◄ What Does Titus 3:9 Mean? ►

'Divide-and-conquer' has been an effective weapon that has been implemented since the creation of the world, and the crooked serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, is the greatest manipulator of this insidious strategy.

He used it in the garden to estrange man from God and men from women. It was his game-plan to help execute the first murder in the Bible and to crucify the Lord of glory – and he uses it today in the fields of politics, religion, family, class, race, age, entertainment, schools, social media, and a host of other mediums.

This nefarious strategy is designed to fracture a worldview, a power, a mind-set, a government, and even a family into smaller, more manageable segments so that they engage in internal fights. The plan is to seize control of those that have been weakened by such monstrous manipulations.

'Divide-and-conquer' exploits humanity's deceit, envy, pride, and fleshly lusts, and is designed to achieve man's greedy plans to seize control of their unwitting victims. The nefarious plans of the enemy, have all too often been employed to overthrow or undermine powerful political, military, economic, and religious machines.

Paul identified the 'divide-and-conquer' method within the Church of his day and recognised that vain arguments about things unrelated to sound doctrine were causing increasing unrest within the Body of Christ.

Much within Paul's writings addresses the issues of 'divide-and-conquer' and in his letter to Titus he once again addresses it with a warning to avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

At first, the early Church was only comprised of saved Jews. Before Gentiles were welcomed into the Church, only Jewish believers or Jewish proselytes were members of Christ's Body, and many found it difficult to break the tradition of the Jewish elders. This caused foolish controversies about genealogies, and disputes about the Mosaic Law to develop – which were unprofitable and worthless, because the consequence was 'divide-and-conquer'.

Today, we see an increasing propensity towards this evil strategy, not only in the world of governmental economics, politics, social and religious platforms, but also within the very Body of Christ, which should remain pure in heart and united in the Spirit.

Sadly, inter-denominational feuds, doctrinal differences, and a willingness to compromise the truth of the gospel, is causing the Church to become fractured and weakened. Instead of being a voice crying in the wilderness to the lost and executing our ministry of reconciliation between fallen man and a holy God, we have weakened our very voice and become a play-thing in the hands of the enemy.

Nevertheless, we have the promise from Christ, Himself: "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will NOT prevail against it." Let us take this truth to heart and, no matter what the cost, may we be those that stand up for the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ and refuse to be 'divided-and-conquered' by the enemy. Let us become bright lights in a darkened world, which point the way to Christ, the one and only Mediator between God and man.

Heavenly Father, as I see the world being 'divided-and-conquered' by wicked men, I pray that You would enable me to stand fast in this evil day. Help me to speak the truth and refuse to be manipulated by foolish controversies, genealogies, strife, doctrinal disputes, and other areas of Christian compromise. I know that these things are unprofitable and worthless and are used as a tool of the enemy to hinder the glorious gospel. Make me an effective witness to Your greater praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.