I’ve heard a phrase being bandied about more and more lately that strikes me as troublesome, even thoughtless. We often communicate thoughtlessly. Common phrases cycle through the lexicon of our church words like any social fad does, but words matter, and that’s because they have meaning.
What Does Division Mean?
I’ve heard more than one Christian leader use this exact language:
Division is two visions.
But that’s not even kind of true.
Since in this context we’re not talking about a Biblical quotation from the divine inspired word of God, we can go ham with our study of English etymology to get down to the essence of what this word division really means.
First, you should know that change in language is normal. Languages that are in use are alive; they change often enough to warrant the frequent publication of updated dictionaries. And since English itself is a mashup of Latin, French, Middle English, Old High German, Spanish, and more, there is a lot of potential for confusion. That’s why in this blog post, we’re going to go back to the foundation of division.
The Etymology
Division can be traced to roots in Latin, which is basically the mother language of English.
Division’s origins can be found in the Latin word dividere (di vih DEH reh; to force apart or remove). The Latin prefix di has to do with rendering something asunder or apart, while the root word, video (vih DAY oh) means to see, or the action of sight. That said, division still doesn’t mean there are two visions.
Division, in English, can refer to a partition that divides at least two things, or the parts into which those things are divided. It can refer to the tension, hostility, and disagreement between irreconcilable groups. And it can refer to the action or process of separating one thing from another.
And to throw a real wrinkle into the mix, let’s not forget that Jesus said He came not to bring peace but a sword, and set family members one against the other (Matthew 10). He came to engage the process of division in all the earth just as He separated Yahweh’s people from Pharaoh’s in Egypt. We must conclude then that not all division is bad; after all, when an organism grows, it is because of division happening at the cellular level.
My point is that division as it tends to be talked about these days isn’t necessarily what we think it is, and in much the same way that not everything man would call "bad" is bad from the eternal perspective of God, who sees momentary circumstances through to the end, which must glorify Him.
And the reason I’m going on a deep dive into the etymology of one word is because it matters a great deal to me what we Christians are communicating to one another and how Truth is represented in our midst. Outsiders won’t get it without insight granted from the Holy Spirit, but once they have that, God willing (because everyone is a potential brother or sister), I would like it very much if the things we communicate to one another make good sense.
I think it stands to reason, even if you quickly scan a dictionary entry on the word, that the actual meaning of division is far closer to the concept of vision torn asunder or undone. That means division is more akin to blindness than the tension manifest in the conflict of two disparate visions. Division doesn’t mean two groups see things differently, it means that when there is a division among us, all of us are blind.
The Application
Those I’ve heard saying, “Division is two visions,” are using it to advocate for unity, which is admirable. But we’re missing a huge opportunity for instruction that can lead us to revelation and repentance, which usually are the precursors for unity and revival. That’s why what division means matters.
God’s people perish for lack of vision.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for being blind guides. The reason why Jesus wept when He came into Jerusalem mounted on a donkey’s colt was because He knew they had missed what He had revealed to them through the prophet Daniel: the precise day of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They could have known the day and hour of His coming if they hadn’t been blind guides, obsessed with the knowledge of good and evil but powerless to effect the change that is required to actually do the will of God. The teachers of the law, of all people, should have known who He was when they saw Him; they, after all, protested more than any that they would know Messiah.
Again, God’s people perish for lack of vision. And even red letters can be dead letters if God doesn't breathe on them to bring life from them and not death.
It’s the divisions among us fueling the blindness that keeps us in bondage. We need to dig a little deeper, investigate the faith we profess and the words we use to communicate it. Above all, we must pray that God opens blind eyes. He has before, and He will again.