United Church of God

Unity, Unity, yet There Is No Unity

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Unity, Unity, Yet There is No Unity

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Unity, Unity, yet There Is No Unity

MP3 Audio (8.46 MB)
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Everyone wants unity, yet it seems to be an elusive goal. How can we truly achieve unity...instead of just talking about it?

Comments

  • vince thompson
    Your efforts are appreciated and I agree that self examination is a prerequisite to seeking unity within the Body of Christ, however, as you mentioned in removing the plank from your own eye, we are to reach out to our brothers in Christ not necessarily in correction but in love. As you quoted Christ's prayer asking the Father to make us one as They are one, you seem to indicate that we should not seek unity with each other until we have obtained unity of mind with God and Christ. While I agree we must always be humbly seeking unity with God, achieving this should not preclude us from reaching out to all parts of the Body of Christ, striving to eliminate discord and division where ever we can, both individually and organizationally. The divisions present today within the Body of Christ are not only an abomination to God but, understanding the point of Christ's prayer, an impediment to the world accepting Christ as the Son of God. This should motivate all Christians and organizations thereof to reject the comfort of the status quo. True unity as you prescribe in this message seems to be something we can't seek until we've obtained it with God and Christ. I disagree. vince t.
  • Nathan Ekama
    Vince, Thanks for taking the time to listen to this message. I appreciate you taking the time to post a comment and continue the discussion! In this message, it was my desire to convey the point that seeking unity with one another without FIRST seeking unity with God can be a fruitless endeavor. I did not mean to say that we should avoid seeking unity with others until AFTER we believe we are fully united with God, just that our hearts must be properly aligned with God first if we desire to have unity as the outcome. In general, we have a greater desire for unity when we believe that it is absent. James 3:13-18 speaks to why unity may be lacking. James also records what we must do in order to attain unity in verse 17, seek "the wisdom that is from above." Unity with and love for our fellow man is vital. This is one of the hallmarks by which Christ said His followers would be known (John 13:35). Sadly, this way of thinking and treating one another is not in our nature and it takes continual work to maintain a spirit of peace and unity (Ephesians 4:1-3). If we want unity with one another, we must first seek unity [of heart and mind] with our Father lest our efforts be in vain.
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