The Great Divide

Division, Not Peace

Most people think of Jesus as the Savior who came to bring peace and harmony to the world. And He will do this one day with a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21). But before He does, He has other plans.

In Luke 12, Jesus said something quite shocking:

Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  Luke 12:51-53

What did Jesus mean by these words? Why did He say that He came to bring division, not peace?

Actually, Jesus has been dividing ever since the beginning. We know that Jesus is God and was there at the beginning (John 1:1). In the 4th verse of the first book of the Bible, we are told that God divided the light from the darkness (Gen. 1:4). Then He divided the waters above from the waters below (Gen. 1:6-7) and divided the day from the night (Gen. 1:14,18). Dividing is not a new action of His. 

Whenever the Lord divided, there were two distinct groups. Light and darkness. Waters above and waters below. Day and night. Even the nation of Israel from the other nations of the world (Lev. 20:24). The Sabbath from the other days of the week (Exo. 20:8-11). We see this division or separation between two distinct groups throughout the Old Testament.

What about in the New Testament?

Two Distinct Groups

One of the most well-known verses of the New Testament is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." This verse speaks of God’s love for the people of the world. However, there is a stipulation in the verse. Everlasting life is only for those who believe in Him—Jesus. Many people only know that single verse on its own but if one continues with that passage of Scripture, they would read this: 

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  John 3:18-19

Only those who believe in Jesus are not condemned to perish but will have eternal life. Anyone who does not believe is already condemned. Here are two distinct groups—believers, those who love Jesus the Light, and unbelievers, those who love the darkness.

Many times in the Gospels, Jesus taught about this division between believers and unbelievers:

• Good trees bearing good fruit and bad trees bearing bad fruit (Matt. 7:15-20, Luke 6:43-45).
• A wise man who builds on the rock and a foolish man who builds on the sand (Matt. 7:24-27, Luke 6:46-49).
• Wheat and tares (Matt.13:24-30, 36-43).
• Good fish and bad fish (Matt. 13:47-52).
• Sheep and goats (Matt. 25:31-46).

The reason for the division between these groups is to separate the believers from the unbelievers. Believers are to be separate, set apart, holy. Later in the New Testament, believers are specifically told not to be tied to unbelievers and to be separate.

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord.  2 Corinthians 6:14-17a

Unfortunately, sometimes this means that families will be divided as is stated in the verses we looked at in Luke 12:

Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  Luke 12:51-53

Let’s also look at the parallel verses of Luke 12:51-53 which can be found in Matthew 10:

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ Matthew 10:34-36

In this passage, instead of the word “division”, the word “sword” is used. What does the Bible say about a sword?

And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword.  Isaiah 49:2a

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Ephesians 6:17

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.  Revelation 1:16

The sword is the word of God. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1). Jesus is the sword that cuts the line of division between believers and unbelievers. Jesus separates those who believe in Him from those who don’t, even within families if some of those family members reject Him.

The Final Separation

One day, when Jesus returns, there will be the final division. One day, time will have run out to be a believer, on the side of those who have put their faith in Jesus and, through His blood of righteousness, become separate and holy to God. There will be a final separation and the Scriptures tell us what will happen to the two distinct groups of believers and unbelievers. Let’s look at Jesus’ teachings that were mentioned earlier.

Good trees vs. bad trees: 

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Matthew 7:19

Wise man who builds on the rock vs. foolish man who builds on the sand:

The wise man’s house “did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”  Matthew 7:25b

The foolish man’s house “immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  Luke 6:49b

Wheat vs. tares:

The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  Matthew 13:38-43

Good fish vs. bad fish: 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 13:47-52

Sheep vs. goats:

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”   Matthew 25:31-34

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”  Matthew 25:41

And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.  Matthew 25:46

The final separation isn’t only a division between believers and unbelievers. The final separation for unbelievers is separation from God. 

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  Matthew 7:21-23

When the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.  2 Thessalonians 1:7b-9

It’s an entirely different story for believers.

My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  John 10:27-28

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Believers will never be separated from Jesus. The only separation believers will experience is from the consequences of sin and death.

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”  Revelation 21:3-4

May this be an encouragement to talk about faith in Jesus with any unbelieving family members. I need this encouragement myself. Time is running out. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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