Unity In Christ
What does being of one mind make you think of? What exactly is unity? The dictionary defines unity like this.
1.the state of being one; oneness.
2.a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
3.the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.
4.absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character.
5.oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement.
a relation of all the parts or elements of a work constituting a harmonious whole and producing a single general effect.
This is what Christians who call themselves the body of Christ should look like.We as Christians are supposed to work together towards furthering God’s kingdom.
United means= 1.made into or caused to act as a single entity: a united front.
2.formed or produced by the uniting of things or persons: a united effort.
3.agreed; in harmony.
I find it so hard to understand how there is so much infighting going on amongst those who are Christs own. We who have been washed in the blood of Christ are supposed to help one another . Exhort one another. In patience and calmness instruct one another. In my own walk with the Lord I find that in just studying his word to show myself approved to God. I am entirely too busy worrying about my own walk with the Lord, and how better to further my understanding of God through his word a very fulfilling and busy work. What is false teaching? False teaching is someone teaching a different salvation. Teaching a different Jesus. Salvation issues are the only things we need to be watching out for. It does not matter how much money a preacher makes. It does not matter if he believes eating one kind of meat is okay even if you do not agree. It is looking for salvation issues, and rather we recognize them coming from another preacher or teacher. We must at all times be aware of that fact, and keep in mind Jesus wants us simply to further his kingdom. We are supposed to be united in that one goal.
There are people who are so busy being a divider of the Lords called children, that I honestly cannot see how they have any time to further the kingdom, nor further their own walk with the Lord. I do not believe for one minute that God gave people, any person the job of finding all “their” ideas of a false teacher. I know personally if thats all I was doing all the time, day in and day out, my joy in the Lord would be wiped out. I would be angry on God’s behalf and quite unfulfilled in the word of the Lord. Besides the fact that the Lord does not need me, you or anyone, to do anything for him. He does however love us and desire us for his own. I am sure you have all seen and or heard at one time in your life the saying, United we stand, divided we fall. If we divide up and take firm angry stances against one another’s small and or secondary beliefs we are simply dividing ourselves from one another. We as the whole body need one another to function correctly. How can a body function if it’s many parts are going in different directions, it would not work!
Here are some verses that speak of the unity we are supposed to be.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Psalms 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Jeremiah 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. Are you some one else’s master? Do you know God did not or did give that person this thing to speak on? I tell you the truth not one of us knows the mind of God and or what he may have assigned someone else to do.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. YES let’s not think ourselves wiser than another brother or sister in Christ. Romans 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.Rom 15:5-6 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”Evil communication” is that not throwing down accusations of false teacher when it is more than likely not a salvation issue ? 2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Ephesians 4:2-6
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:15-18 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Philippians 2:2-5,8
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Are we obedient when tearing a brother or sister down? Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Colossians 3:12-16 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Teaching differently about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, is false teaching. God does not look upon the earth and care to see anything other than, Washed in the Blood, not washed in the blood. God does not care about wealth, food, race, clothing, and hair style. He reads your inside your heart, not your outer trappings.
1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.You are not honoring God nor your own family in Christ by being jealous of someones wealth. By being angry at someone supposedly on God’s behalf. Anger is never and has never been of the Lord.
In closing let me say this. What is the Body of Christ? The body of Christ is composed of the various Christian and Messianic Jewish fellowships exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit. So if God places his Holy Spirit in a person, he or she is a believer, it’s that simple. Paul clearly stated that true believers in Jesus could possess a very wide range of differing secondary beliefs and still be genuine believers. So we must drop our prejudices toward each other due to differences in secondary beliefs.
What is the sign of a believer in Jesus? Jesus, before His death and resurrection, commanded his disciples—believers and followers of Him—TO LOVE EACH OTHER (John 13:34-35). That is how Jesus said others would know we are his disciples. He said the world will know we are His if, and only if, we have this love for each other that He had for all of us. Also read Romans 14:1-23. Just love one another. Show the world we are indeed Christs, and that we love one another. There is going to be a time coming when the words love your enemies are going to be the hardest to live by. The Lord loves the whole world enough to have sent His son for everyone who accepts. Even satan knows a divided body cannot stand, thats why he works so hard to divide us.
May God Bless us all and bring us closer together to meet our goal of bringing many to the Lord.
Love in Christ,Tammy