The Church is not meant to imitate the world. When a person accepts Jesus as their Savior, they are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). We are told not to conform to this world by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:2, and we are told not to love the things of this world by the Apostle John in 1 John 2:15. Yet, in far too many ways, the Church bears an uncanny resemblance to this world. One of the ways that this is most evident is with strife.
This particular work of the flesh is the antithesis of how we are supposed to live! 1 Corinthians 4:21 says that we are supposed to raise our issue with each other through love and meekness. When we fight among the body of Christ or fight with a non-believer, all we are doing is pleasing Satan.
In Romans 12:2, Paul stated "and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Notice that we have to renew our minds. The word for strife in the Greek is "eris" and it has a deeper meaning than our English word. A person that guilty of this sin, is not only a person that quarrels, but a person that loves to fight and is always looking to argue. In other words, a "drama queen".
Renewing our minds can only be done by meditating on God's Word. The Psalmist wrote "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Pslam 119:11). King Solomon wisely said that "a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). Just as fornication is tethered to adultery and adultery to lust, wrath and strife are linked with pride (Proverbs 13:10, 15:18).
When we are guilty of strife, we are hypocrites. James said that with our tongues "bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." (James 3:9-10).
Remember: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Next work of the flesh: seditions