by Doy Moyer<\/p>\n
All believers should, at the least, accept that Jesus wants His followers to be united together. He prayed “for those who will believe in me through their <\/em>(the apostles’) 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<\/em>” (John 17:20-21). Paul wrote that the Lord’s people should seek to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ<\/em>…” (Ephesians 4:13). The church at Corinth was exhorted to agree, “and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment<\/em>” (I Corinthians 1:10).<\/p>\n Sadly, there is far too much division among believers. These divisions are not all the same, however, as they range from serious differences over vital teachings to matters that are not essential. It is one thing to have differences over the nature of Jesus Christ or salvation itself; it is another to divide over the color of carpet in a building (this can stand for anything of that type). The point is that it is too easy to “line up and divide” if we haven’t even put in the time and effort to unite. Here, though, I want to suggest a few vital starting points for achieving and maintaining unity:<\/p>\n Truth is foundational for God’s people. After all, what is it that we are uniting on? As part of Paul’s argument for the Ephesians being united, “speaking the truth<\/em>” is necessary (Ephesians 4:15). Again, when Jesus prayed for the unity of His people, starting with the apostles, He indicated the importance truth at the foundation: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth<\/em>” (John 17:17-19). Even if we differ on what truth is, we must still start with the common ground that we all want truth and are willing to learn it together.<\/p>\n Loving one another is paramount. While “speaking the truth<\/em>” is foundational, readers will notice the next phrase as well: “speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ<\/em>…” (Ephesians 4:15). Truth without love will not create unity. Love without truth will not create the unity that God desires. However, “truth in love<\/em>” will provide the necessary atmosphere for growing in Christ and uniting in Him. Jesus taught His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another<\/em>” (John 13:34-35).<\/p>\n Forgiving one another is required for our own salvation. Whenever people work together, the potential for friction is present. Consequently, we may say or do hurtful things, which can lead to anger, bitterness, and division. Instead, Jesus taught us to forgive: “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses<\/em>” (Mark 11:25). Paul wrote, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:32). This is necessary even to our own forgiveness from God (cf. also Matthew 6:14-15).<\/p>\n Bearing with each other is critical. Paul urges disciples to walk in a manner worthy of the calling, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:2-3). To bear with each other means there will be times when our patience might be tested. The temptation would be to shun one another, but we must learn forbearance as part of the love we are to show. Be patient with one another as we grow together.<\/p>\n Glorifying God by taking on the mind of Christ will cement our desire to unite in Him. This, really, is the bottom line. We aim to glorify God by adopting the mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:1-8). Rather than doing things with selfish ambition, we are to empty ourselves, as Christ did, and put others before us (Philippians 2:3-4). We are not out to glorify ourselves and do our own will. We are here to glorify God and seek His will, take on His way of thinking, humble ourselves, and make it our aim to please Him in all things. Seeking our own will is pride, and pride will divide.<\/p>\n No doubt there is more, but I believe if we start here, we will be on the right track as God’s people in seeking to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This is the Lord’s desire, and it ought to be ours as well.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Doy Moyer All believers should, at the least, accept that Jesus wants His followers to be united together. He prayed “for those who will believe in me through their (the apostles’) word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[65,581,441,456],"class_list":["post-88477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-love","tag-patience","tag-truth","tag-unity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":42577,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/isnt-it-divisive-to-claim-all-denominations-are-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":88477,"position":0},"title":"Isn’t it divisive to claim all denominations are wrong?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2001","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just read the article about why you left the Nazarene denomination. On the latter point of baptism, I will not comment now, but I think your first listed reason is a rational mistake. You said, \"yet the Nazarene Church exists, as does any denomination, because man disregards the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61724,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-call-to-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":88477,"position":1},"title":"A Call to Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford I watched a recorded worship service the other day. During it, I was invited to sing a verse of \"Onward, Christian Soldiers\" that I had never sung before. It reads: Like a mighty army Moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading Where the saints\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37807,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/christs-prayer-for-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":88477,"position":2},"title":"Christ’s Prayer for Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant In Christ's final hours before his crucifixion, we find him in the garden in earnest prayer to the Father. Much of his prayer expressed his concern for his disciples who would be left behind to carry on the mission that Christ had been sent to accomplish.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":66937,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-need-for-distinctive-preaching\/","url_meta":{"origin":88477,"position":3},"title":"The Need for Distinctive Preaching","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jim Deason Biblical Insights, September 2014 In the shadow of the cross, Jesus prayed, \"I do not ask on behalf of these alone (the apostles - jhd), but for those also who believe in Me through their word (me and you - jhd); that they may all be one;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61662,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/notes-on-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":88477,"position":4},"title":"Notes on Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 2, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Psalm 133:1-3 \"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,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Notes","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87145,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-does-unity-look-like\/","url_meta":{"origin":88477,"position":5},"title":"What does unity look like?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Jeffrey, I'm struggling a bit with what unity really means in light of scripture, and I'd appreciate your guidance. From my study, I understand unity to involve being \"of the same mind and judgment\" as in I\u00a0Corinthians 1:10-11, and having the humility and love described in Philippians 2:1-5.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88477"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88477\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Truth<\/h2>\n
Love<\/h2>\n
Forgiveness<\/h2>\n
Patience<\/h2>\n
Having the Mind of Christ<\/h2>\n