth. Proper unity is a discovery of finding others focused on truth as you are. My friend, don't worry about unity; stay focused on truth, and you will find friends who are unified with you for one thing: truth. Keep your focus on truth and you will be unified over truth and not over personalities or institutions.
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