Jesus didn’t mince his words when He told the disciples the following words at the beginning and the last days of His ministry on earth:
Mk. 3:24 A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
Jn. 17:21… that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Unity of the church is a prerequisite for mission success.
“We represent Jesus well when we draw near to other believers, regardless of differences. This is how we show unbelievers Jesus’ heart. And this is how we invite them to join us in following him.” (Christina Cleveland, Disunity in Christ, p. 17.)
Of course, the opposite is just as true; the disunity, divisiveness, and squabbling of God’s people turn the fragrance of Christ into the odor of death and the scent of disgust – disunity drives people away from Jesus.
