One in a Divided World

-JUSTIN RYAN BOYER-

How do our differences in the Church separate us?
How can and does God use our differences to strengthen unity in Christ?

There is an increasing lack of common grace in our world. A major point of tension, both for those inside and outside of religious institutions, is the division we create through such things as various political allegiances and racial differences.

The special grace of Christ’s Church is needed to proclaim, live, and show a better way. A way that humbly aligns itself with the Kingdom of God in conviction, while knowing that none of us has the entire picture of that Kingdom's vastness.

In light of the Gospel, a mark that the Early Church identified herself with was that she was, and still is to this day, /ONE/. 

The Trinity is a wondrous mystery: a sacred union that is one without losing the uniqueness of personhood in the three. The one/many concept doesn’t just stay in the realm of the transcendent God, however. Jesus lets it loose in John 17 when he prays that all His disciples — that includes you and me — would be one as He and the Father are one. 

This oneness will affect the mission of God. The Church’s unity will signal to the world that the Father sent the Son in love for us. Needless to say, there is a self-sabotage to our mission if that unity is not on display in some way.

The Church /is/ one in her nature, not divided, and we’re told to chase after that unity. 

The Greek word /spoudazō/ points to diligence, to making every effort towards some goal. We’re encouraged to be diligent in caring for the poor (Gal. 2:10), in rightly discerning the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15), in making our calling sure (2 Pe. 1:10). Are we also making every effort /spoudazō/ to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3)?

“The church is one since it lives under one Lord and heeds Jesus’ command for unity.”
-Michael Bird, Theologian-