5 Lies the Enemy Wants You to Believe - Part Three: Lies That Divide Us

From the very beginning, Satan has sought to divide what God has brought together. Sin separated humanity from God in the Garden of Eden, but it did not stop there. Throughout history, the enemy has worked to divide families, nations, churches, and communities by convincing people to see one another as opponents rather than fellow image-bearers.

Division rarely begins with hatred. It often begins with a lie. It persuades us that our differences are greater than what we have in common, that our opinions define us more than our Creator, and that winning an argument is more important than loving our neighbor.

Jesus prayed that His followers would be one (John 17:20-23). The Apostle Paul repeatedly urged believers to preserve unity within the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:3). Yet throughout history, division has remained one of the enemy's most effective strategies because a divided people are easily distracted from God's purposes.

If you are just joining this series, you can catch up with Part One and Part Two before reading on. Click here for Part One Click here for Part Two

Today, we will examine five lies that divide people and compare these lies with the unchanging truth of Scripture.

The enemy's lies are often presented as intellectual, progressive, or enlightened. Many of the lies are accepted without question because they feel reasonable and culturally normal. Yet beneath them is the same ancient strategy: to remove God from His rightful place.

In this article, we will examine several lies the enemy tells in an attempt to cause us to fight one another instead of standing together in the truth.

(Stick with me to the end of this post, where you can grab my free Bible study, Cutting Through the Lies.)

1. Racism: The Lie of Unequal Worth

Scripture: Acts 17:26; Galatians 3:28; Genesis 1:27

One of the oldest lies the enemy has used is that some people are more valuable than others because of their race or ethnicity. Throughout history, this deception has fueled slavery, segregation, genocide, prejudice, and countless acts of injustice.

Yet Scripture teaches something entirely different.

When Paul addressed the philosophers in Athens, he declared that God "has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:26). Every person shares the same Creator and ultimately traces their ancestry back to the same place.

In addition, every human being is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Our value does not come from our nationality, skin color, language, or culture. It comes from the God who created us.

The early church itself demonstrated this truth. Jews and Gentiles, who had been divided by centuries of hostility, worshiped together as one family through Jesus Christ. Paul proclaimed: "There is neither Jew nor Greek...for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

Racism is not God's design. It is the product of sinful hearts that judge people according to outward appearance instead of recognizing the image of God within them.

The Truth Is: Every person bears God's image, and through Christ all believers become one family.

2. The "Us Versus Them" Mentality

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-5; James 3:16; Matthew 5:9

One of Satan's most effective strategies is convincing people that they must constantly choose sides. Society increasingly encourages an "us versus them" mentality, where disagreement becomes hostility and those with different opinions are viewed as enemies rather than neighbors.

History provides countless examples of this pattern. Political movements, revolutions, civil conflicts, and even wars have often been fueled by the belief that one group possesses all the truth while the other deserves only condemnation.

While convictions certainly matter, Scripture warns believers against allowing pride, selfish ambition, and rivalry to control their hearts. James writes that where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing follow (James 3:16).

Jesus taught something radically different. He instructed His followers to love their enemies, pray for those who persecute them, and become peacemakers rather than instigators of conflict.

The enemy delights when people stop listening to one another and begin seeing each other only through political, social, or cultural labels. Once people are reduced to labels, compassion disappears, and division grows.

Christians are called to stand firmly for truth while treating every person with dignity, humility, and love.

The Truth Is: Our battle is never against people. God calls us to be peacemakers while standing firmly upon His truth.

3. Identity Politics

Scripture: Colossians 3:11; James 2:1; Ephesians 2:14-16

The “us versus them” mentality we just examined takes even deeper root when labels stop describing us and start defining us.

The world increasingly encourages people to build their identity around categories such as race, political affiliation, gender, nationality, social class, or economic status. These labels often become the primary way people see themselves and others.

While these characteristics describe aspects of our lives, they were never intended to become our primary identity.

Jesus did not come to create competing groups. He came to reconcile people to God and to one another. Paul wrote that in Christ: "There is neither Greek nor Jew...but Christ is all and in all." (Colossians 3:11)

Now, this does not erase our unique backgrounds or cultures. Instead, it reminds believers that our shared identity in Christ is greater than every earthly distinction.

The early church was remarkable because people who would never have associated with one another suddenly became brothers and sisters.

Jews worshiped beside Gentiles. Wealthy merchants served alongside former slaves. Men and women prayed together. Their unity became a testimony to the transforming power of the gospel.

The enemy seeks to convince us that our labels should divide us. Christ calls us to find our deepest identity in Him.

The Truth Is: Our identity is not found in labels but in Jesus Christ.

4. Political and Media Deception

Scripture: Isaiah 5:20; John 8:44; 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Information has always shaped societies. Throughout history, rulers, governments, philosophers, and religious leaders have influenced public opinion through carefully crafted messages.

Long before television or social media existed, propaganda, misinformation, and selective storytelling were powerful tools for controlling populations.

Today's technology allows information to spread faster than ever before. Headlines compete for attention. Stories are often framed to provoke emotional reactions. Facts may be presented selectively while opposing viewpoints are ignored.

As believers, we should recognize that every source of information carries assumptions and perspectives. Scripture never calls us to believe everything we hear simply because it is popular or widely repeated. Instead, Paul instructs believers to "test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Isaiah warned against a culture that would call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). Jesus reminded His followers that Satan is "a liar and the father of it" (John 8:44). For this reason, Christians must develop discernment by measuring every message against God's Word rather than public opinion.

Our opinions should not be formed primarily by news outlets, commentators, or social media feeds. They should be shaped by Scripture.

The Truth Is: God's Word, not public opinion, is the believer's ultimate standard of truth.

5. Division Within the Church

Scripture: John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:1-6

Perhaps one of Satan's greatest victories is convincing Christians to divide over issues that should never separate them.

Throughout church history, disagreements have arisen over worship styles, traditions, Bible translations, denominational distinctives, end-times views, spiritual gifts, and countless secondary doctrines. While careful study and healthy discussion are valuable, these differences should never overshadow the gospel itself.

Even the church at Corinth struggled with division. Some believers claimed loyalty to Paul, others to Apollos, and others to Peter. Paul's response was simple: "Is Christ divided?" (1 Corinthians 1:13)

Jesus prayed on the night before His crucifixion that His followers would be one so that the world would believe the Father had sent Him (John 17:20-23). Unity among believers serves as a testimony to the power of the gospel.

Unity does not require agreement on every secondary issue. It requires humility, grace, and a shared commitment to Christ above personal preferences.

The enemy knows he cannot destroy the Church, but he can weaken its witness by encouraging unnecessary division among believers.

The Truth Is: Our unity is found in Jesus Christ, not in denominational labels or secondary doctrines.

Final Thoughts About Lies of the Enemy

One of Satan's oldest and most effective strategies is division. Whether through race, politics, labels, media narratives, or disagreements within the church, his goal remains the same: to turn people against one another and ultimately away from God's truth.

Jesus offers a different way. He tears down the walls that separate people and builds a family united by faith rather than by worldly labels. He calls His followers to pursue truth with humility, conviction with love, and unity without compromising His Word.

The world will continue to encourage division, but the Church is called to demonstrate something greater. When believers reflect the love, grace, and unity of Christ, they become living testimonies to the reconciling power of the gospel.

The enemy divides. Christ unites.

Personal Application

Take a moment and ask yourself honestly: which of these lies of division has found a foothold in your life right now?

Maybe it isn’t open prejudice, but perhaps there is a group of people you have quietly written off as beyond understanding or beyond reach. Maybe certain voices, a news channel, a feed, a favorite commentator, have come to shape your opinions more than Scripture does. Maybe there is a fellow believer you’ve kept at arm’s length over a disagreement that, in the light of eternity, is a secondary issue.

These lies rarely feel like division while they are taking root. They feel like conviction, discernment, or simply being right. That is exactly how the enemy prefers to work: quietly turning our hearts against people Christ died for.

The good news is this: the walls the enemy builds, Jesus can tear down. Recognizing where division has crept in is the beginning of becoming a peacemaker. God is not condemning you for the gap. He is inviting you to be the one who crosses it, with His Word, His grace, and His love leading the way.

If this series has opened your eyes to how easily the enemy's lies slip in, I created a free three-page Bible study, Cutting Through the Lies, to help you learn to recognize them for yourself using the Sword of the Spirit. Complete the form below to have the Bible Study sent to your email.

Blessings,

Amy