What is the cause of church splits? How can healing occur after a church split?

In the days of the apostles such a thing as an open rupture among saints would scarcely have entered into any one’s mind. There were those who went out (1 John 2:19), but such were apostates from Christianity, and their going out was the thing that manifested that they had neither part nor lot in Christ. There were always divisions, sects, and parties in the church; but open separation was a thing unknown, as far as we have any light from Scripture, whereas in the present day the slightest disagreement on any subordinate question is enough to divide the saints God all the world over. And once a division of this sort takes place, healing is supposed to be impossible.

We must never overlook that the primal cause of all divisions has been spiritual weakness, and the Lord has so often allowed separation to ensue because of the lowering of the moral tone, and because we have not walked in the power of the truth that He has so graciously given to us. Peculiar doctrines, and allegations of inconsistency with the truth, have been ostensible reasons for divisions; and sometimes excuses have hidden the real reasons for dividing; but even where there has been truth in the allegations, division might often have been averted if there had been spiritual power to meet the crises.

It seems sometimes as if the gravity of these divisions had never been sufficiently taken into account, and that the reason of them is twofold. They partly result from an ecclesiasticism which was unnecessary and unwarranted; and partly from failing to see that something less drastic than entire separation would have met the case.

This should have kept them right in the assembly. Alas! it is not always so. The apostle does not disclose the names of the actual leaders around whom groups were being formed. He rebuked this tendency all the more effectually by denouncing it, and using his own name and those of Apollos and Cephas. The situation was serious, and we see the awful havoc such a tendency has made when we view the sects, denominations and divisions of Christendom.

It comes about through eyes getting off Christ. Eyes are fixed on individuals, instead of on Christ. Parties are formed, schisms are made, and that with disastrous consequences.

In our days when, in many places and in different countries, men and women are led to believe on the Lord Jesus by the grace of God, we can learn a lot from these details of the growth of the early church. It is true that we live under completely different circumstances. The wonderful picture of the outward unity of the assembly has disappeared once and for all so far as its time on earth is concerned. The members of the body of Christ are often divided and are found, sometimes mixed with unbelievers, in many churches, denominations, and groups. We must recognize with shame and sorrow that the cause of this fragmentation is to be found exclusively in human self-will. Disobedience to the Word of God and party spirit have brought about these circumstances.

Alas! more of disintegration and more of disruption has set in among those who have protested against the disunity of the Church (whether Greek, Roman, Anglican, or Nonconformist), than ever has happened in these main sections. We may say that about a century has passed since the exodus began from these human and national systems, that saints might meet on the ground of the Assembly of God alone, according to the Scriptures, under the Headship and Lordship of Christ, and the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. It is a marvellous conception, and it showed a path which instructed, exercised, devoted Christians felt and do feel to be of God. It seemed to be the realization of the Lord's own word, "I have set before thee an open door." But it is so pre-eminently a spiritual thing, stripped of all vestige of man's methods of co-ordination and cooperation, so entirely dependent upon the giving Christ His place, and walking in the Spirit, that it could the more easily be damaged the moment any individual allowed the flesh and his own will to act. As time has progressed, we have seen not only individual failure, which could be dealt with locally, but the failure of strong men of dominating influence, who — not content with ministering the truth in simplicity for its own sake, nor making sufficient allowance for varied aspects of truth, — have tended to rally admirers round them. Perhaps unconsciously have they done so at first; but, in the long run, and finding that a considerable number have supported their line of ministry, they have lost sight of the Headship of Christ (or certainly their supporters have lost sight of it), and have cultivated the special friendship of these who saw eye to eye with them, until a party has been formed. Without adjudicating in every instance of this as to whether the teaching in question is such as to necessitate separation, facts of this past century prove that many of the separated saints thought themselves compelled to take sides; and to our shame and confusion of face, we have to own the heart-breaking and much multiplied divisions of today. Is it possible that the so-called "London" brethren or so-called "Glanton" brethren, or others, glory in that which is our common shame?

Now with regard to those who have followed Mr. Kelly, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Lowe, and (in America), Mr. Grant, it seems probable that the parties who have rallied round these leaders, may tend steadily to disintegration, as these men steadily recede into history. Personal influence counts for much, but naturally it diminishes in force after the death of a leader; and the question comes to be raised by the new generation, "Was this division or that warranted as a division at the time it occurred, or was it the outcome of party feeling which at that time ran high?" Admitting that certain teaching is defective, and militates against the presentation in that locality, or by those persons, of Christianity at its full height, has there been, according to the Word of God, a justification for the excommunication which was in the heat of controversy exercised?

These Corinthian saints pandered to this spirit of emulation by attaching themselves to certain gifted teachers, and by closely following and accepting all they said, not necessarily because it was the truth according to the word of God, but because it was advanced by a favourite teacher. One said, “I am of Paul”; another said, “I am of Apollos”. Each seeking to defend his favourite teacher naturally led to strife, and strife to divisions. Thus men were followed, individuals were exalted, and divisions resulted. Two evils followed: one was sectarianism, which set aside the truth of the assembly, the other clericalism, which set aside Christ as the Head of the assembly.

The evidence of their fleshliness was in their emulation, strife, and factions. The spirit of rivalry is how contrary to Him, who, being Himself the Highest, has come amongst us "meek and lowly in heart." And of course the fleshly effort of one to be in a high place will awake the fleshly resentment of another, and strife follows, with its consequent breaking of the people of God into factions.

Nothing is more distressing to the heart, and enfeebling to testimony, than the differences of judgment that exist among the true people of God. In the second chapter of the Epistle the Apostle traces all envy and strife to this one root — "Vainglory" (Phil. 2:3). Even in the very presence of the Lord, there was a strife among the Apostles because each wanted to be accounted the greatest (Luke 22:24). So, in the Apostle's day, there was strife, as the result of the vainglory of some who wanted to be great. And in our day, all the division and strife that has come in among the people of God can be traced to this one root — someone wanted to be great.

The answer to this is, we judge, that he knew the inveterate tendency of human hearts. It is so natural, even to believers, to love a little party all intent upon the same thing; in which all can settle down amiably and comfortably and without friction to enjoy themselves, in connection with that upon which all are intent. Then of course others, whose thoughts or activities or functions are so widely different, can be dispensed with; and the schism or division, of which verse 25 speaks, supervenes.