brothers – Page 2 – Praying Pint

28.t. “Think about these things”

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1 Thessalonians 4:12    so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Titus 3:14   And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

1 Peter 2:12   Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Titus 2:14    who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7    Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

What in life is true, sincere, and genuine? How do we know what is true? What is honorable, respectable, moral? What is just, fair, equitable, ethical, and impartial? What is pure, uncontaminated, wholesome, innocent, and above reproach? What is lovely, pleasing, and heavenly? These are seemingly easy questions but just try to answer them. How we answer them will depend on the conditioning of our hearts and minds. What feeds our hearts and minds will be how we define truth, honor, justice, purity, and what is lovely. We can easily see flagrant cases of the opposite. However, the lines blur when we try to define truth, honor, justice, purity, and love. Culturally acceptance does not make for a good basis to define them. Culturally, a homosexual life is acceptable and called an alternative lifestyle. Abortion is acceptable and called a right. Pride is acceptable and is called a self-made man. Greed is acceptable and called being a good businessman. Pornography is acceptable and called adult entertainment. In the eyes of God, they are all void of godliness, holiness, and righteousness.

Much of the Christian life comes down to the mind. Romans 12:2 speaks of the essential place of being transformed by the renewing of your mind and 2 Corinthians 10:5 speaks of the importance of casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. What we choose to meditate on matters. (Guzik)

What is it that mingles around in your mind throughout the day? Is it thinking about things of God? Is there any time during the day you are mauling over His Word, what it means or how to apply it? Are we seeking wisdom and understanding between (holiness, godliness, and righteousness) and things of this world? Do we even try? When I was in my early 20’s my old Pastor (in his mid 50’s) (I don’t think this is old anymore) said it seems like the church is only 10 to 15 years behind in accepting what the world says is ok. In my 60’s now I find this to be so true. I fear to say it, but I know it to be true, God’s Word is being neglected in our daily lives, many Pastors proclaim shallow truth and do not address culturally accepted norms, and our thinking has become void of that which is pure, true, just, honorable, and lovely. It would seem most Christians shamefully find it easier to fill their minds with CNN, FOX, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, ……………………… than to fill it with God’s Word even one-tenth of the time. Test me on this and you will find it is not far off. What would it take to clarify what is true, just, honorable, pure, and lovely? Try this, intentionally choose to be void of any time listening to or reading CNN, FOX, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, … for one week. Read God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your mind and thoughts in what is true, just, honorable, pure, and lovely. Try it. I know without any hesitation that you will see things differently. The hymn by Helen Lemmel has this line, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”

“Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts.” Yes, we are responsible for the thoughts we cultivate in our minds. (James Allen)

27. “And I thought you would call me, My Father”

Ephesians 1:5 In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Daniel 4:35  all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Romans 8:29-30   For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Jeremiah 3:19   “‘I said, How I would set you among my sons, and give you a pleasant land, a heritage most beautiful of all nations. And I thought you would call me, My Father, and would not turn from following me.

John 1:12   But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Philippians 2:13     for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

He predestined, According to His will, He called, He justified, He glorified, He works in you, He gave, He foreknew, and He has blessed us. If you were asked why God created? Why did He create all there is? Why did God do this if He foreknew the outcome? There are a host of other questions but that certainly is being asked by souls every day. God is God and for us to think we have the mental capacity to understand more than a thimble worth of knowledge about Him in an ocean of who He is we are more than foolish. We know He is holy, righteous, loving, full of grace, mercy, and love. We know that He sent His only son to bear our sin burdens on the cross and redeem us from eternal hell at the proper time. How can we even grasp the laws that govern time, space, earthly, heavenly, eternity, etc….We can’t. We try as hard as we might but at the end of the day, we aren’t really any closer to having this understanding. I have heard people reject the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ because they don’t believe there is a living God because Their god would act differently. There would be no sickness, death, wars, or famine. Their god would not dream of creating sinful man., sickness, death, pain, suffering……

Here we read of God foreknew, God, predestined, according to His will. My God, and hopefully yours too is awesome in power, strength, wisdom, knowledge, grace, mercy, and love. His plans are perfect. His ways are Holy. His creation points toward Himself as the author. His will can never be questioned because His purposes are right and true and holy.

How should we act when we know the creator of all there is and ever will be has called us to Himself so that through belief in His Son, Jesus Christ, we are set free from the judgment and penalty of sin. I can think of nothing worse than a person who has been given a glimpse of God and an elementary understanding of the need for salvation, and knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then reject God and Jesus without a second thought. I guess I can think of something else that is worse. Those who have tasted of the love of Jesus Christ and choose to neglect God’s Word and deafen their ears to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Blessed are those who hear His calling and believe in Jesus Christ for they are sons of the Most High. In all you say, think, and do make sure that it honors and glorifies Jesus Christ. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.

26.p.

Galatians 4:12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

I heard a song the other day which had the line; “Spirit fall on us”. Is this a proper statement for a Christian to say? When the eyes to your heart, mind, and soul are opened to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and by faith you believe, trust, and rely on Him alone you are saved, born again, a new creation, and the Holy Spirit makes residence in you. When does the Holy Spirit leave you? It does not ever leave. You can close the ears to your heart, mind, and soul. You can disregard what the Holy Spirit is encouraging you do to. You can deny what the Holy Spirit is telling you to do. You can say no to what the Holy Spirit is telling you to do. You can neglect the Holy Spirit living in you. Yes, you can reject those quiet and not-so-quiet whispers to your heart from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God dwells in each and every person who is born again.

Paul wanted to see the likeness of Christ being formed in these believers in Galatia. How does this happen? How is the likeness of Christ being formed in us? We must want to and be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. David gave a great example of this; “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!”, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!^”. When we desire and seek to hear and do what the Holy Spirit is leading us to do, we will continually be more and more resembling the likeness of Christ. A light the shine in the darkness and beacon of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The fruits of the Holy Spirit. What keeps us from experiencing these fruits? Love of self, love of worldly, and love of the flesh more than things of God and wanting to be led by the Holy Spirit. Our hearts, minds, and souls, are not seeking or desiring to hear or listen to the leading.

Think about how you are being fed. What is feeding your soul? What are you spending your time on? What consumes your time and thoughts? If we say, “I am going to spend more time in God’s Word” this is good but could very well be lacking in desire to be led. Our hearts, minds, and souls must hunger and thirst for leading and the sole purpose of this desire is out of sincere love for Jesus Christ and want to honor and glorify Him. Anything short of this will not find the heart, mind, or soul listening or willing to be led.

24.x. “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

2 Corintihians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Psalms 44:6-7   For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.  But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.

Proverbs 28:26    Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

Jeremiah 9:23-24     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 17:5-7    Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.  He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

Whatever the problem was, it was bad. Because of this problem, Paul lived with the awareness that he might die at any time. He was able to able to learn from this and say – “not to rely on ourselves but on God”. He has delivered us, He is delivering us, and He will deliver us – past, present, future. David, though he used bow and sword, said that he did not trust in them even thought there was victory – It was all of God and not by their might, talent, power, or strength that victory was gained.

It is when we seek deliverance and rely on self, how is God to help? Life is marked by events, and our life is lived either in anticipation of those events (looking to the future) or in reflection upon them (looking to the past). In either situation, stress is a possibility. We may be concerned about what is coming, or we may be exhausted by what has happened. Whenever life drains you of strength, let God be your source for refreshment (Psalm 23:1-3). Make prayer your first choice when it comes to unburdening your soul of what this world has done, is doing, and will do that adversely affects you. God is not limited and will deliver you. His strength, His power, His might, His timing.

24.w. “How you ought to walk and to please God”

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

2 Peter 3:14    Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

2 Peter 1:4-9     by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.  For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Psalms 78:8   and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Philippians 1:9    And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

1 Thessalonians 4:1   Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

What keeps us from being “Steadfast”, “Immovable”, and “Diligent”? Has the definition of these words changed? Loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable, steady, true, constant, unwavering, unswerving, resolute, determined, adamant, firm, unshakeable, unfailing, unyielding, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, careful, thorough, constant, persevering, persistent, zealous, dedicated, committed, driven, active, tireless. The meaning of these words has not changed so it be in our application of God’s Word in our lives. If we are not in His Word there is little chance it will have influencing application. If we allow ourselves to be consumed with what the world has to offer, how can we be steadfast, immovable, and diligent? It takes work, commitment, and determination to be steadfast, remain immovable, and ever diligent in things of God. Do not allow the allure of this word rob you of the grace, mercy, and blessings of God now and in heaven.

24.t. “Making known to us the mystery of his will”

1 Corinthians 15:50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

John 3:3   Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:5     Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 1:9    making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

Essentially, this means to have new life. A theological term for this is regeneration. It isn’t simply a moral or religious reform, but the bringing of new life. “To belong to the heavenly kingdom, one must be born into it. This isn’t something that we can do to ourselves. When Jesus had says “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God” then we might think, “I can somehow do this myself”, like a man might wash himself; but he could never birth himself. God’s great plan and purpose which was once hidden but is now this mystery is revealed to us in Jesus.

Why is it that this mystery which was hidden and now revealed is seen by some and not by others? Are they who understand the mystery smarter, more intelligent, or more worthy? Absolutely NO they are not. So why then, once the veil has been taken away, can this mystery no longer be a mystery to some and to others it is still an unfathomable mystery? Think about creation and the responses man has given to explain this mystery. This certainly is a mystery. How can something be brought into existence – (being made from nothing)? God created. Period. He made all there is. He created light, placed the stars and planets in all the of the universe, all of the elements of chemistry, and all of the physics that control interactions between them, life (plant, animal, mankind), spiritual heavenly beings, etc…….. How do we know this? Because He made it know by telling us. He revealed it both to our hearts and through His Word. It is through belief that though we don’t know how exactly, but we do know who. Belief in God takes away the searching of both how and who. Yet, for those who do not believe it is still a mystery, and billions if not trillions of dollars are spent trying to figure out who, when, and how all of creation came into being. With all of this money and with thousands of intelligent brains searching the best they come up with is a big bang. It is easier for some to believe this than in God who created it all. The mystery remains for these.

The same is true for the mystery of new birth, born again, a new creation. To those who believe it is a mystery revealed soul, heart, and mind deep. They are changed forever and await their final new eternal life in heaven. Yet, once again, those who do not believe (trust in, cling to, rely on Jesus Christ by faith) will try to sort out this mystery by every means possible to earn it or be worthy of it. It is not by works of the flesh, or the mind of the wise, but by the power of God through Jesus Christ in grace, mercy, and love. To those who believe, the mystery is no longer a mystery. They absolutely know they are born again. If you do not know this with absolute certainty, relinquish all hope in self and self-reliance and surrender to the grace, mercy, and love, found only in and through Jesus Christ, and the vail of the mystery of being born again, new birth, new creation, will be removed forever.

22.j. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction”

1 Corinthians 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

The cloud of Shekinah glory overshadowed Israel throughout their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. During the day, the cloud sheltered them from the brutal desert sun, and during the night, it burned as a pillar of fire. It was a constant, ready reminder of God’s glory and presence.

All Israel came through the Red Sea and saw God’s incredible power in holding up the walls of the sea so they could cross over on dry ground. Then they saw God send the water back to drown the Egyptian army. This was not only an amazing demonstration of God’s love and power, but also a picture of baptism – by “passing through water,” all of Israel was identified with Moses, even as by “passing through water,” a Christian is identified with Jesus Christ.

All of Israel was sustained by God’s miraculous provision of food and drink during their time in the wilderness. This was a remarkable display of God’s love and power for Israel.

Israel even had the presence of Jesus Christ with them in the wilderness! Here, in identifying the Rock that followed them, Paul builds on a rabbinical tradition that said Israel was supplied with water by the same rock all through the wilderness, a rock that followed them. Some Bible scholars today debate as to if the rock followed Israel, or if the water followed Israel (as in a stream). The point is the same: Jesus Christ was present with Israel in the wilderness, providing for their needs miraculously. What blessing, what privilege!

Despite all these blessings and spiritual privileges, the Israelites in the wilderness did not please God. In light of all those blessings, gratitude should have made them more pleasing to God, but they were not. “But with most of them, God was not pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Taking part in the blessings of God and then living in the desires and lusts of the flesh and giving no thought to the blessings of the One who gives the blessings will never honor or glorify Jesus Christ. We will always make choices to honor our own flesh and its desires or to honor Jesus Christ. Beware of your choices each day.

22.f. “I could not address you as spiritual people”

1 Corinthians 3:1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

1 Corinthians 14:20   Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Ephesians 4:13-14    until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Hebrews 5:12-14    For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Surely, Paul is telling us that there should be a “spiritual growth” realized in each of us. It is written in Isaiah “For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” Throughout our lives, we are to be spiritually growing. This growth requires watering and feeding in the Word of God. It does not come through osmosis. Time must be spent both reading it and thinking about it and applying it. The fruit of the Spirit does not grow without being watered and fed. Do you have peace, joy, love, long-suffering, kindness, patience, gentleness, rest, courage, hope….? The world will offer everything under the sun to replace what God will give to the hearts and minds of those who seek and desire to humbly surrender fleshly desires. Spiritual maturity comes with constant watering and feeding in the Word of God with a heart and mind choice to grow and live to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

22.b. “So that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Though we did not have or display worldly wisdom so as to be seen as wise, we have been given and shown Godly wisdom. Though we were weak we have been made strong in Godly strength and power. Though we were not of noble birth we have been given a much higher calling and rebirth through Jesus Christ. When you stop to think about what we were prior to being saved by grace, it is beyond worldly wisdom to describe. We were lost, without hope, powerless, and seduced by what the world has to offer, and then we were not. It is not as though we did something or learned how to change our lot in life to gain this wisdom, power, and new birth (earned it). It was by the grace of God alone. Our hearts were softened, our minds were made to understand, and we were given free will to grab hold of this Good News in and through Jesus Christ. Some may think they deserve this act of grace from God because of how they have lived a good life. If God’s grace could be earned then Christ died in vain. It is not by works we are saved but by grace. Grace alone. If we were given what we deserve we would all be doomed to eternal hell. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Grace, God’s Grace alone made way for eternal life.

There is another type of person who knows they do not deserve God’s grace and find it hard to accept God’s grace. Once again they are tied to the thought that some part of them must merit God’s grace (earn it). Come as you are to the throne of grace and believe in Jesus Christ. It is when you come surrendered before Him with empty hands, a scarred soul, battered heart, troubled mind, and without any hope in self that you will find the wisdom of God’s Grace and the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Still, there is another type who have come surrendered before Him and grabbed hold of His grace through Jesus Christ, and yet they continue to restrict their communion with God because they do not think they deserve His favor. They are right they do not. His favor is not deserved, it is given. Too many times Satan has convinced these saved souls that their past sins make them unworthy of God’s continued grace and blessings. These sins are thrown into their faces day after day by Satan, accusing them of their past and how unworthy they are to even pray to God. Their lives do not have many prayers because they are convinced that they will leave it into God’s hands because they are unworthy to ask of Him. This is a sad state to be in. Lacking communion with our heavenly Father. When God says that your sins are as far as the east is from the west and though your sins are blood-red they will be white as snow and when you have been forgiven, your sins are no more, then they are gone. Satan will tell you how unworthy you are and that these sins are who you are. Reject these thought temptations. You are a child of the King, forgiven of your sins, and as a child, we can go godly before the throne of grace and ask our heavenly Father what is on our heart. Even if we ask wrongly the Holy Spirit will show us rightly. God is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can think.

21.q. “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Peter 3:8-9   Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

Romans 12:16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

James 3:13-18   Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Ephesians 4:31   Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Romans 16:17   I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions

Psalms 133:1    Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

What does it mean to have or be in unity? (Harmony, cooperation, agreement, solidarity, peace, cohesion, wholeness) What does it mean to not have or be out of unity? (conflict, strife, friction, disagreement, war, dispute, controversy, quarreling) We have all seen or been in occasion to witness unity and as well, disunity. If you think back to those times it is easy to see that when you were part of unity, what you were part of was fulfilling and gave meaning and purpose. Each day was looked forward to, to be part of. People seemed to be determined to set aside their personal biases, desires, and wants for the greater good of the whole. There was no one stirring up division. There was no one casting doubt. There was no one whining.

We also have been part of a group that did not have harmony. Every day was a chore to face. Friction, discontent, bickering, and controversy at the end of the day led to mental and physical exhaustion. There always seemed to be someone to stir the pot of conflict or someone who would throw gas on a little ember. These people mostly stood in the background and never exposed themselves but rather moved on the fringes and would do their work little by little.

Paul was made aware of the present status of the Corinthian church. It could have been by a delegation sent to inquire about questions they were facing. It could have been by messenger or letter. Paul had to have been broken-hearted to hear or read of what the congregation had come to. We know by this verse that there was disunity and rather than address the issues causing it he addresses the real issue which was the disunity its self.

Unity takes effort, time, patience, love, grace, mercy, and at times allowing yourself to be wronged. We all like to be in unity and cooperation but do we really work at it. We can clearly see what happens when there is no effort given. Sometimes we may think unity and compromise is the other person bending to our way of thinking and us giving no ground. Certainly, in the essentials of the Christian faith, there is no room for compromise. Most issues are not about the essentials they are about the non-essentials. These cause more expressed division and conflict than there should be.

We need to keep our minds clear of the examples we see in government officials, corporations, and many others who act as though they are 2-year-olds throwing temper tantrums. These leaders are not trying to restore unity but rather get people to only think their way, do it their way, speak their way. They give no room for discussion, differing opinions, or debate. We see it so much that it appears this is how people are to act. How is anything ever accomplished when the maturity of 2-year-olds is the guiding principle for creating unity? It won’t happen and neither should this behavior and thinking be allowed in our minds to affect our church and witness to an unsaved world.