We are all familiar with the phase, “United we stand, divided we fall.” With this sound doctrine, I have always wondered why there are so many different forms of religion, so much division among the children of God. Merriam-Webster defines religion as, “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” This is what is meant when someone asks, “What faith are you?” Wouldn’t it be awesome and a great pleasure to God if we all answered, “The faith of the Word of God.”
Churches, fellowships, and other Christian groups too often criticize fellow believers. Churches that excitedly worship criticize those that quietly worship, the same can be seen between individuals inside a single House of God. Each group thinks the other should be just like them. That’s strife, that’s satan, not God and UNITY. How can the power and glory of God operate in this environment? The church and churches collectively are God’s House. Hebrews 3:6 reads, “…Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house…”. This speaks to the corporate identity of the church as God’s own abode. Paul writes, in 1Timothy 3:15, “You may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the truth of the living God, a pillar and a buttress of the truth.” Church of the living God highlights the church as the assembly or unity where God most clearly manifests His presence. Paul continues that the foundational calling of the church and the Christian is the task of promoting and protecting the gospel. The imagery presents the church’s responsibility of holding up the gospel before a watching world. What is the world seeing when a pastor denigrates another faith during a sermon or a believer with strong faith belittles a brother of weaker faith?
The theme of the book of Acts is about “accord” or unity. I love what it says in Acts 4:31, “The place was shaken where they were assembled together.” Acts 2:46 speaks of the faithful worshiping together daily with gladness and “singleness of heart.” For me, that says it all! When we, the Body of Christ, unite ourselves in the power of the Word of God, and not of earthly desires, we’re going to see some things shaken as never before.
So why are some Christians not in unity? Because they don’t have enough of the Word of God, they have not fully submitted to the Word of God, they are not fully grafted into the Tree of Life. The devil is subtle and cunning. Song of Solomon 2:15 reads, “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes (the little things) that spoil the vine.” A church or Christian operating according to the Word of God is identifiable by the fruits of the spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. These come from the teaching and obedience to the truths of God’s Word. When we are working together in love and unity, we will only be interested in building the Kingdom of God, not of self or any one religion.
Christ is returning to establish His kingdom on earth. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if His children were already united, having put away divisions, through the binding Word of God. Why do we sit on the river bank with our bobber in the water, waiting for Christ’s return towards a better tomorrow. All believer’s can have an effect today towards “heaven on earth” by simply uniting per the will of God and breaking the strongholds of division among His people. Let the mind of Christ live in each of us. His purpose is our purpose, set the world free!