Our lives are shaped by conflict: we fight with our families and friends, we struggle to get along with difficult coworkers, and we feel the strain of division and disagreement in our churches. Some enjoy conflict and others try to avoid it at all costs. What are some Biblical ways to address inevitable conflict in our lives? Let’s discover together what it means to be faithful at home, work, and church with conflict.
The early church was full of conflict and Paul addresses this in a number of ways but differences do not have to mean division. Differences can actually be our greatest strength as we connect with different people and share the love of Christ with them. As Christians we live in the reality of the unity that Christ has made and in him we should all strive to reconcile to one another.
Luke 22:24-27 (ESV)
A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (ESV)From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.