"A Church United”

Why is division so easy? Consider the challenges the Ephesian Church would have faced due to their diverse background. The Pagan Gentiles sought to incorporate their idols in the worship of God, while the Jews struggled to grasp what Jewish traditions carried over into the Christian faith. Roman citizens would’ve likely not seen the Roman occupation of Jewish Israel as a bad thing. At the same time, most Jews resented their occupiers while awaiting a political upheaval to find freedom from their captors. When you mix all of these people, it can seem like the overwhelming differences would cause significant division. You’d be correct!