(Psa 133:1)
The enemies within us weaken us more than the enemies outside. Jesus said that a kingdom or a city or a house that's divided against itself would not stand (Mt 12:25). Will then a Church that's divided against itself stand? Of all the problems in the Church the worst one is disunity. We will study ten simple steps to practical unity, today and the next four days.
Begin with the leaders.
Psalm 133 is a much beloved one. There are several songs and choruses composed with its content. It is invariably quoted whenever unity is talked about. The Psalm begins with an exclamation: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!" (v1). "Brothers" here can be understood to mean the children of God. The nature of such brilliant unity is graphically illustrated in the remaining two verses of the Psalm. The Psalmist gives two pictures: Oil that "runs down" and dew that "descends." The flow of oil starts with the "head" of Aaron, the High Priest. The dew starts descending from Mount Hermon. Why Hermon? It's the highest of all the mountains of Palestine. The garments of Aaron and the mountains of Zion refer to the assembly of God's people. Aaron and Hermon speak of leadership. Unless unity starts with leaders, it won't last!
Know we have a common enemy.
The seven oneness factors listed in Ephesians 4:4-6 are generally taken as the basis for Christian unity. "One body... one Spirit... one hope... one Lord... one faith... one baptism... one God and Father." Unfortunately these very factors have driven us to opposite poles. How many divisions have been caused because of the difference in understanding of the Person of the "one Spirit" and the practice of "one baptism!" Perhaps we can add one more factor to this list to help us come together. It is "one enemy!" When the disciples of Jesus once told Him that they had stopped from doing God's work someone who had not belonged to their group, Jesus told them, "Do not forbid him; for he who is not against us is for us" (Lk 9:49,50). Christians in other camps, though they may not follow Christ exactly like us, are not our enemies. The enemy is Satan.
One is our Master, the blessed Redeemer,
Strong is the bond that unites us in Him;
Oh, may the love His own Spirit has kindled
Burn with a light that will never go dim!
The enemies within us weaken us more than the enemies outside. Jesus said that a kingdom or a city or a house that's divided against itself would not stand (Mt 12:25). Will then a Church that's divided against itself stand? Of all the problems in the Church the worst one is disunity. We will study ten simple steps to practical unity, today and the next four days.
Begin with the leaders.
Psalm 133 is a much beloved one. There are several songs and choruses composed with its content. It is invariably quoted whenever unity is talked about. The Psalm begins with an exclamation: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!" (v1). "Brothers" here can be understood to mean the children of God. The nature of such brilliant unity is graphically illustrated in the remaining two verses of the Psalm. The Psalmist gives two pictures: Oil that "runs down" and dew that "descends." The flow of oil starts with the "head" of Aaron, the High Priest. The dew starts descending from Mount Hermon. Why Hermon? It's the highest of all the mountains of Palestine. The garments of Aaron and the mountains of Zion refer to the assembly of God's people. Aaron and Hermon speak of leadership. Unless unity starts with leaders, it won't last!
Know we have a common enemy.
The seven oneness factors listed in Ephesians 4:4-6 are generally taken as the basis for Christian unity. "One body... one Spirit... one hope... one Lord... one faith... one baptism... one God and Father." Unfortunately these very factors have driven us to opposite poles. How many divisions have been caused because of the difference in understanding of the Person of the "one Spirit" and the practice of "one baptism!" Perhaps we can add one more factor to this list to help us come together. It is "one enemy!" When the disciples of Jesus once told Him that they had stopped from doing God's work someone who had not belonged to their group, Jesus told them, "Do not forbid him; for he who is not against us is for us" (Lk 9:49,50). Christians in other camps, though they may not follow Christ exactly like us, are not our enemies. The enemy is Satan.
One is our Master, the blessed Redeemer,
Strong is the bond that unites us in Him;
Oh, may the love His own Spirit has kindled
Burn with a light that will never go dim!
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