United and divided at the same time?

     How can this be?  God calls us to unity in Him, to believe in His Word the truth, to pattern our lives after Jesus Himself and to love each other with sincerity.  Yet there are so many ways to look at things and so many different interpretations and so many different ways live out and apply His word to our lives.  What is the explanation to all of our differences in light of the command to be united?

     Is God a poor communicator?  Who would be so bold to suggest that?  Was God unable to write a book that can bring agreement and unity?  Or, is the real problem in our listening ability.  Yes, Yes, Yes that has to be it.

     God has an enemy.  This enemy has different names, but whatever you call this enemy, he for certain opposes everything God wants.  God wants unity, He wants factions.  God wants truth known and practiced, he wants confusion to lead the way in our lives individually.

     I know some people who don’t know the Word of God and don’t read and don’t want to know it.  In light of this not knowing, they choose NOT to believe.  Isn’t that sort of crazy?  Choosing not to believe something you know nothing about. 

     On the contrary, I know some people who do not know the Bible very well, who do not read it and practice very little of it in their personal lives.  Yet these people say they believe it.  Which is sillier, not knowing and not believing or not knowing and believing?