When will we experience the pleasant goodness that comes with unity?
By Dean Collins
Look, how awful and destructive it is when brothers live and promote division! We actually don’t need to imagine how destructive division is to the church, to our communities, in our workplaces, in our country, or in the world. We see it and hear it constantly as we insist on fighting and arguing in social media. Sadly, some in the church have taken on the approach of current culture where we insist on calling each other out and arguing rather than praying and working together for unity.
As the children of Israel neared their destination in Jerusalem and were steps away from the temple, they quoted Psalm 133. They understood that if we dare come to the throne of God, we must surrender our differences and division and worship in unity. But this worship is not received unless we are willing not simply to be polite at prayer meetings or worship gatherings. We must be determined and actively striving for unity and living in it day by day.
When this happens, it is beautiful to behold. As the psalmist exclaims, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”
Disrupter transformed
The apostle Paul had once been an instigator of disruption and division. And like most disrupters, he believed he was on a mission from God. As a Pharisee, he had great command of the law. He knew the rules. He knew the Old Testament Scriptures. And as his Jewish brothers, including some Pharisees, came to understand who Jesus was and surrendered their lives to his transformation, Paul (then Saul) pushed hard against them. He went around ripping communities apart. His method was to investigate, find, accuse, and even murder those who followed Jesus instead of the ways of the Law.
But then Paul was himself transformed by the power of the gospel. From then on, he was not only determined to tell the world about Jesus, but he was also determined to teach and explain God’s design for human flourishing that comes through Jesus. And the desire of Jesus is for all to live in unity, beginning with the church.
Paul warned the church at Rome to “watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that they have been taught, avoid them.” In Ephesians, Paul tells the church that we must be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One who is eager is one who is enthusiastically wanting and working for something. Current culture in the church doesn’t appear to demonstrate enthusiasm for unity. We continue to fight, argue, and try to prove each other wrong on matters of doctrine and culture. How “good and pleasant” it would be if we were equally enthusiastic about how we surrender our wills to God and allow him to unite us at the foot of the cross of Jesus.
Healing discovered
Paul reminds us in Ephesians that there is but one body, and one Spirit. Paul said we were called to “the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” And just a few verses later Paul tells us that we must stay on this path of unity until we all attain it! As we carefully read the fourth chapter of Ephesians, we discover that without unity there is no maturity in Christ.
It is easy to imagine the Jewish pilgrims quoting Psalm 133 responsively at the steps of the temple in Jerusalem as they pledged to live in unity. And as they committed to unity they described the relief and healing that comes as the oil of God washes over them, both refreshing and restoring their hearts and minds.
Death avoided
It is time, it is past time, for followers of Christ to surrender our biases and submit to seeking and living in unity through Christ. Read the prayer of Jesus again in John 17. It is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, and it was all about his children being united with God and united with each other so that the world might see and know the love of Christ.
Brothers and sisters, it is good and pleasant when we dwell in unity. And sadly there is a stench of death when we don’t.
Father, forgive us for the many ways we have been selfish and stubborn with each other instead of surrendering to you. Unite us at the foot of the cross. Cleanse us from our sins of division and heal us so that we make walk in unity with you and with each other. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 133:1-3; Romans 16:17-20; Ephesians 4:3-6, 13 ESV
Photo by Vitezslav Vylicil at istockphoto.com
To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.
