In June 1858, while running for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech at the Illinois State Capitol that, alongside the Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address, became one of the most significant of his career. Drawing on Jesus’s words, Lincoln famously warned:

“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”

Lincoln recognized that a nation split against itself could not remain that way indefinitely, and he was proven right. Bringing the country back together cost an immense toll in lives, but unity eventually prevailed.

Today, America is once again deeply divided, yet there is no single conflict at the core of our discord. Instead, an ideological divide is widening at an alarming pace. We have seen “cancel culture,” which initially aimed to suppress opposing voices, evolve into an “assassination culture,” where some openly call for the violent elimination of adversaries.

Evidence of this disturbing trend was highlighted by a recent Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) report. Among those surveyed who self-identified as left-of-center, 55% felt that assassinating President Trump could be justified to some extent, while 48% said the same about Elon Musk. Alarmingly, 38% of all respondents believed it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder Donald Trump. Researchers noted that these findings reflect a growing acceptance of political violence among ideological extremists.

Such a dangerous shift is taking root as assassination ideation becomes more normalized. We’ve seen Tesla dealerships vandalized and the murder of executives like Brian Thompson of United Healthcare met with approval in certain circles. Clearly, extremism begets extremism, and the future of our national “house” stands on precarious ground.

History and Scripture are unequivocal: a house — or a nation — divided against itself cannot stand for long. If America wishes to remain under a shared roof, we must find a path toward unity — not by erasing our differences, but by elevating our discourse. Civility means treating others as we ourselves would want to be treated. While those on the far left or far right may dismiss the notion, Christians in particular can lead the way by modeling respect for every person’s inherent dignity. We do this not because of the views they hold, but because all individuals bear the image of God.

This is not a call to surrender or compromise on vital moral truths. Genuine unity cannot be built on falsehood. Instead, it is an invitation to take deliberate, humanizing steps: share a meal, have a cup of coffee, or simply engage in sincere conversation with someone whose cultural or political perspective sharply differs from your own. If we truly want our country to stand, then we must find a way to live together without wishing each other harm.

When we reclaim civility, we restore our sense of shared purpose. Let this be a challenge to all who care for our nation’s future: we must close the gap, reject the call of violence, and recommit ourselves to the principle that a house divided truly cannot stand.