{"id":3368,"date":"2015-08-07T00:06:12","date_gmt":"2015-08-07T07:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3368"},"modified":"2015-08-09T07:14:10","modified_gmt":"2015-08-09T14:14:10","slug":"87-division-%e8%af%97921-15-%e6%9e%97%e5%89%8d31-23-%e4%bb%a3%e4%b8%8a241-2619","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/08\/07\/87-division-%e8%af%97921-15-%e6%9e%97%e5%89%8d31-23-%e4%bb%a3%e4%b8%8a241-2619\/","title":{"rendered":"8\/7: Division (\u8bd792:1-15 \u6797\u524d3:1-23 \u4ee3\u4e0a24:1-26:19)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u00a0\u8bd792:1-15 \u6797\u524d3:1-23 \u4ee3\u4e0a24:1-26:19<\/h2>\n

Division<\/h2>\n
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During my time at university, I shared rooms together with my great friend Nicky Lee who is now one of the associate vicars of HTB. We did all our own catering; I did the cooking and Nicky Lee did the dividing. He was an expert at dividing<\/em> whatever was cooked into exactly equal portions! This is but one instance where division <\/em>is used in a good sense <\/em>rather than a bad one.<\/p>\n

Divisions are a fact of life. They need not necessarily be a bad thing. Indeed, they may even be necessary. For example, placing people in different divisions in an organisation<\/em> may be helpful and important. We see this kind of division in the Old Testament passage for today.<\/p>\n

Then, there is the division that will take place on the day of judgment. This is a necessary division between good and evil. This kind of division can be seen in the psalm for today.<\/p>\n

There is also a third kind of division, which is not good, helpful or necessary. As we were looking at a few days ago, disunity and division in the church is a tragedy. This kind of division is one we must do our very best to avoid. It is this kind of division that the apostle Paul speaks against in the New Testament passage for today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Division between the righteous and evildoers<\/h2>\n

Psalm 92:1-15<\/a>The world is divided, according to the psalmist, between \u2018evildoers\u2019 (v.7) and the \u2018righteous\u2019 (v.12). Evildoers are senseless \u2018fools\u2019 who \u2018do not understand\u2019 (v.6). They are \u2018enemies\u2019 of God (v.9). One day, not only will they be divided from the righteous, but they will also be divided among themselves \u2013 they will be \u2018scattered\u2019 (v.9), and they will \u2018perish\u2019 (v.9). The \u2018righteous\u2019, on the other hand, have a secure future (vv.12\u201315).<\/p>\n

Both \u2018evildoers\u2019 (v.7) and the \u2018righteous\u2026 flourish\u2019 (vv.12\u201313), but in different ways. For the \u2018evildoers\u2019 (v.7) it is passing and temporal. They will soon be \u2018destroyed\u2019 (v.7). They are like the grass. But for the \u2018righteous\u2019 (v.12) it is a lasting and eternal flourishing<\/em>. It is \u2018like a palm tree\u2019 or \u2018a cedar of Lebanon\u2019 (v.12). They \u2018will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green\u2019 (v.14).<\/p>\n

The difference between the success of the world \u2013 power, fame, making money and so on \u2013 and the success of a true follower of Jesus in living a holy life is like the difference between grass, which only lasts a few days, and a palm tree that stands throughout the ages.<\/p>\n

Lord, when I see the lasting blessings you give to those who follow you, I want \u2018to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night\u2019 (v.2).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Divisions in the church<\/h2>\n

1 Corinthians 3:1-23<\/a>Paul\u2019s letter to the Corinthians is a sandwich. He starts with praise and love<\/em>. He ends with grace and love<\/em>. In the middle he raises issues that he wants them to deal with.<\/p>\n

This is a good model when confronting issues in an individual or a church. It is important, if possible, to start and end with a positive and encouraging note. At the same time, we must have the courage to deal with the issues.<\/p>\n

One of the issues he raises is division in the church<\/em>. He says that they are \u2018worldly\u2019 (v.1) and \u2018unspiritual\u2019 (v.1, MSG). In some ways, they were the most \u2018spiritual\u2019 of all the churches that Paul wrote to. They did \u2018not lack any spiritual gift\u2019 (1:7). However, they were \u2018unspiritual\u2019 because of wrong attitudes, which led to division.<\/p>\n

He points out three wrong attitudes<\/em>. These are dangers for all Christians, but particularly for Christian leaders.<\/p>\n