UNITY
Being the church (as in the body of Christ) in America, we’ve become so small minded and childish when it comes to unity as the body of Christ. Unity defined means the state of being undivided or unbroken. It’s so sad because Christ will never be divided, but His believers are. Jesus gave us what seems to be like the 11th commandment, basically in John 13: 34-35 when He predicts Peter’s denial. It says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” How can we even show people that we are true believers of Christ when we don’t have love for each other and are divided? Colossians 3:14, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony,” talks about how love is what binds us together.
Now I don’t believe divisions in the church are a bad thing, hear me out. It can be healthy. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:19, “For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you,” but too much of a good thing can, for example like the American church, can quickly transform into a horrible thing, division amongst believers. We’ve become too prideful in our own opinions. Having to believe one another does not affect salvation. It’s ok to have an opinion, but the use it as justification to divide believers is not the way to go about it. We’re choosing pride of love which is something that God HATES.
As the church, we need to come together and ask God for His forgiveness of these things. If you truly love Christ and call yourself a believer, that means you want what He wants, unity. So let’s get to work. That’s a step, but what do we do to keep on this strive for unity?
Paul writes very well on what we need to do. Romans 14: 1-12, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself .For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Forget about each others opinions and start loving one another. Let’s care for each other in replacement of caring for ourselves. We should live like the disciples did in the earlier church. Selling our possessions, helping each other with anything, being a servant, etc.
It all starts with ourselves, and the changing of our hearts. I know that I struggle with this. Being here in Bangkok, I am starting to appreciate the unity that is displayed every day. During MTS we went over our different DISC’s personalities, so we got to see how even though we areall different, together, we connect to make a whole that represents Christ. Not only are us nine interns trying to live this out, not only is LifePoint Bangkok doing a great job with this, but the church, even here in Bangkok, have unity amongst its believers. It’s so awesome to see the body of Christ moving as One with the Spirit, to glorify God. That is the purpose of the church right there! I’m praying for what’s going one here and the unity, but for all of you back home, I’m praying as well for unity amongst the believers.