Recently, someone asked me why there are so many denominations and divisions in Christianity. Many congregations observe ‘Reformation’ Sunday and here again, the question is asked why such a ‘big break’ in the church occurred in the Reformation.

It may be helpful to put these queries into the right perspective.

Although division is not desirable, yet sometimes it is inescapable. When it does happen, it is still a sad thing, although the situation that arises may make division the best thing to do.

It is helpful to look at the various reasons why division takes place.

Firstly, there are divisions about beliefs and doctrines. For eg. the authentic church differentiate itself from what is really the non-church (1 John 2:18-19). This type of division actually identifies the body rather than divides it – there are occasions when the faithful church withdraws from the scandalous church.
Reformation was one such such case. Not to divide in such a case can actually compromise the faith and the gospel. The Apostle Paul himself pronounced ‘anathema’ on those who preach the distorted and wrong gospel.

There are divisions when a forthright church withdraws from a fuzzy church, where faithful believers have tried but failed to maintain a clear witness to God’s grace according to the Scriptures. It may be a withdrawing from a particular denomination or withdrawing from a local congregation. The faithful believers, after much trying, may find it almost impossible to remain with a clear conscience before God, and to stay put would mean ‘compromise’ in understanding how a church of God should function and honour the Lord God.

There are divisions for nontheological reasons, for example, over people’s race, class, age or style.

We must however reject division over such nontheological factors as the personalities of leaders, described in 1 Corinthians. Some of us, to be sure, may have our favourite preachers, but that is no reason for dividing the local congreagation.

Certainly, God has not called us to be individualistic Christians – we are to be in the community of the church, the body of Christ. But if Christ the head of the body is not honoured and glorified, and if teachings that abound put God’s name to shame and stumble genuine believers, then there is certainly a case to prayerfully consider withdrawing from such a congregation, especially if much attempts have been made to correct the ‘wrongs’ and there is no positive response or openness at all to such attempts and instead, negative vibes arise and deepen.

There is a place to pause when the issues are non-essential issues for the healthy outworking of the church; but when essential issues are present, then it becomes a different matter altogether.

We cannot repair the ‘cracks’ on a wall by just ‘whitewashing’ over it. Sooner or later, the wall will collapse.

It therefore behoves Christians to fully understand what the essential issues and doctrines are from the Scriptures and from the teaching of the Spirit.