I've been thinking about the importance of unity within the body of Christ. Ephesians really makes clear the importance of unity. Unity, not uniformity and not compromising the truth of the Word, is important to provide a picture to the world of how believers can come together in the body of Christ and love one another even in disagreement or conflict.
Are there things we could lay down and could we sacrifice our own wants and desires for the sake of showing the world how the love of Christ makes a difference and how unity is possible through Him?
Dear one,
It is good to know that you are thinking about the unity within the Body of Christ.
Dear one, if you are looking for a picture to the world how believers can come together in the body of Christ and love one another even in disagreement or conflict, the picture is that we pray.
Dear one, there are things that we can lay down and sacrifice, that is our own self righteousness and self love, that we may abide in God’s righteousness and in Christ’s love.
Dear one, I understand that you are considering to show the world how the love of Christ makes a difference ; this is what we have heard:
“
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
Dear one, let us just speak these things that we have heard in Titus 2:11-14 and we will do well what apostles have instructed us.
Dear one, I understand you are looking for understanding how unity is possible through Christ, the answer is the prayers of the saints or the righteous.
As our Lord Jesus have said :
“Therefore I say to you,
whatever things you ask when you pray,
believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Mark 11:24 NKJV
Dear one, can we not ask for the unity in the body of Christ when we pray ? We can. So dear one, when we pray for the saints, and believe that we receive that unity and we will have that unity.
Dear one, let us remember what our Lord Jesus Christ Himself prayed:
“Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father,
keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.”
John 17:11 NKJV
“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.”
John 17:23 NKJV
So dear one, consider : would Jesus receive what He has prayed ? He receives !
So dear one, let us also believe, that we receive by faith in union with the prayer of our dear Lord Jesus Christ.
So dear one, let us take refuge in prayers. When we take refuge in prayers, we take refuge in the love of Christ. Just as Christ prayed, and take refuge in the Father’s love.
So dear one, pray for the saints. When we pray for the saints, we take refuge in love of Christ for the saints.
Abba Father,
Christ no longer in the world, but
Your saints, Abba, that are in the world.
Holy Father, keep us in Your name, which You have given Christ, that we may be one, even as The Father and Christ are one.
Amen
We pray on behalf of Your saints, O Lord.
Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct apostles’ way to us, and may the Lord make us increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as apostles do for us,
so that Holy Spirit may establish our hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.-1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Amen
To God be all glory and thanksgiving. Amen.
