1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
Paul clearly sets forth for us in our verses for today four specific ways believers in the Lord Jesus are to manifest spiritual unity. We are to be like-minded, we are to have the same love, we are to be one in spirit and we are to be one in purpose. It is important that we are one in tenderness and compassion whether or not we can be one in understanding. Our lives should evidence our personal experience with the Savior. As believers we have individually enjoyed such high privileges as these - being united with Christ, being comforted by His love, having fellowshipped with the Spirit and having enjoyed His tenderness and compassion. Paul writes in Romans:
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:5-7 (NIV)
“Have you ever thought about what a net is? It is a bunch of holes tied together. Do you know what a hole is? It’s ‘a nothing.’ And that is exactly what we are – ‘a bunch of nothings.’ But, if you take ‘a bunch of nothings’ and tie them together, they become powerful. Just as a net is woven and interlaced, people are netted and tied together with other people resulting in tremendous power. Woven together in the unity of the Spirit, we accomplish far more than any single individual could do by himself. There is power in cooperation. You do much better fishing by net than with a hook and line. Together we join hands and work the works God would have us to do.” Wales Goebel
Believers in Christ are to live in harmony - in a spirit of unity - as we follow the Lord Jesus. The ultimate purpose of this unity is that it brings God much glory. This, of course, is the sole purpose of Christians individually as well as the church corporately. Just as a parent is brought joy when their children love one another so too a minister is brought joy when his flock are like-minded and living in love towards each other.
“Unity in Christ is not something to be achieved; it is something to be recognized.” A. W. Tozer
Perhaps we are thinking it is impossible for us to get along with some of the brothers and sisters in our spheres. They are so difficult, irritable, grouchy, loud, obnoxious, bossy or whatever. But have we ever stopped to think what we must seem like to Jesus? Seriously, the difference between any human and Jesus is light years greater than any human and human – Billy Graham included! Our focus is not to be on the individual but on God Who enables us to love the unlovely – just as He did us. Remember Paul tells us we were no pretty package when Christ died for us. Indeed, we were all big fat sinners! Romans states:
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)
“If we focus on our differences, our focus is on each other. If we focus on unity, our focus is on God.” Anonymous
It can be difficult to love those who are just, quite frankly, hard to love. Certainly that is why Scripture is constantly calling us to bear with (doesn’t sound too easy) one another and to forgive grievances (also doesn’t sound too easy) – forgive as we have been forgiven. Yet, sadly, all too often we are just simply unwilling to pay the price and it costs us greatly. Un-forgiveness will rot the bones.
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col 3:12-14 (NIV)
“Church unity is like peace. We are all for it, but we are not willing to pay the price.” Willem Adolf Visser’t Hooft