Our Lord Jesus Christ once spoke, “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” (Matthew 10:35)
Interestingly, Galatians 5:20 lists variance as one of the “works of the flesh.”
Is the Lord doing something immoral by sending variance? No. We must put things in their proper context and “rightly divide the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)
I believe that the Lord’s variance is by sending forth good into a wicked world, and therefore division is caused. Man ultimately causes variance by sin and rejection of God.
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (Luke 12:51-53)
Why would a father be against his son? Why would a daughter be against her mother? Because people have wicked, carnal desires that stem from the flesh. When others get in the way of our pursuit of those desires, we will hate them, even those of our own household. In the flesh, we desire to have our lusts satisfied and for others to cheer us on.
Then comes the gospel. The gospel convicts us of our wrongdoing. The gospel convinces us to repent and be baptized. The gospel tells us that we should “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24). Try provoking someone unto love and good works. An individual born of the Spirit of God may well respond favorably in love. An individual in their flesh is likely to not take kindly to your efforts.
The gospel, even in its pure form, untainted by misspeakings and half truths, will cause a variety of responses (variance). Some will outright reject it, while some will rejoice and turn toward their Lord.
Please enjoy the following thoughtful insights from Matthew Henry’s Commentary:
Not but that the design of the gospel and its proper tendency are to unite the children of men to one another, to knit them together in holy love, and, if all would receive it, this would be the effect of it; but there being multitudes that not only will not receive it, but oppose it, and have their corruptions exasperated by it, and are enraged at those that do receive it, it proves, though not the cause yet the occasion of division. While the strong man armed kept his palace, in the Gentile world, his goods were at peace; all was quiet, for all went one way, the sects of philosophers agreed well enough, so did the worshippers of different deities; but when the gospel was preached, and many were enlightened by it, and turned from the power of Satan to God, then there was a disturbance, a noise and a shaking, Ezek. xxxvii. 7. Some distinguished themselves by embracing the gospel, and others were angry that they did so.
We can see such division that results from the preaching of the gospel when we read the Book of Acts.
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. (Acts 17:2-7)
My dear brothers and sisters, when we approach scripture with the presumption that it isn’t accurate, was mistranslated, or over time has been changed by the whims of men, we are bound to identify supposed contradictions. With such an outlook, one can read Matthew 10:35 and Galatians 5:20, and arrive at the conclusion that these are opposing scriptures. Or, a person may blame God for causing variance.
When we come to the Bible with the understanding that 100% of it is inspired and preserved by God Almighty, with not one error or contradiction, we will find the beauty that lies in the harmony of scripture. Any supposed contradiction in scripture can be disproven with prayer, meditation, and careful study of the words that God has given us.
Variance between one person and another, and variance between people and God, is caused by our own sin. Our Lord is called The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). May we seek clarity and peace through him who has saved us.
RandallSpace 