TEXT: Proverbs 6:16-19

SUBJECT: Seven Deadly Sins #6: Sowers of Discord

We come now come to the last sermon in our study of The Seven Deadly Sins. Long before the Medieval Church compiled its list, the Holy Spirit gave us this one. Every sin is bad, but none is worse than these.

The things hateful to God should be hateful to us. They are, of course--in other people. God give us the grace to hate them even more in ourselves.

"One who sows discord among brethren". That's the topic for today.

ASSUMPTION

The sin of sowing discord assumes something--something we're prone to forget in the messed-up world we live in. It assumes that God wants us to live in peace and cooperation.

He created us for peace, not war; and for partnership, not rivalry. That's the impression you get of Eden before the Fall. Everyone and everything lived in harmony. That's one reason God pronounced it "Very good"

Sin brought this happy world to an end. No sooner had Adam and his wife eaten the forbidden fruit than they started bickering with each other and questioning the Lord. Their eldest son carried on the family tradition by murdering his own brother. And from there, things went from bad to worse. Soon "the earth was filled with violence".

What a terrible thing sin is! The world, made for peace and cooperation, has become a slaughterhouse.

In a fallen world, we won't find a deep or lasting peace. Socrates said, "Only the dead have seen the end of war". But though a perfect peace can't be had, we should strive for as much peace as we can have.

Peace is commanded in the Bible. "Pursue peace with all men" says Hebrews 12:14. It is also praised, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity", Psalm 133 has it. The opposite is everywhere condemned. Our Lord prayed for it. And that's not all: He died for it. "He is our peace--wrote the Apostle--"Who has made both one and broken down the middle wall of partition between us". This passage in Ephesians 2, is often used in regard to man and God. That's a true doctrine, of course, but not what it means! The division was between men! Men who naturally hate each other, are brought together in Christ.

That's the assumption: We're made for peace and cooperation.

BREACH

The peace God wants us to have may be disrupted. Sometimes it occurs accidentally, through a misunderstanding. I once joked with a friend who took me seriously. It took quite some time to patch things up. It was my fault, but I didn't do it on purpose. Something like that may be wrong, but it's not "an abomination" to God.

No, what He hates is the trouble maker. The kind of person who's always stirring up quarrels and causing divisions.

Why would anyone want to do that? I can think of two reasons:

Are people really this way? Millions are. Are some of them believers? Yes.

The Bible names some--Korah and Abiram; Absalom; Diotrephes and more. They could be found in the churches of Corinth, Galatia, Antioch, Thessalonica, and other places too.

The problem of "sowing discord" then, is both very deep and very wide.

HOW

How is it done? Gossip is the most common way of "sowing discord among brethren". It's so easy and fun to put people down when they're not there and no one speaks up to defend them. Yet this talk--which is almost recreational to some--has a way of "Separating the best of friends" (Proverbs 16:28).

The Law of Moses condemned gossip. And so does Jesus Christ through His Apostles.

Paul commands the church to "withdraw yourselves from...busybodies". And Peter lumps them in with "murderers, thieves, and evildoers" (cf. II Thessalonians 3; I Peter 4).

One of the proudest men in the Bible is Diotrephes. John said he was ever "Prating against us with malicious words" (III John 10).

Nothing "sows discord among brethren" like gossip.

Another way of "sowing discord" is demanding too much loyalty. Some pastors are notorious for this. They equate their opinions with the Will of God. They ask the Lord's people to follow them. Many do, but some don't. They're not defiant, but only doubtful. The pastors should respect their consciences, but they don't. They force the issue. They make good people either knuckle under to their wishes or leave the church in one way or another. In either event, fellowship is disrupted.

This was the sin of Diotrephes. "Loving to have preeminence...he does not receive the brethren and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church".

To his way of thinking, fellowship was not the result of union with Christ but of agreeing with Diotrephes!

A third way of "sowing discord" is to be too devoted to good men. The key words are not "devoted to men"--that's a good thing. But "too devoted to men"--that's bad.

This was the problem at Corinth. Paul had founded that church and the people he won to Christ were so devoted to him they wouldn't listen to anyone else! "I am of Paul" they said. Others, though, found Apollos more edifying. "I am of Apollos". Still others thought Peter was Number One: ""I am of Peter" they shouted. There's nothing wrong with liking Peter over Paul or Paul over Apollos. We all have our preferences. But to be so devoted to Peter that you despise Paul--and the people who prefer him--is very bad. Paul says it is "Carnal, childish, and behaving as mere men".

A missionary I know was trying to line up churches to visit. He called one pastor who cut to the chase:

That was it. The missionary's whole ministry was judged by which pastor he liked best. By the way, I know both pastors and although they differ on some secondary issues, they're both good men and sound in the faith.

Should we appreciate men who've done us good? Yes. Can we prefer them to others? Sure. But this devotion to them must not become worship. If it does, it "sows discord among brethren".

A fourth way to "sow discord" is to despise leadership. It's amazing how clear-eyed people are who don't have to make real decisions and live with the consequences.

A woman used to regularly lecture me on pastoral theology. She thought I didn't know anything. In fact, I knew a lot more than she did. Which is why the decisions were so hard to make.

Absalom did this. Whenever his father ruled against men in court, he would say, "Oh that I were made a judge in the land! Then I would give justice". In this way--by despising his father's leadership--he "Stole the hearts of the men of Israel". And..."Sowed discord among brethren".

A last way of "sowing discord" is general griping. Some people are never happy. They're not against anyone in particular, maybe, but just can't stand things "the way they are". They're always pointing out what's wrong, what's missing, what should be done, and so on.

This is not bad in itself. But when it's not balanced by gratitude and contentment, it becomes a way of stirring up trouble.

SOURCE

"Sowing discord among brethren" is an act. Where does it come from? The Bible leaves no doubt about that one. Here's one source, Proverbs 13:10:

Here's another, James 3:16:

Here's a third, James 4:1:

The list is not complete, of course. But you get the idea, don't you? Strife comes from bad things in the soul! Things like pride, envy, and lust.

And that's not all. Bickering is also inspired by Satan and used to his advantage. Who made King Saul so paranoid about David? "An evil spirit". And what "gives place to the devil, more than "Letting the sun go down on your wrath"?

If "discord" is the work of an evil heart and the devil himself, it must be very bad. Much worse than we think.

WHAT TO DO

What do you do about it?

Firstly, think about its danger. We gossip quite a bit, I think, because we don't believe it's really that harmful. It's a way of passing time, maybe. A way of seeming "in the know". A way of looking good by comparison. It's no big deal, is it?

It is. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue". You've read that verse, I know. But how often do you think of it? David's prayer is a good one for you too:

Secondly, think about how wonderful peace and cooperation are. We have a hymn,

We all agree they would be wonderful. The problem is, we want them only on our terms! But we can't have everything our way. We have to give in sometimes. In fact, if no godly principle is sacrificed, we must,

Don't worm out of this one by equating your every wish with a godly principle. When it comes to right and wrong, "We ought to obey God rather than men".. But otherwise, "Let us follow after the things that make for peace".

On the Day of Judgment, I suspect, you won't be wishing you'd gotten your way more than you did. Not when facing the One who prayed, "Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done".

Thirdly, start practicing. "Be doers of the Word and not hearers only" says the Apostle. When a issue comes up today that could lead to conflict, give in gracefully. And don't gloat about it later! Not if it involves sin, of course, but otherwise, just give in. What's the big deal if you wash the dishes? Why fight over foolishness?

Fourthly, think of your Savior. Will you unravel the family or church He died to knit together? If He prays "That they may all be one", can you permit your petty wishes to cause division?

Lastly, think of the future. Right now, making peace will win you no prizes. It will bruise your ego and allow people to take advantage of you. But that's only now. And now is not everything. In fact, it's nearly nothing. Our Lord makes you a promise. It's a promise He'll keep. It's a promise worth believing and acting on. Here it is:

That one word will more than make up for the losses you incur in this life. One word. In heaven, God will greet you with, "Son" (or, "Daughter").

CLOSE

If God hates "Sowing discord", its time to quit doing it! And start doing the opposite: Sowing peace. May God so bless us. For Christ's sake. Amen.