WE
ARE CALLED TO UNITY!
Ivan Pattison,
Ephesians 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.
1 Corinthians 4:6b that no one of us be puffed up for
one against another.
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh
thee to differ from another?
Unity is, "one with
each other", whatever our differences are, we are
to over look each other’s differences to have unity. To have unity, is to have
peace.
To
have unity, it is for each one of us to be humble towards each other and with
God; to be with complete lowliness of mind, having humility, and meekness,
being unselfish, with gentleness, and mildness, thinking and honouring the other person, and seeing them as being better
than we are ourselves. Having patience, and forebearing with one another and making allowances,
(especially making allowances for each other) because we love one another with
such a fervent love, with an energetic love. Let each of us go out of our way
to love the other person, unconditionally, as this is how Jesus loves us.
Reading Ephesians chapter 4, one can get a good idea of unity.
When I have patience and
accept that others have much to offer, it is then I learn something from them,
and it increases my knowledge. I know I need the every one in the body of
Christ to share with me, and for me to learn from their experiences.
We can learn so
much from each other when we share with each other, and. We can learn from each
other, as we look past any differences that we might have. Where there are
major differences, if we work on those things we have in common, and this is
the way we can begin to achieve unity with the body of Christ.
Remembering
each one of us are a part of the body of Christ and none of us are a loner for
Christ, even though we need to be alone with Him to be one with Him, so we can
be together with each other, and so we can work together in unity.
To have unity we have to
communicate with each other, whatever denomination we
each one belong to, or whatever teaching we grew up with, finding an
understanding with each other. but we must do better
than we are doing to bring unity into our Christian community.
There are many benefits
when we walk in unity, and unity brings peace with each other.
The Word of God says much about those who walk in unity and peace.
First of all it is pleasant, it brings blessings, but we must pursue it, that
is go after unity and peace, it just doesn't come to
us.
Psalm 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue
it.
Psalm 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
For harmony, unity and peace to be a part of our
Christian community, we as individuals must make sacrifices for it to happen.
In Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings
among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts
that war in your members?
The things
that brings disharmony within the church is the disharmony that is within those
who are causing it.
Those who have one or more of these, Pride, Jealousy, hatred, strife, and even
some who are hurting, will manifest disharmony. Maybe a teaching that has been
taught to us some time in our life, and we want others to accept, and some of
this teaching is good, but not all.
Selfish
ambitions is a real enemy to unity and peace, and the self-aggrandising
attitude which shows itself in working to get ahead at other's expense.
John
13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one-another.
John
Love Ivan
