United

I pray… that they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.  

Jn 17:21

United.  That is what God wants his children to be.  That is what Jesus prayed for while on his last moments here on earth.  And unity will come, Jesus’ prayer will be answered.

Recently I have scoffed at this idea of unity.  I guess I thought it impossible.  There is so much division in the body of Christ today. So many different schools of thought.  So much bickering between denominations and church bodies.  But let God be true and every man a liar!

But even if the global body of Christ is years from unity we can still strive toward unity in our local churches and in our communities.  There are many local churches, by themselves, that are far from being unified.  And I can assure you that those churches are ineffective, or worse yet, close to death.  A divided local church is an ineffective church.  Jesus prayed in this passage that we may be unified so that the world may believe.  Churches that are walking in unity are the churches that are seeing the lost saved and the community impacted.  And then a community church united is seeing greater results yet.  God, let us achieve this unity in our communities!

We need to strive for unity.  How do we do that?  First we need to put all pride and insecurity aside.  We need to end useless arguments about words and petty doctrine.  We need to make love for people the top priority.  We need to extend grace to every person, making room for honest mistakes.   We need to not worry about a church member leaving our assembly to attend another, but to have our focus on lost souls instead.  We also need to, as much as it depends on us, live at peace with all men.

Please don’t think your church is better than another.  The moment you think that is the moment you sink to the lowest level, and put yourself in the place where God cannot exalt you, for He resists the proud.  Instead humble yourself and consider your brother as better than yourself.  Look out for his well being and in due time you will be exalted.