Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A church united is a church anointed
Unity is a non-negotiable essential in the church. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians does not delay. In fact it is the first of his agendas. "I appeal to you dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather be on one mind, united in thought and purpose" (1Co 1:10-12).
Unity must be sought persistently because with unity we invited God to work in the church. Indeed all of us have various roles that help the church run but ultimately it is God who prospers it (3:6-9). Our united effort negates strife and dissension. Thus when we are united we can focus our combined energies to create something constructive (3:10-13). Imagine reaching our goals with half the time because we decided to intentionally work in harmony together. And when there is unity, the Holy Spirit brings life (3:16-17). It is the Spirit that brings life, ie joy, peace and love, in worshipping and serving the Lord. God loves the church. And He jealously guards the unity of His church (v. 17). Indeed when a church is united, the church is anointed.
In order to foster unity in our congregations, even our small groups. Consider the following applications. (1) Celebrate Christ. Celebrate Christ rather than men. For the Corinthian church, their demise was when they started following their favorite preacher, arguing who is the best among them. Following God based on a person is a dangerous ground. For we know that man may fall and stumble. Rather than seeking the glory of man, seek to glorify Christ. And when a person in the church tests us, see it as a challenge to choose to follow Christ first. Race, social status, financial status bring division, but our forgiveness and new life in Christ unites us.
(2) Serve faithfully. "Each person who is given a trust must prove faithful." Serve diligently to any task God has given you. For it is God who gave you the gift and the opportunity to serve him in that way. Imagine when all of us did our role rather than telling others how to do their roles!
(3) Relate empathically. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Empathy is when we feel for the victory and grief of other people. A Filipino concept serves this well--"damay-an" (to feel for each other). The opposite of empathy is apathy, that is when we do not feel or not compelled to respond or do anything to make a person feel that they are not alone.
And lastly, (4) love unconditionally. Consider the words of Paul, "Eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way ... Love never fails" (12:31, 13:8). It is ultimately love that crosses the bounderies of our differences. It is love that breaks the walls of strife and divisions among brothers. There are greater gifts and skills to pursue, but the most important of them is learning how to love another person in the light of God's eyes.
Imagine a comb. A comb will not function properly if a tooth is missing. Each tooth is important for the comb to work perfectly. Each of us is important and have a unique role to play in the body of Christ. We need to work together so that we may accomplish more for Him. Psalm 133 says, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity ... For there the Lord bestows His blessing." In unity ... the Lord bestows His blessing. A church united is a church anointed.
- Patrick Tan
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Binondo Full Gospel Family Center is a community church in Binondo, Manila. We are an empowered, nurturing community, reconciling to Christ every person, household and oikos, discipling them for the glory of God.
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