“Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

            Luke 12:51-53

It’s not what our modern society often does with the Christian faith. It’s not attractive and for some, it might be downright offensive. But nevertheless, these are the words of Christ and for every born again believer in Jesus, we must remind ourselves of the reality that division will occur over His name.

It can be confusing for some. Hearing that Jesus came as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) yet reading His declaration that He came to bring division can leave some people scratching their heads. However, the Bible will always bring clarity to every misconception that mankind has about God and this passage is no exception. Yes, Jesus is pronounced as the Prince of Peace and one of the evidences of the presence of God’s Spirit in our lives is that of peace. But the “peace” referred to in this case is that which is found between God and the saved individual. When we “call on the name of the Lord” for salvation (Romans 10:13), God saves us on the basis of what Jesus has done for us on the cross and we receive the Holy Spirit of God (Acts 2:38). At the point of our conversion, God transfers us from the domain of darkness into His kingdom, providing us with redemption and forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:13-14). As a result, we are no longer enemies of God rather we are now considered the sons and daughters of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, heirs to the kingdom of God (Romans 5:10, 8:17). This is the “peace” that is being referred to in scripture…our peace with God.

But this spiritual transformation does not automatically bring peace with others. In fact, believers and unbelievers have nothing in common, spiritually speaking. Yes, we are all members of the human race but that is where the similarities for Christians and non-Christians end. Believers are full of eternal life, are heaven bound, and while they are as guilty as anyone else because of sin, believers are redeemed by the grace of God through faith in Christ. The same is not true for unbelievers. This is why Jesus declares that He has come to bring division…it’s a spiritual reality of which we must constantly be aware. 

And what example does Jesus use in describing this division? He notes that the division will occur in one’s own family. Perhaps this is the most stinging aspect of this spiritual division. To love members of your family yet realize that, apart from Christ, there is no spiritual life in them…that is a tough proposition for anyone. But Jesus is not surprised by this reality. He warns us ahead of time that this will indeed happen in many cases.

Now if you are a member of a family that is largely, if not completely Christian, surrounded by like-minded individuals who love the Lord and are living their lives for the cause of the Gospel, you are truly blessed. But if you are not as fortunate and have a family that consists largely of unbelievers, remember, your role in the family is to stand in the gap for those you love. You can do this by praying for them, with them, and when appropriate , continuing to share with them the love of God, His plan of salvation, and the abundant life that they could have if they would just surrender their lives to Christ. Even though we would probably prefer the like-minded family, we need to always remember the amazing privilege we have in our unbelieving families.

Being a follower of Jesus means that there is a cost. Enjoying the power of God’s Spirit, prioritizing our relationship with Christ, and living differently than the rest of the world can bring skepticism, isolation, and sometime ridicule. But although the cost is high, the rewards are beyond description.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

                  James 1:2-4