Ekklesia: God’s Idea of ChurchSample

Day 8: Keep the unity

Even in a church where love and acceptance are esteemed, we often still find ourselves annoyed by the eccentricities of fellow Christians. As much as we are aware of the need to build one another up, it doesn’t take much to threaten the peace God desires. When we allow pride, selfishness, gossip, and falsehood to take priority, conflicts arise and tensions mount. Whether subtle or overt, unresolved differences between people can result in serious divisions in the spiritual communities that we are part of.

Did you know that this unity we have in the body of Christ is not created or defined by what we do, but rests on the oneness of God? Because of Jesus, we share one body, one spirit, one hope, one calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and above all, one God. In the light of the faith in Christ that we share, the differences we have with one another pale in comparison. Because we share in the same faith, the same hope, and the same calling in Christ, we must not allow anything to drive a spiritual wedge between us. Our ekklesia must be protected from Satan’s greatest weapon – disunity.

The Bible encourages us to humbly set aside our own agenda and resist the desire to defend our own rights. Instead of insisting on our way, we can choose to see things from our fellow brother or sister’s viewpoint. We can choose to bear with one another’s weaknesses and failings, and do all of that in love. Even if God has already bought our unity through Christ, we need to make every effort to keep that unity. We must endeavour to preserve this spiritual unity so that any wrongs that occur between people in God’s family will not thwart what God wants to do through His church.

Reflect & Respond

• What are positive instances of unity you have experienced in church?
• How can you make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the church today?