United in Purpose

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Just like the human body, there are many essential elements for a church to have life. Unity is one such element. With unity, a church can accomplish much for Christ. Disunity can cripple and even destroy it. I’ve seen it happen many times as a Christ follower. No church is immune to its subtle attack, that’s why we must work to have unity among us. And as much as I hate to admit it, disunity often centers around egos and pride rather than doctrine. 

   

Some Christ followers think that every Christian has to think alike, talk alike, eat alike, walk alike, dress alike — well, you get the idea. If being alike were essential, then Christ made a huge mistake in choosing His disciples. You could not find a more diverse group than they:

Peter was impetuous; James and John were passionate and power hungry [Sons of Thunder]; Matthew was a money-hungry revenuer; Simon was a political activist [the Zealot]; Judas, a turncoat; and while we don’t know as much about the other six disciples, you can rest assured they had their issues as well. 

The potential for disaster in a group like that is easy to understand. What kept them together? May I suggest that one component was their common purpose, which transcended their individual personalities and differences. The disciples are a powerful example of what unity can do!

Dear Christ follower, we are disciples of Christ as well — not THE disciples, but HIS disciples nonetheless. And our common enemy will daily work at sowing discord among us. Let’s strive to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” [Ephesians 4:3 - ESV]

You have been chosen by Christ to be a part of a select team of workers to accomplish what Jesus began to do here on earth. If we are to complete the task, we must be united in purpose.

...make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Philippians 2:2 NASB