So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.                                                                                        

                                                                                                   Galatians 4:16-17 

In a world full of doctrinal differences, denominational distinctions, and personal preferences, it’s no wonder that many in the unbelieving world are a little confused about the truth of the gospel. Religious pressure to conform to a specific doctrine or religious system can often conflict with the proclamation of the good news of Jesus. Paul addresses this problem as he warns the Galatian believers that there were religious influences seeking to place them into bondage and conformity to their way of thinking. Apparently these religious men were “shutting out” the believers in an effort to drive them back into their system based on the Mosaic Law. Today these religious pressures still exist making it necessary for all believers to know the truth about the gospel and the church.

First, there is only one body of Christ. Christians everywhere should acknowledge this reality by displaying love and acceptance for one another. Consider the following:

…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

                                                                                                               Ephesians 4:2-6 

Unlike the behavior of the religious men in Galatians, Christians should recognize all believers as belonging to the kingdom of God despite man-made differences and preferences. We do this by exhibiting the following characteristics: humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love. The reality is that often these characteristics are replaced with confrontation and division, distorting the gospel and making a demonstration of Christ-like behavior to the world problematic. It is the Spirit of God that unites believers together. Regardless of background, all born again believers have something in common, the Spirit of God residing within them. We are to be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit. I believe that means we must confront any “influences” that would seek to create division. It is hard to walk away from the previous passage without having a firm understanding that, in the eyes of God, there is really only one church. All believers in Jesus are a part of the kingdom of God.

Secondly, there is a major division in the world. It is the division between God and Satan, good and evil, light and darkness, believers and non-believers. But there is to be no division in the church. Consider the following:

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? 

                                                                                             1 Corinthians 1:10,12-13

Christians from all backgrounds should be united with the same mind and the same judgment. I believe this means that we should all unite behind the simplicity of the gospel. The love of God (1 John 4:8), the provision of salvation made by Christ on behalf of the world (1 John 2:2), and the promise of this salvation for all who call on the name of Jesus (Romans 10:13) should be in the forefront of our declaration to the world. What was happening in the Corinthian church is that they were dividing themselves over preference in leaders. No doubt Paul, Apollos, and Cephas (Peter) were all good leaders in the 1^st century church but they would never take the place of Christ, a point that Paul makes in the passage. Likewise, there has been a lot of good Christian thought throughout the centuries, but we should never allow allegiance to human thought to supersede the truth of the gospel. Loyalty to an individual or group rather than Christ can lead to spiritual problems and divisions.

Like the religious influences in the Galatian church, there are religious pressures today demanding uniformity and consequently working against the unity of believers in Jesus. I believe it is the responsibility of every believer to guard against falling into these religious and doctrinal traps. We will close with the words of Christ:

John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” But Jesus said to him,“Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.”

                                                                                                                   Luke 9:49-50