A Unified Church

I then, the prisoner in the Lord, make this request from my heart, that you will see that your behavior is a credit to the position which God's purpose has given you, With all gentle and quiet behavior, taking whatever comes, putting up with one another in love; Taking care to keep the harmony of the Spirit in the yoke of peace.
(Eph 4:1-3 BBE)

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them
(Rom. 16:17 KJV)

One of the greatest tactics of the enemy is to divide and separate the body. He understands that he has the greatest opportunity to destroy is if there is division and disunity. Hell gets great pleasure in watching a body of believers devour itself. We must be vigilant and alert to prevent the enemy from sewing seeds of discord in the midst of the church

If the enemy can cause us to doubt who we are and if he can divide and separate the church, then he can defeat us. But if we stand in faith- faith in God, faith in our brothers and sisters and faith in ourselves, anything is possible!

The way we know we are maturing in Him is in our ability to be unified behind a common purpose. When we have learned to focus our individual abilities to ensure that the kingdom of Heaven continues to expand, then we have really begun to find our place in God. The strength of a church is in its unity, a church that has pure motives and Godly goals will be blessed and flourish. A church that allows the enemy to divide and separate becomes weak and powerless. It all hinges on unity.

The spirit of disunity is like an infectious disease that leaves in its wake innocent people who have become infected because of contact with one who is carrying the disease. But the good news is that disunity is curable! It dies through lack of contact with another individual; it requires a listening ear to survive.

There are some things you and I can do to keep our hearts and minds pure:

1. Don’t allow anybody to turn your ear into a garbage can, God created you for better things than that!

2. Heed the plan of God for dealing with gossip – (1Ti 5:19) Do not take as true any statement made against one in authority, but only if two or three give witness to it.

3. Follow the plan of God for dealing with disunity: (Rom 16:17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them

4. Use God’s plan for dealing with offenses (Mat 18:15-17 ) Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Let us search our hearts and turn on the spotlight of God’s Word and make sure that we are not a disunity carrier. The salvation of a city depends on a church working in unity with one purpose and goal and that is to reach for the lost. Together we can make a difference in our neighborhood, in our city, in our state and in our world!