Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Be One even as the Father and Son are One

Philippians 2:1-2 - "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

John 13:35 - " By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

As believers God wants us to be unified with other believers. The Bible teaches how we are Christ's body, many parts but one body. We all have the same Spirit in us. Therefore, we are to be like minded, loving one another and one in spirit and mind. Yet, the reality of this is not always true. There is often division between believers, hard feelings and the holding of grudges. Often there is unforgiveness and many times permanent division or discord. This is because of our human nature. Pride and selfishness is at the heart of all division and discord. 

James 4:1-2 - " What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God."

There will always be a division in the church because everyone is full of the Spirit of God or led fully by His Spirit. Yet, God's desire is that be one even as he is one. God is not seeking conformity or exact likeness. He is seeking oneness, harmony and love.

Matthew 5:9 - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

2 Corinthians 5:18 - " All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:"

Let us look at some steps in resolving conflict and bringing reconciliation between us and someone else.

First of all, discuss the problem with God. When we go to God in prayer, you will find direction on what the next step should be. When you go to God in prayer, you will find that your heart will soften and change, and God will begin to work in the heart of the other person.

Secondly, it is not important who offended who or who did what to who. What is important is that you seek reconciliation. Often, we want the the other person to take the first step in this process, but we should not wait on them.  (Matthew 5:23-24) We should not allow a lot of time to elapse before we seek to reconcile. The more time that elapses, the more difficult it will be and often become a bigger problem. Also, unforgiveness towards our brother will hinder our spiritual life. Yet, in all this we must find the appropriate time and place to do this.

Thirdly, we must be sympathetic and put ourselves in the other persons shoes. We need to seek to understand the person and why he said or did what he did. We need to listen to the other person before we speak. Along with this, we need to put the other person first. (Philippians 2:4; Romans 15:2)

Fourthly, we need to admit that we are part of the problem. (Matthew 7:5; I John 1:8) When we confess our sin or weakness to the other, it opens the way for reconciliation.

Fifthly, we are to attack the problem, not the person. We can never resolve a conflict if we attack a persons character. We need to speak with the person in love. (Proverbs 15:1; Philippians 4:29)

Sixthly, we need to be ready to make compromises. Not compromises God's Word or the truth, but compromising none the less.

Seventhly and lastly, seek reconciliation, not agreement. We can disagree, but still be unified. God asks for unity, not conformity. God looks at the attitudes and the things of the heart. If theses are right, everything else will fall into place.

I challenge you today. If there be anyone you hold in your heart or have not reconciled too, you should wait no longer but be reconciled.

1 comment:

  1. Good Word Brother, but a little confused by, "There will always be a division in the church because everyone is full of the Spirit of God or led fully by His Spirit." But it did not hinder the rest of the message.

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