Re-formation may be as much of God as being made a “new creation” in Him (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). The prospect of division through denominationalism often caused me concern growing up as a Presbyterian, and it still does. However, when I read verses like"…there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all." (Col.3:9-11, NAB); and, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal.3:27-28, NAB), and, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” (1 Cor.12-4-7, NAB), I contemplate that while one in Christ, we still are yet male and female with divine purpose yet for both, that it was God Himself who came down at the Tower of Babel and once divided our tongues and scattered us (Gen. 11), and that God indeed services the one Body through a variety of gifts and valuable perspective. Certainly the divisiveness is wrong and contrary to our Lord’s call of unity (Jn. 17), but it’s not without purpose that our spiritual growth may yet be enriched through our diversity. The qualities of our differences are both remarkable and terrible, and truly only God is able to unify us in ways that bring the most glory before His throne of grace. I’m not one to present that God wants disunity, but I no longer find it strange that He sometimes brings glory due His name through it.
