Our Lord Jesus taught us to love, and to exercise mercy and forbearance toward others. With this the writings of all the apostles agree. This is because the Holy Spirit is the author of scripture. What the men wrote agree with Jesus because the Holy Spirit and Jesus are one. This is affirmed in John 16. In this passage Jesus said of the Spirit, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
In the midst of calls to love and practice patience with others, Paul wrote by inspiration in Titus 3:10-11, “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” We might ask, “Why does Paul encourage such fast discipline against this type of sin?”
Consider it’s nature, as described here. Division is antithetical to the unity to which Christians are called. Jesus prayed that we might all be one as He and the Father were one. A divisive man is a destructive force, thwarting the efforts for us all to be one!
The divisive man is warped. His nature has not been altered by his nominal claim to be a follower of the Lord. His actions condemn him, and if he is unwilling to change his ways, he should be refused quickly.
The divisive man infects the body of Christ. This we must not allow!
