Unity and The Church

Why is unity so hard for the Church?

The antichrist has no problem of unity!

There are only three sets of scriptures that believers in Christ need to understand to end our division!

Psalm 133, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down to the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing – Life forevermore.” NKJV

John 15:9-17, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” NKJV

John 17:13-26, “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” NKJV

The LORD revealed to David what true unity was. He who spent many years living separated from his family and in a divided kingdom; as the youngest son and keeper of the sheep, as the anointed but not crowned King, as King whose family and friends disobeyed or rebelled against him; he understood the heart of unity and what it meant.

Jesus who separated Himself from His Father by becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:14-21) and taking our punishment on the cross; tells us that if we love Him we will obey His commandments which are to love one another as The Father loves Him and He loves the Father and They love us, so we should love one another!  Study 1 John 2:3-11; 4:7-21.

Why is that so hard for most believers, if we understand that we are the body of Christ on the earth (1 Corinthians 12:12-31), that we are His Church (Ephesians 5:22-33), that we are the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:6-9), why do we allow so many stupid things to divide us and keep us in sin. Because it is sin to hate our brother while saying we love GOD.

I am not saying that we must give up our denominations or designations or all be and look the same. That is not what Paul is saying when he describes us like a human body. We all look different enough from each other and so does each expression of the Body of Christ wherever it is. But all of our bodies are meant to have the same parts and appendages, all of our bodies are meant to function the same, just as the Church is. And all of the Church is to function as one Body locally, regionally, nationally, and worldwide. There is only one Church, one Body and Christ is the Head! Study Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 2:18-23.