Does Division in The Church Displease The Lord?

Ask Dr. E

Q: Knowing division in the church displeases the Lord, what are your thoughts about the “sharp disagreement” between Paul and Barnabas. How should it have been handled?

Summary:

In this episode Dr. E and Hanna address a question about the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas recorded in Acts 15. They discuss how they should have handled their conflict, assuming that division in the church displeases the Lord. Dr. Easley begins by reminding believers that the Bible is not always prescriptive; sometimes it simply describes what happened. The disagreement centered on John Mark, who had deserted their mission earlier, causing tension. Paul was firm and cautious, while Barnabas, the “son of encouragement,” took a more compassionate approach. This resulted in them parting ways, but God used that division for good, expanding the missionary work as they went different directions.

Dr. E emphasizes that believers are sinful, prone to conflict, and that sometimes peace isn’t fully possible. He encourages humility and prayer, trusting God to work through even broken situations. Finally, he urges believers to keep the church’s mission—evangelism and discipleship—at the forefront, rather than getting caught up in internal disputes. Ultimately, God can bring good even from sharp disagreements.

Takeaways:

• The Bible sometimes describes conflicts without giving a “how-to” fix.

• Paul and Barnabas parted ways over John Mark’s earlier desertion.

• Barnabas showed compassion; Paul took a firmer stance.

• God used their disagreement to expand the missionary effort.

• Peace isn’t always possible, but believers should pursue it so far as it depends on you.

• The church’s mission of evangelism and discipleship should always be the priority over internal disputes.

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