Getting Along the Right Way

What the Bible says about Unity - part 1

Mark Twain used to say he put a dog and a cat in a cage together as an experiment, to see if they could get along. They did, so he put in a bird, pig and goat. They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments. Then he put in a Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic; soon there was not a living thing left.

There is a great scripture in the Bible about unity.
“that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.” (John 17:21 NASB)

Jesus Christ told his disciples that they were to be one even as He and the Father were one. He said that if they would, then the world (those people who do not put their confidence in Him) would know that He really was who He said He was. You would think that with Jesus’ emphasis on this that the church would understand the real value of living right with one another. But like Mark Twain said unity among Christians is most often something to joke about rather than something held in great value.

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27 NKJV)

You know if I were to line up 100 Christians in our city and ask them “what does it mean to conduct yourself as worthy of the gospel?” I believe they would say things like: don’t cuss, don’t’ get drunk, don’t have an affair, don’t watch anything except Christian TV, give your tithes, and so on. Probably not a single one would say what the God said through the apostle Paul, “you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Yet in God’s eyes unity is not just valuable but necessary to honor His Son. When an ungodly culture sees the Christians living together right, working out problems together, and “striving to keep the unity of the spirit,” it has a profound affect on them. People who saw the early Christians were amazed saying “see how they love one another.” Living in disunity is just normal. I mean some people fight and argue as though they will get a reward for it. Like the story of an elderly couple who lived together in a nursing home. Though they had been married for 60 years, their relationship was filled with constant arguments, disagreements, and shouting contests. The fights didn't stop in the nursing home. In fact, the couple argued and squabbled from the time they got up in the morning until they fell asleep at night.

It became so bad that the nursing home threatened to throw them out if they didn't change their ways. Even then, the couple couldn't agree on what to do.

Finally, the wife said to her husband: "I'll tell you what, Joe, let's pray that one of us dies. And after the funeral is over, I'll go live with my sister."

The unity the bible talks about is not the same unity that our culture embraces. People think if we all like the Dallas Cowboys and hate the Chicago Bears, or if we like a certain style of music, clothing, or hobby, then we have come to some kind of unity. That is a spirit of Unity. The scriptures teach something different, The Unity of the Sprit. Christians are to live in unity as we are lead by His Spirit and follow after Christ. It is not finding common ground and then trying to get along. It is being committed to Jesus Christ and His Word. Honestly if you are not getting along with other Christians you are not getting along with the Lord.

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, [3] being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;” (Ephesians 4:1-6 NASB)
It honors Him for us to live in Unity!