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WHY SO MUCH RELIGIOUS DIVISION? Another way in which this is often worded is, “Why can’t all Christians just get along and agree?” This is actually a very hypocritical question when you think about it. One could also ask why football fans can’t all agree that the Cowboys are the best football team ever, why everyone can’t agree that medium rare is the best steak, why everyone can’t vote Democrat, why everyone can’t get their clothes at Wal-Mart, and so forth. There are over eight billion people on our planet, and each one reserves the right to decide what is right and wrong for his own life. Expecting everyone to agree is foolish. People ask the above question only about things that do not interest them, never about the things that are important to them. So, in reality, when a man asks the above question, he’s not seeking answers; he’s making foolish accusations. But, in the spirit of I Peter 3:15 and Proverbs 22:21, here are five quick answers: (1) The Application of Bible Doctrine. II Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine . . .” God is very interested in his people knowing and applying sound Bible doctrine. When this is practiced, an automatic separation is made between people, and that’s a good thing that God desires. If everyone would learn and apply sound doctrine, then everyone could enjoy good religious unity based on the Bible. They choose not to do so, so we have division. (2) The Love of Sin. Romans 12:1-2 commands all Christians to be not conformed to the world. If all professing Christians were to obey that command, then there would be a lot less division within Christianity. But a great many professing Christians are having a love affair with sin and are refusing to join up with Bible-believing churches that love righteousness. This naturally causes division. (3) Family Traditions. As Jesus stated in Luke 12:51-53, large numbers of people are unwilling to side with God against their own family members. Only God knows how many millions of families have been divided simply because some members chose to follow Christ while others chose to continue their family traditions. (4) The Fear of Man. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” Some people know very well that they need to stop causing religious division and join a Bible-believing church, but they are scared of the reproach associated with doing so. That is, they fear what people will say or think about them if they break ranks with their lukewarm social club and join ranks with a group of real soldiers for Christ. They can’t handle the criticism and possible persecution that could come as a result of their decision. So, as the Bible says, they are snared, or trapped, into causing division by spending their lives in the wrong church with the wrong people. (5) So God’s True Stars Can Shine the Brightest. I Corinthians 11:19 says, “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” A church that teaches sound doctrine, street preaches properly, witnesses, and keeps the town saturated with gospel tracts and revival flyers shines far brighter in God’s eyes and glorifies him more than the churches that don’t. Many people take note of this and discern in their minds which churches are serious and which ones are not. This is why Jesus said that he came to send division (Luke 12:51), so that God could be glorified in the lives of serious believers.