Unity

When Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household” in Matthew 10:34-36, He may not have had in mind the same dividing factors that we might.

In today’s world, it seems we are ready to divide over just about anything. This, of course, has its roots in the current rejection of the word of God as relevant, powerful, effective, and authoritative in people’s lives. Therefore, each person is taking it upon themselves to construct for themselves a certain moral code or ethical standard by which they will live and also expect others to follow suit. Naturally, with the subjective nature of human perception, the limited view we have of others, the exalted view we have of self, and the inability to truly know what is good apart from God all of this hand-wringing serves only to create more division, strife, tension, and animosity even among people that claim to be following God.

The truth is that many people aren’t all that interested in being consistent, honest, or humble in their studies. The result is a different set of beliefs that work however strenuously but ultimately insufficiently to support a view that helps them the most. Worse still, these conclusions are often held up not before but in place of the standard of Scripture and therefore determine with whom we can fellowship and call a brother or sister in Christ.

The dividing factors Jesus considered had to do with His identity, His Gospel message, and His reign. But people are very good at elevating their own ideas to the level of division. In the early church, Paul was helped by the Spirit to write letters to the churches to help resolve these disputes and recalibrate the fellowship so that it would be a Christ-centered community.

In Ephesus, there were struggles with race, class, background, status, and even religious understanding. In Ephesians 4:3-6, Paul shows the importance we should place on unity: ”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.” The oneness that Paul reminds us of here should help us see that quite often, there are “bigger fish to fry” when it comes to division and our efforts are often made towards proving our argument right rather than striving to be unified before the Creator.

Paul in Ephesians describes Christians that should be marked by peace. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:13-18)

Let us then be very careful in what we elevate, exalt, and honor when it comes to the faith. Let our faith always be rooted in Christ and His teachings and the teachings of the apostles by the Holy Spirit. Let our thoughts and hearts be shaped and molded by the Lord as we strive every day to live up to our calling. Sometimes, division must come that the truth may be seen. Let’s just make sure it’s the truth about Jesus that is our standard.