Loving Unity

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:1, 2).

The need for unity in the church

"Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose," (Phil. 2:2).

·         One of the signs of apostasy (falling from the truth) in the Christian Church is the bickering and disunity among Christians. 

·          Jesus said that the world would know that we were His disciples by the love that we have for one another (John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ).

·           In Col. 3:14 (And above all these things put on charity/LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness.)  it says that love is the perfect bond of unity.

·          The New Testament speaks about us being unified in Christ (Eph. 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ). 

·          In response to Christians who follow after individuals rather than Jesus, Paul says that Christ is not divided (1 Cor. 1:12-13 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? ). 

“This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12, 13).

Ask yourself what is most important in life. Is it your relationship with God?  If it is, and it should be, should you not also be seeking the same thing that God wants?  Should you not also be seeking to love one another as Christ commanded us? Love is the perfect bond of unity

The Christian church, as a whole, needs to repent. We need to look at ourselves. We need to look at our churches. We need to look at one another and decide that we will stand on the essential doctrines of the faith and that we will be united against the enemy. Those of us who are united by the blood of Christ are not enemies with one another.  It may be difficult for many of us to look lovingly into the eyes of those of a different denomination without thinking in our hearts that they are wrong about this doctrine or that doctrine.  But, we need to be reminded that there is neither a Presbyterian nor a Baptist nor a Lutheran on the throne of God.

How Important Is Church Unity?

Unity Reveals the Reality of God's Kingdom. A truly united church on earth reveals that its members are serious in their expectation of living together in heaven. Unity on earth demonstrates the reality of God's eternal kingdom. To those who live in this way the Scripture will be fulfilled,

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1).

Primarily, it is the saving work of Christ that unites us. We have, as a common heritage, the blood of Christ that has been shed for the forgiveness of our sins.  True Christians serve the true and living God and we know Jesus in a personal and intimate way (1 Cor. 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  ). We have been redeemed by God himself.  Furthermore, we have the body of Scriptures which tell us the essentials of the faith and deviating from these essentials means to be outside the camp of Christ.  It is the essential doctrines that we must know and unite in.

 THE PRAYER FOR UNITY BY OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 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 sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:20-23).

·         But what if the world began to see the Christian Church uniting in spite of its differences?

·         What if the world started to see how the Christian Church started to love not only their own church members but other church members?

·          What do you think the world would say if the churches' bickering stopped?

·         What do you think the unbelievers would say if they saw us living more and more the loving attitude and a sacrificial life of Christ across denominational barriers?

·          It would be a tremendous witness for Christ. It would be a tremendous assault on the enemy and I know that God would use it mightily to bring others to Himself by his grace.

What should we do to bring unity wherever possible?

We need to look at our own hearts and our own minds and compare them to Jesus and the Scripture. Where ever the two are not in agreement, it is we who need to change.  We need to pray that the Lord would provide opportunities to work with other Christians across denominational lines.  We need to recognize that we have differences of opinions and worship styles and that that is okay.  But we need to lift each other up and be united in Christ.

 “In spite of all the good qualities a man may have, he cannot be a good soldier if he acts independently of those connected with him. Occasional and uncertain movements, however earnest and energetic, will in the end bring defeat. Take a strong team of horses. If, instead of both pulling together, one should suddenly jerk forward and the other pull back, they would not move the load, notwithstanding their great strength. So the soldiers of Christ must work in concert, else there will be a mere concourse of independent atoms. Strength, instead of being carefully treasured to meet one great end, will be wasted in disconcerted, meaningless efforts. In union is strength. A few men and women who unite together, having the glory of God in view, will be growing in strength and wisdom, and gaining new victories” (Signs of the Times, Sept. 7, 1891, par. 7).