If you’ve spent any amount of time online this week you’ve heard the news about World Vision choosing to now hire gay individuals who are in same-sex marriages, and then reversing their decision two days later. From bloggers from all perspectives, a vast amount of online ink has been spilled voicing opinions (if you’re trying to figure out what the picture has to do with unity, you’ll have to listen to the message, or study Psalm 133).
It’s been an incredibly divisive week. Over the top rhetoric. Pointing fingers. Shaming.
This past Sunday I opened my message by saying, “I believe that the most critical piece to effective Christian witness in the coming generations is not relevance, or accommodation, or new church models, but is actually unity.” And of course, the issue is that unity is so rare.
Psalm 133 presents this picture quite vividly, using two similes that show the incredible blessing of unity, while it also remains something that is rarely grasped and lived.
As I prepared for the message I initially thought the subject was a bit boring, lacking connection to the lives of people today. But, as I compared Jesus’ prayer in John 17, and looked at Paul’s focus in Ephesians 4:1-6 I began to see the importance of unity within the body of Christ.
The interesting thing about it is that all Christians are unified. The body of Christ is one body. Paul says so in Ephesians 4:4. The issue is that we struggle mightily with living into this togetherness.
As it relates this week, rather than drawing clearly defined lines of what to accept and reject within the Christian faith, let’s work to find places of common ground. As Christians, we are far more effective in our witness united instead of divided.
*You can listen to my message on unity here*
Here’s some quotes from the message that seem of particular interest this week:
- “The unity of the Church is a manifestation of the perfection of the Godhead” -Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- Unity is found not only through our behavior, but also through our beliefs
- Unity is cultivated through the actions of God.
- Infringing on the created unity within the body of Christ is not only sin against God, it is sin against the body.
- A deep examination of your heart reveals the lack of peace toward fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
- As God invades our hearts and lives, we are naturally drawn to live an others-centered life that results in maintaining the unity of the Spirit.
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