God has always desired unity among His people. Since in every dispensation or age God’s people are in the minority, it has always been important that they demonstrate a united front to those around them. Unity among God’s people is good for them and for the influence they can have on others. This was why Jesus prayed so earnestly for it.
John 17:20-21 (KJV)
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Love and togetherness can be powerful tools, used in conjunction with the gospel, to win souls to Christ. No wonder David said, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity” (Psalm 133:1).
While unity is desired by God, He does not want unity at all costs. To be united in error leads to destruction. Jesus said, “if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14). The only kind of unity that is beneficial is the unity of the Spirit. This is another principle we learn from the book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The unity of the Spirit is produced by following the revelation of the Spirit. It results in walking worthy of our calling, and it develops characteristics that promote peace. Paul gives us three of those characteristics in Ephesians 4:2. Let’s look at them.
Humility – This denotes lowliness of mind with an emphasis on submissiveness. It is interesting that, outside of Biblical writings, it always carried a negative connotation, but in the New Testament church, we are strongly encouraged to have it (Philippians 2:3).
Gentleness – This word denotes having a meek and mild disposition. The importance of allowing oneself to be transformed by the Word of God is accentuated by this characteristic. Most people are not naturally meek. We take pride in being bold and brash. In our society, a tough person is a person who is unafraid to speak his mind or is very outspoken about his opinions. As Christians, however, being brash and outspoken can be a deterrent to making it to heaven, but having a meek and quiet spirit will help you get there (1 Peter 3:3-4).
While this passage written by Peter is directed toward women in Christ, men are commanded to be meek as well. Meekness is a kingdom characteristic that Jesus taught us to have in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:5). Paul was as courageous and tough-minded as they come, yet he treated others with a gentle touch (1 Thessalonians 2:6-8). In the end, being gentle and meek is a part of walking worthy of our calling and promotes unity among us.
Patience – If there is one thing that is vitally necessary to maintain unity, it is patience. The great word that is generally used for patience is hupomone. It has to do with having cheerful endurance in all circumstances of life, but especially in difficult times. We certainly need that characteristic. However, the word that Paul uses here is makrothymia, and it has more to do with being patient towards people than with circumstances. Paul tells us that we demonstrate it by bearing with one another in love.
It is one thing to be able to be patient with inanimate objects; but, to be patient with people who have weaknesses and shortcomings and who sometimes interact with us in ways that are not so great takes a determination to follow the instructions of the Spirit, even when we do not necessarily want to.
Do you possess gentleness, humility, and patience? It is necessary to keep the unity of the Spirit and to help promote unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. The result will be a healthy church, and, more importantly, favor with God.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things