Unity of Believers

 Eph 4:3

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity. The state of being united or joined as a whole. I have no illusions that it is possible to be united in every facet of life. We were not created to be robots, programmed to all think alike. God created us with unique personalities and with a will to think for ourselves and make decisions that we believe to be right. Having unity among believers is made possible when there is a common goal to live our lives to please the Lord, but it may not come without effort. Because we are uniquely made by God, we will no doubt not view every situation and problem in the same way. We may be unified in our goal, but not unified in how it is achieved. Maintaining unity is always a work in progress. It is an endeavor that requires intentionality. Unity does not just happen because we all love Jesus. Chances are, there will be many times that we will not see things eye to eye. What is important is to maintain the spirit of Christ in our hearts.  We may not all think alike, but our hearts can be united to keep our spirits in the likeness of Christ. Love and peace can still abide when Christ dwells among us. The Spirit of Christ that lives within each believer compels us to live with an attitude to preferring one another, not allowing strife and contention to arise. There will be times when things are said and done that can lead to division, but Paul says to work hard, make every effort to keep peace and be kind in our spirits. Keeping the unity of the Spirit is essential if we are going to see the Kingdom of God accomplished. 

Live at Peace with Others

 Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Conflict is a natural occurrence that takes place when there are differences of opinions. Some of these differences are strong enough to create strife and division. Paul and Barnabas had differences of opinion, causing them to go their separate ways. It is possible to live peaceably with all men, even in the midst of strong differences. It becomes more challenging to live at peace with all men when there has been a betrayal of trust or if personal hurt has occurred. We cannot allow bitterness and malice to control relationships, even when conflict involves personal matters.  Conflicts can cause a strain in a relationship that may not be overcome quickly, it may even scar a relationship that may never heal completely. But fellowship need not be broken. History has recorded centuries of division and discord. Wars have been fought and many have died for what they believed in. I don’t claim to understand the nature of wars, the just and unjust, but if it is possible, God desires that we live at peace with one another. Especially among those who are followers of Christ. We are exhorted to “Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor, preferring one another.” (Roman 12:10). It is possible to love without compromising principles or condoning evil. Preferring others is not to agree with them, but it is to allow them to have their own opinions or ideas without dissimilation. We are never going to see eye to eye on every issue, but we can agree to disagree and live at peace with one another.

The Enemy of the Soul

Psalm 35:24 “Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.”-

David faced a lot of opposition from those that should have loved him most. It is tough knowing that your own flesh and blood seeks to hurt you without a righteous cause. Sin in the hearts of people causes them to lash out with cutting words and find ways to make life unpleasant. We search our hearts, asking God to examine if there is anything we may have said or done to cause such hatred. We may not have anybody that is out to get us, but Satan is the accuser of the brother and desires to bring destructions to our lives. He seeks after the apple of God’s eye and despises those who put their love and trust in God. He rejoices when a follower of Christ take another path, when those that are called Christian become bitter against each other. Satan desires to divide the power of the people of God by bringing division that is founded on things that are not worth dying for. “Lord, create a new heart within me, don’t allow Satan, the real enemy to use me in a way that will hinder the kingdom of God. Help me to seek righteousness and holiness. Defeat the power of the devil, so that your name may be glorified”.