Unity is a choice
Unity is a choice and doesn’t come naturally. In fact, it seems division is more natural, always lurking nearby. A mind tends to run to division but moving to unity is a fight.
If you start to think through issues in life, most, if not all, have division at the root. Inner self, maybe there is a gap between where you perceive yourself and where you want to be. Division eats at your soul. Marriage and friendships are certainly broken apart by division. Within companies, division runs rampant, as people battle for power, money, and influence. And churches are certainly not immune but are full of division ranging from Biblical interpretation to how to deal with issues in culture to types of music in worship.
The Bible is a story of good and evil with division versus unity at the core. The Book begins with great unity at creation, the Garden of Eden, and humanity. Then division enters the story, severing the relationship of God and man. From this point on, division is a common thread through the pages of Scripture. From Cain and Abel where one brother murders another due to jealousy to the division of the nation of Israel. Judas causes division with Christ and the disciples, as he is drawn to money over mercy (Matthew 26:14-16). Even the twelve disciples, those closest to Christ, regularly battled division, as in Matthew 18, we find them arguing over who is the greatest.
In Galatians 5, the Bible gives us a picture of a spiritual battle in life, desires of the flesh versus the Spirit. At the core, the battle pits unity versus division. On the list of the “desires of the flesh” are enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, and dissension, all driven by division of some sort. On the unity side, this chapter speaks of the fruit of the Holy Spirit being love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, all by-products of a unified self and life. This chapter paints a vivid picture of the battle of mankind.
Not one person naturally moves to unity. In fact, everything in the world points us to division. We are inundated with information and current events that divide. News full of polarizing information is at our fingertips like never before. Social media is never-ending as one tries to keep up with others.
Division is lurking, but unity is a choice and requires a mindset shift.
John 17 captures a prayer of Jesus before his crucifixion. As He turns His prayer to future believers in Him, of all the things he could pray for, Christ prays for unity.
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:20-23
Jesus prays for unity between Himself and those who will believe, and He also mentions twice “that they may be one.” His deep prayer for future believers was that they would be unified, because a unified church would be a picture of Jesus to the world.
The prayer of Christ is answered in the pictures of the early church that we are given in the Bible.
Days after Jesus is hung on the cross, His followers are together, probably in fear, as they had just witnessed their friend brutally murdered. They bind together in unity.
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:12-14
They were unified as they waited in Jerusalem. All they had was each other with the world against them.
Then, in Acts 2, the twelve disciples faced a crowd of 3,000+ that had opposed and murdered their friend, potentially facing the same fate, the Bible gives a picture of unity. Peter stands to address the crowd.
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them... Acts 2:14
As Peter bravely stood up to address the crowd, eleven brothers stood up with him. They were unified, bravely facing the people as one.
And finally, the first picture of the early church gives us a radical picture of unity, Jesus’ prayer answered.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people... Acts 2:42-47
This picture of unity is incredibly convicting and a model for us today. Perhaps the most convicting part of this picture is the result of the unified church in the second part of verse 47.
…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved...Acts 2:42-47
A unified church grows as people see the oneness. The picture of unity, driven by the love of Christ, draws people to want to be a part of the community.
As mentioned, the battle will rage within each of us individually. Scripture beckons us to unity, but, the world will pull us to division. The world needs a picture of unity today, especially among those that follow Christ. As Jesus prayed, let us be one today despite the differences, despite the pull to division.
When that first conversation begins or that first bit of news pops up on your phone, let unity be your choice. Yourself and others will benefit. God will be glorified.
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