The Christian oneness is as narrow as the Body. Anything foreign to the Body must not be brought in. Christian oneness is also as large as the Body. Any so-called oneness that is smaller than the Body cannot be considered Christian oneness. The more you maintain this so-called oneness, the more you are in division. The more intimacy you have built up with your brothers, the more you are sectarian and divisive. You need to come out of the smaller oneness into the larger oneness. If you want to be part of the larger oneness, you must forsake the smaller oneness. Do not think that oneness is good enough by itself; you must ask what kind of oneness it is. Do not say that any oneness is good enough. The only oneness that is good enough is the oneness of the Body. Whatever oneness is smaller than the oneness of the Body should not be endorsed by Christians. No oneness should be smaller than the Body. Anything that is smaller than the Body of Christ is not acceptable to God.
The word division or sect is hairesis in Greek. It is used nine times in the Bible. It is used six times in Acts, and it is translated “sect,” such as the sect of the Sadducees, the sect of the Pharisees, and the Nazarene sect. It is used three times in the Epistles. Let us consider the passages in the Epistles where this word is used.
First Corinthians 11:18 says, “First of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and some part of it I believe.” Here it says that the Corinthians were divided among themselves in their meeting. What does it mean to be divided? Division can only be possible in the church. Corinth was a church, and these believers were in the church in Corinth. One day someone said, “I am of Paul.” Another person said, “I am of Cephas.” A third one said, “I am of Apollos,” and a fourth one said, “I am of Christ.” The words were wrong, the tone was wrong, and the attitude in spirit was wrong. There were strife and jealousy, and the love of Christ was clearly missing. Whenever they met, those who said that they were of Paul met in one place and those who said that they were of Apollos met in another place. This was division.
Anyone who wants to accuse another person of being divisive can only raise such an accusation in the church. This accusation is not possible outside the church. A man can only commit the sin of division in the church; he cannot commit such a sin outside the church. A man can revolt only against a legitimate government; he cannot revolt against a government which is itself not legitimate. It is rebellion to separate oneself from a legitimate government, but it is not rebellion to separate oneself from a government that is not legitimate. Therefore, division is something that can only happen in the church. Such division is not well pleasing to God.
Galatians 5:19-20 says, “The works of the flesh are manifest, which are such things as...outbursts of anger, factions, divisions, sects [hairesis ].” One item of the works of the flesh is sects. The Chinese Bible translates it “heresy.” In Greek this word is the same word as “division” or “sect.” Here we see what division is. Division is a work of the flesh. Paul was telling not only the Galatians and the Corinthians, but also you and me, that division is not a spiritual thing but a work of the flesh. Paul gave an itemized description of all the works of the flesh. He spoke of fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, etc., and he also spoke of division.