The idea of causing strife has a long history. As you will see below, the Bible shares a range of opinions about this topic.
Many scholars believe that the concept of causing strife is an allegorical one, similar to other spiritual concepts such as judgment, destruction, and war. But while these ideas are present in the Bible in a literal sense, they are also present in a symbolic sense.
For example, the second chapter of Proverbs contains two parallel stories: one about someone who causes trouble but eventually succeeds and another about someone who causes trouble but eventually fails.
While both stories display people who try but fail to solve problems themselves, they differ in how they were represented in Scripture. In the story of the successful person, trouble is used as an allegory for success.
In the story of the unsuccessful person, trouble is used as an allegory for failure.
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Love your neighbor
How does the Bible teach us to love our neighbors?
The Bible teaches us to love our neighbors by showing them kindness. We are to show them love in a way that is not hostile or judgmental.
In the greatest of stories such as the story of Jesus’ life, we see him displayed in his enemies’ lives. In stories such as the Old Testament book of Leviticus, we find passages that tell us how God commanded people to show particular love toward one another.
We can learn a lot from these commands to show kindness, but we must apply them in our everyday lives. We must apply them toward those around us, and we must also apply them toward ourselves.
Love doesn’t cause strife
The presence of love doesn’t cause strife or violence. We can see this through the lens of history. While love can be a source of inspiration and devotion, it can also be a cause of division and strife.
The Bible is full of stories about love and how it effects us on a spiritual, emotional, and physical level. Most of these stories focus on relationships at the beginning of our lives, but as we grow, relationships play an even greater role in our lives.
It’s no surprise then that the Bible talks about the importance of love many times. Here are some key quotes from the Bible that talk about the effects love has on both people and things.
Ask God for forgiveness
Strife is a reality for many. We live in a world where people define themselves by what kind of behavior they demonstrate and not by what God says about them.
This is a concern because it can become a habit that pre-empts God’s plan for your life. If you find yourself in conflict with other people, you can do some damage-making jokes and laughing at others, Eating habits and physical health are important to God.
As we age, our ability to maintain healthy habits becomes more difficult. We may be thinking, “If I don’t eat healthy, how will I be healthy when I’m older?” This is a valid question that needs to be answered.
Ask God for forgiveness before you rid yourself of any habit He wants you to have. You do not need to keep the behavior up until He forgives you for your sin, but may take into account when you have made mistakes in order to maintain it.
Ask your neighbor for forgiveness
There are some things we shouldn’t do while God allows strife to occur. We should not provoke people to anger or fight them over an issue.
But these are high things, and we must be careful lest we make a spectacle of ourselves or draw attention to ourselves. For God is a jealous god, and he is serving his kingdom most magnificently when people are in hiding and in fear.
So although we must not cause strife, we can still ask others for forgiveness if we repent. We can also ask the Lord Jesus Himself for forgiveness if we have wronged Him.
Ask God to give you the power to forgive as quickly as you feel He has forgiven you. Then go and confess your sin to someone else – maybe your neighbor, your church member, or maybe even the Lord yourself.
Study the Word to avoid situations that could lead to causing strife
As the New Testament (Naton) begins, there are many people who are not living the good news of God. These people are called non-Jews or non-followers (aka heretics).
These individuals have not yet been called to follow Jesus, so they are still getting their bearings. However, since they do not have a faith yet, they do not worship a God like we do.
This can be confusing to those who don’t know what they believe and what symbols and stories mean. These individuals may be confused by some of the news articles and social media posts that focus on war, strife, and hatred.
This article will go over some basic study questions that can help identify someone who does not follow Jesus and/or doesn’t feel a strong sense of belonging to a faith community that feels like theirs.
Obtain counsel from others who know you well
It is a mistake to think that the Bible instructs us to use force or weapons against others. The Bible teaches love, not just violence.
The psalmist describes love for our enemies (e.leaves you in peace) and hatred (swear by him you get what you want). The prophet Isaiah calls out those who oppress the poor and broken (elders) but refers to God as the one who gives us strength to handle them (justice).
We must obtain the counsel of others before we take action that may cause strife, but also must get their approval before we act on our own accord.
As humans, we have free will, so we should use it wisely. If we do not like what we see around us, speak up! Let us be thoughtful about how we address these situations and choose love over violence.
Ask your neighbor questions about their faith to see if there are any misunderstandings
There are some people who believe that cause strife is a central principle of the Bible. This is not true of all churches, however.
Many churches today encourage friendly competition and open-mindedness toward others, both of which are believed to be important parts of the Bible’s message.
These concerns about the “religion” of our ancestors are not being addressed with modern church reforms, however.
Many believe this is because they do not understand what the Bible says about conflict and religionppelike things like pride, violence, and isolation.
If your church has a controversial topic that both parties can agree is worth discussing, ask before fighting to ensure no one is hurt. Use good faith negotiations instead of resorting to force.
If necessary, find another place to spend your time and energy—ones where you can contribute something meaningful instead.
Be honest and open about your feelings towards religion
Having a strong religious sense doesn’t mean you can’t be honest about your negative feelings toward religion. A lot of people are willing to judge others based on their own faith, but they should take the time to do so with an open mind.
Many people are disappointed by what they read in the Bible and think it’s too moralistic and confrontational. While some aspects of the Bible do raise important questions, there are also many that address everyday situations with clarity and confidence.
The parts that feel most abrupt or confrontational tend to be parts that weren’t really needed and were just added for organizational purposes. For example, while reading the story of Mary and Joseph in the Old Testament, some readers might have noticed portions such as this one:
Some people feel like religion is a part of their childhood that they don’t get to control, which is why being honest about your faith can help put them on a positive path for self-growth.