It doesn’t sound as pretty as “unity in diversity.”
Schism is an older term for division in the Body of Messiah
that points to its beginnings. In the Greek language, schisma
comes from schizo, a familiar root today of words like schizophrenia
and schizoid. It is what happens to the Body when different
sentiments prevail among believers: it becomes schizophrenic.
This naturally leads to factions as the people follow whichever
charismatic figure appeals to them.
Schism arises from different personal preferences, especially
having different sentiments about the anointing that John
said “teaches us all things” (1 John 2:27).
This caused breaches or gaps in the unity of Body of Messiah
where once there was “one body, one Spirit, one hope,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father
of all.”
Sentiment is an opinion or feeling, a certain delicacy or
sympathy towards something. It is an idea colored by one’s
emotions or tastes, as is expressed by many in their search
for the church that is “right” for them. One
goes for this flavor, another for that, as though they were
purchasing ice cream.
Schism led to division in the early church, which held Yahshua
up to public shame and disgrace. The disgraceful thing about
division is that it communicates to the world that Christ
is a useless Savior. Schism then and now expresses a distinction
between different preferences (or tastes) concerning the
Scriptures, almost always in what one believes, not in what
one does. All denominations basically look the same to the
outside world — work the same, act the same, and love the
things of the world the same.
The divided church of yesterday, today, and tomorrow is
at cross-purposes with itself. In fact, it is a house divided
against itself, and recognizing that it is fallen is the
first step out of its ruin – the first step into the light.
Schizophrenia is
defined
as any
of
several
psychotic
disorders
characterized
by
distortions
of
reality
and
disturbances
of
thought
and
language
and
withdrawal
from
social
contact.
Titus
3:10-11,
1
Corinthians
1:10,
11:18,
12:25
Ephesians
4:4-6
1
John
2:15
Back
