Psalm 133
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore. Psalms 133:1-3 NKJV
When Christians live together in unity and harmony, this is pleasing to God! Unity promotes joy, peace and contentment, and brings encouragement, strength and life to our relationships, whether they are with friends, family, co-workers, or brothers and sisters in Christ. In contrast, picking sides, taking offense, being disagreeable, giving in to pride, and promoting self-interests have the opposite effect. This leads to disunity, which takes the joy, peace, contentment, power, and life out of relationships. Living in unity is one of the ways we show that we are living our lives for God. Scripture encourages us to be determined in our quest for unity: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Since Paul asks us to “make every effort” it is implied that maintaining unity is not always going to be easy. Nevertheless, we can willingly take on the challenge out of obedience, respect and love for our Heavenly Father. Unity is so important because God’s plan is to unite all people and all things under one authority: Jesus. “And this is the plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ–everything in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 1:10, NLT).
Unity is also a reflection of God’s triune nature: He is three persons in one, living in perfect unity. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). Each part of the trinity is unique, yet they are all part of one being, who is called the triune Godhead. All three persons of the trinity work together in unity, voluntarily submitting to each other in their respective roles. 1 John 4:10 tells us that the Father sent the Son into the world: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Likewise, we are told in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” We also see Jesus humbly submitting to the will of the Father in Hebrews 10:7: “Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about Me in the scroll—I have come to do Your will, My God.’” The Christian Church as a whole could be so greatly strengthened and energized by following God’s example and making unity a priority. The more church splits and denominations we have, the more we are pulled away from unifying all believers of Christ under the same fundamental truths that are outlined for us in the pages of our Bibles. Although it is fine to have diversity to accommodate different tastes and styles of worship, the fundamentals should never be altered or compromised. Jesus’ plan for His church is people unified in one faith. Following the principles and guidelines outlined for us in the Bible leads us towards unity, not away from it. Corporate change needs to start with the individual.
Here are some crucial Scriptures we can all start following to get us back on the road that leads to unity:
1) Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
2) Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
3) Romans 15:5-7: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
4) 1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”