Schism in the Church, Part 1
A Sermon on Division in the Church from Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached Feb. 5, 1961
Scripture
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against …
Sermon Description
The unity of the church is undoubtedly one of the most important things for all Christians to seek. But what is unity? In this sermon on division in the church from Ephesians 6:10–13, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones seeks to answer this without falling into extremes. On the one hand, the ecumenist says that unity is about all Christians belonging to one worldwide church and that doctrine must be minimized so that division is not caused. Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that this is an imbalanced and unbiblical position as it does not have a high enough view of doctrine and truth in the life of the Christian and church. The other imbalance that must be avoided is that of the schismatic who divides the church not over the essential truths of the faith, but over things such as carnal desires and inclinations. This is seen when Paul rebukes the Corinthians for dividing over who to follow, Paul or Apollos. This is division for the wrong reason. Dr. Lloyd-Jones goes on to condemn those that cause division because of what he calls an attitude of “bigotry.” This is the person who holds so tightly to their preferences that division and disharmony occur in the church.
Sermon Breakdown
- Schism means division without an adequate cause or division for inadequate reasons.
- Schism is condemned in the New Testament as much as heresy or apostasy.
- John 17:21 is often misinterpreted to mean unity at all costs. But Jesus was actually praying that his followers who agreed on doctrine would not separate for inadequate reasons.
- Ephesians 4:1-6 also warns against schism, not promoting loose unity. Paul wanted believers who agreed on doctrine to preserve their unity.
- It is wrong to divide over personalities, carnality, desire for preeminence, social status, gifts, understanding, rites, ceremonies, or bigotry.
- Dividing over personalities was happening in 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. Some followed Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ, though they agreed on doctrine.
- Dividing over carnality happened with Paul and Barnabas separating over John Mark in Acts 15:36-41. Barnabas wanted to give his nephew another chance, but Paul thought it unwise.
- Diotrephes caused division over desire for preeminence in 3 John 9.
- Divisions over social status and the Lord's Supper happened in 1 Corinthians 11:17-22. The rich ate and drank too much while others had little.
- Divisions over spiritual gifts and knowledge happened in 1 Corinthians 8 and 12. They were proud of gifts and knowledge, not seeing their unity in Christ.
- The Colossian heresy also brought division over esoteric knowledge and experiences.
- Bigotry is holding beliefs in an obstinate, unreasoning manner, often from fear. Bigots divide over issues that do not warrant division.
Sermon Q&A
Martin Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions: Understanding Schism in the Church
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as "schism" in the church?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, schism means division, "a tearing, a tearing apart." It refers to "unnatural, wrong divisions in the life of the church." More specifically, he defines it as "division without an adequate cause" or "division for most inadequate reasons" among people who fundamentally agree on essential Christian doctrines.
How does schism differ from heresy and apostasy?
While heresy involves "a kind of doubt or denial of any defined Christian doctrine" and apostasy means "a general departure from the Christian faith and teaching," schism is division among people who actually agree on fundamental Christian doctrines but separate for inadequate reasons. Schism is condemned in Scripture just as strongly as heresy and apostasy.
What is the correct interpretation of John 17:21 according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that John 17:21 ("that they all may be one") is often misinterpreted to support modern ecumenical movements. He clarifies that Jesus wasn't praying for people with different doctrinal beliefs to unite despite their differences. Rather, Jesus was praying that disciples who already agreed on doctrine would not be separated by other factors. It was a prayer against schism, not a plea for doctrinal compromise.
What are the main causes of schism that Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several causes of schism: 1. Division over persons and personalities (like preferring Paul over Apollos) 2. Carnality (allowing fleshly desires to cause division) 3. Desire for preeminence (wanting leadership positions) 4. Social status (dividing based on wealth or class) 5. Differences in spiritual gifts and understanding 6. Disagreements over rites and ceremonies 7. Bigotry (holding beliefs in a blind, unreasoning, obstinate manner)
What is bigotry according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines bigotry as "a man holds on to this particular thing in a blind, unreasoning and obstinate manner." It's a psychological condition where someone won't listen to arguments, lacks balance and self-discipline, and often acts from a spirit of fear rather than sound judgment. The bigot may think he's contending for the faith but is actually displaying "a defect of character" and failing "to exercise restraint and self-discipline."
Why is the issue of schism important for individual Christians and not just church leaders?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that understanding schism isn't just for church leaders because "the power of decision is in the hands of the individual church members." He warns against the trend of Christians thinking church doctrine only concerns leaders. He states that Christians should "understand the doctrine of the church as a whole" and "feel responsible for the state of the church as a whole, as well as for our individual position."
How does the devil use the issue of schism according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the devil's "subtle art and artistry" is shown in how he drives Christians to "overcorrection and to extremes." The devil might encourage someone to be rightfully concerned about heresy and apostasy, but then push them so far in opposing these errors that they begin "to divide when we shouldn't divide and separate when we shouldn't separate," thus falling into schism.
What example from Acts 15 does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate schism?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the example of Paul and Barnabas separating over John Mark. Though they completely agreed on doctrine, they divided because Barnabas insisted on taking his nephew John Mark despite his previous desertion of their mission. This division was caused by carnality (family ties) rather than doctrinal differences, making it a case of schism.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.