Called to Unity

The Master of Division

“The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10)

If there’s one tactic the enemy has mastered, it’s division.

In the beginning, humanity was in perfect unity with God and each other. The first man and woman walked in harmony with their Creator in the Garden of Eden. But Satan, ever observant and calculated, saw an opportunity to fracture that union.

He waited. God was not at the scene, Adam was tending the garden. The woman was alone.

His mission? Division.

The moment Eve was separated from Adam, she became more vulnerable to deception. This raises an interesting question: If Adam had been by her side, would they have been able to resist the enemy’s scheme together? Or would being isolated have led Adam to fall just the same?

The writer of Ecclesiastes offers wisdom that sheds light on this:

“Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up… Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12)

God created us for community, for partnership, and for unity, not only with Him but with one another. While this article deals with isolation in terms of physical separation and not the feeling of loneliness, separation can also be grounds for the enemy to exploit. There is strength in having the support of another when we're tested. Ecclesiastes makes clear that one person can support another in their weakness; two individuals can share each others' burdens so that both may stand.

Yet, throughout church history, some have suggested that Eve’s fall was due to a spiritual or moral weakness unique to her gender. A verse often used to support this view is:

“Husbands, love with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel…” (1 Peter 3:7)

While this passage points to physiological differences, it does not imply a spiritual deficiency. The reality is that the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead resides fully in both men and women. There is no scriptural basis to suggest God measures His Spirit differently between genders.

“There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:5–6)

Some have proposed that Adam might have withstood the temptation if approached directly. But Scripture tells us:

“She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)

It begs the question, how near was Adam to Eve? Was he near enough to hear the exchange between Eve and the serpent? Possibly. Then why didn’t he intervene or confront the serpent? When Eve tempted him to eat from the forbidden tree, why didn't he lovingly correct his wife? He simply followed suit.

These questions aren’t meant to blame one or vindicate the other but to draw attention to a larger truth: when unity breaks down, vulnerability increases.

Eve’s failure wasn't simply a matter of gender, but a result of isolation and a distortion of God’s design for headship.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

Adam and Eve were created to function in unity, as one flesh. Their strength lay in their oneness. Satan knowing this sought to divide in order to conquer.

Satan's aim wasn't just to deceive, he aimed to devastate. Approaching Eve was a direct challenge to God's established order.

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Adam and Eve's union reveals profound insight about all human relationships. Apart from God and each other, Adam and Eve were more vulnerable to temptation because isolation removes us from God’s intended design for relationship. After all, God Himself does not exist in isolation, He is the triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Relationship is His very essence.

Satan's assault on God's creation ushered in chaos and anarchy, consequences that we still see today in every sphere of the human relationship.

Division in families.

Division in churches.

Division in nations.

Division in the Body of Christ.

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The Call to Unity

The call today is the same as it was then: unity. Unity with God, with one another, and in truth. The enemy seeks to isolate and destroy, but we are not to be ignorant of his schemes. We were created for unity, not isolation. For partnership, not passivity. For relationship, not rivalry.

God’s people are called to pursue oneness, not division. This doesn’t mean uniformity, but harmony-diverse parts working together in love that's rooted in truth. We live this out by standing firm in the Word of God and aligning ourselves with His will for our relationships. This is not merely a suggestion, it's how we guard against the enemy’s schemes. Division thrives where truth is absent. But unity is cultivated when we choose obedience to God, and humility, and love in our relationships, despite our physical or political differences.

Unity is not optional for the believer; it’s part of our witness. It's Jesus' call for His followers,

“that they may all be one...so that the world may believe that you sent me.” (John 17:21)

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Reflection

Pause and consider for a moment:

• Can you identity the cause of division in your relationships?

• Are you holding beliefs or values that goes against how God views His created beings?

• Is your behaviour promoting rebellion rather than unity?

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Final Thoughts

Apostle Paul writes,

We are all children of God through faith...

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ,

There is neither Jew or Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ. (Galatians 3:26-28)

Will your actions reflect the unity Christ died to establish for us?

Will your presence bring truth and healing into spaces?

Let us not give the enemy room to separate what God has joined by His Spirit.

When we stand together with Christ at the center, we are not easily broken.