Unity!

Unity!
written by Chris Baker

God made human beings in His very own image. God loved His creation so much that he could not bear the thought of being separated from them. God sent His own Son to die for the sins of the world out of love. Jesus willing went to the cross to die for our sin out of love. The disciple who truly loves is one who lays down their own life for another. True love is sacrificial love! The true disciple loves and prays for their enemies and carries the burdens of their weaker brothers, all out of love for them. Yes, true discipleship is demonstrated through sacrificial love. 

God not only wants us to love Him with every fiber of our being, He also wants us to love each other as well. He is not saying to love them in theory. True disciples reflect the very image of God because they have the Spirit of Christ within them. Authentic disciples love as God loves. They model the same love they see their Father model. They take the call to love their neighbor as themselves seriously. Hateful behavior has no place in the life of a true disciple!

According to 1 John 4:20-21, “whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (NIV). 

Believers must be very careful to guard their hearts. It is one thing to disagree with one’s actions, motives, beliefs, lifestyle, etc. and something else entirely to harbor ill will towards the person. You can still love others without supporting or encouraging their harmful lifestyle choices. We must be very careful not to allow our hearts to be influenced by the evil one. Jesus sow’s unity but the devil sow’s disunity. Make sure your heart’s desire, motive and actions are not leading to disunity. Be very careful that your disapproval of actions does not fester into hatred for the person. John plainly says that anyone who loves God cannot hate brother or sister. Do not fool yourself by thinking you have an authentic relationship with Jesus if there is hatred in your heart. John says such a person is deceived and not of God.

I constantly have to search my own heart. There are many times I find myself wishing ill will on a person whose actions I disagree with. Once this is realized, I run towards repentance!  I have to constantly remind myself that this person is created in the image of God. They are loved by Him so what right do I have to judge? Shouldn’t my response be to pray for them and beg the Lord to reveal Himself to them? Shouldn’t my desire be for them to know Jesus? 

Fortunately, I serve a God who is rich in mercy. He saved me from my sin and gave me a new heart, one that can reflect the very image of Jesus Christ. May we not lose sight of the person. People do foolish things in this world. May we not add to the foolishness, rather, pray for mercy. May the Lord be merciful to us and allow us to see the error of our ways and remember the mercy that He has shown us. May we pray for the Lord to have mercy on those who have yet to begin a relationship with Him. Pray for them to meet the Risen Christ, the one who is high and lifted up. The one whose name is above every name, who can transform even the darkest heart into His very image. 

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