It is possible for the church to live in unity and love. I know this because the Jesus taught that “all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27, NIV84) However it seems many times Christians wander from church to church often because there are disagreements with other believers. Paul taught how to live as one body. “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ” (Ephesians 4:1–6, NIV84)
Our mandate is to live as one body. This unity is precious and is part of what it means to be a Christian walking worthy of our lives in Christ. Our tools for walking in unity are humility, gentleness, patience, love, and hard work which is effort. Humility keeps a preference for another above ourselves. Gentleness is having a mild demeanor. Patience speaks of enduring through challenges. It perseveres without losing heart. Love speaks to the love with which God loves us and we love one another. Effort is the desire matched with actions to seek and establish unity.
When there is disunity, division and strife among believers, we can be certain that there is the absence of these character traits. In fact, the opposite is true. Instead of humility there is pride. Instead of gentleness there is aggression. Instead of patience, there is impatience. Instead of love there is bitterness. Instead of effort there is a giving up on people and a moving on.
Paul exhorts us to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” (Ephesians 4:3, NIV84) How do we know when we have made every effort? I think as long as there is life in our bodies and breath in our lungs, we still have the opportunity to make an effort. Keeping unity is so important that we should make every effort.
What happens when people leave? Most of the time it seems like they feel that their rights were violated. Perhaps they felt they should be in a ministry someone else is doing. Maybe they did not like what someone said. When you feel like your rights have been violated, you can be certain that you still have pride in your life. Truly, if Christ can make himself nothing for us, we can do the same for our brothers and our sisters. “Christ made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. ” (Philippians 2:7, NIV84) When people leave a church, they have given up. This reflects impatience. There no longer is the willingness to endure and persevere.
When we stay committed through the challenges is when we grow. The people who irritate us are the ones who are revealing to us the places where our hearts are still controlled by the flesh and not by the Spirit. When we overcome the challenges of disunity we become stronger and empowered to do more for the Kingdom.
I exhort you to stay committed and stay in love and stay in unity!
