South Highway Five Church of Christ

Every student of Scripture is aware of God's concern for unity, peace, and harmony among His people. In the lonely hours of Gethsemene and in the shadow of cruel Calvary did our Lord pray for it. "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" (John 17:20-21).

Our Lord's concern for such unity is observed in that His inspired apostles command it and pleaded for it. "Now I beseech, 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 Corinthians 1:10). "I therefore, the prisoner of lowliness and meekness with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4: 1-3).

Central to the message of that grand New Testament letter--the book of Romans--is the unity of the church. "Now the God of patience and consolations grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus; That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God" (Romans 15:5-6).

In spite of these clear affirmations of God's concern for unity and that there be no divisions among his people, his people are not always so equally concerned. We will rise up in holy horror against some sins but sometimes wink at division. The late and lamented brother Guy N. Woods, however, was not among the indifferent. In an editorial that appeared in the January 20, 1983, issue of the Gospel Advocate, he said, in part: "The promotion of parties, factions and division in the body of Christ is gross carnality and is by the Holy Spirit ranked with adultery, murder, theft and other base sins of the flesh (I Corinthians 3:1-4). I have long believed that the sin of division is more grievous in its nature, more far-reaching in its effects, and more fatal in its consequences than any condition which may precede or produce it. How great indeed must be the guilt of those who encourage it and who find pleasure in the bitter fruits which follow it!"

In addition, brother Woods wrote, "We believe that the Lord in the hour of final judgment will regard as guilty of vastly greater sin those who drive the sword of factionalism into his spiritual body--the church--than the cruel and brutish soldier who in our Saviour's dying hours, thrust the spear into the side of physical body."