My Daily Pause

When I think about my military days, I remember one of the biggest challenges was to always be ready as part of the team. Living in close quarters was difficult for most of us kids – especially being away from home for the first time. One gets a firsthand look at that old saying, “familiarity breeds contempt.”

The same thing can happen in college dorms, families, and sadly, inside the church. When there is disagreement or strife among teams or families there is a loss of function. Unity among these groups make everything ideal. According to the psalmist it is “good and pleasant”. (Psalm 133:1)

It is sad to see earthly families unable to get along, but when it happens within our spiritual families, it brings discredit to the Lord’s church.

The challenge then, is to:

• Let brotherly love continue (Hebrews 13:1)
• Remember the doctrinal unity takes effort (Ephesians 4:1-6)
• Have the same mind and judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10)
• Never stop loving our brethren even when it is threatened (Galatians 5:13-15)
• Pursue things which make peace (Romans 14:19)
• Pursue things which make holiness (Hebrews 12:14)

We work hard to make earthly relationships function well – don’t we owe it to our savior to make the spiritual ones work?

Daily Bible reading for May 14

Psalm 133
Numbers 13-14
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
1 Thessalonians 1

I’ve written previously about any church activity or teaching that doesn’t look the way the Apostles taught it. Keeping personal interest out of worship and Bible study is the only way to maintain unity. The Apostles gave us the example and pattern to follow and pass on. (2 Timothy 2:2, Philippians 4:9)

Paul began 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:10) with a discussion about following ideas and teachers but not God. The whole letter was, for the most part, a reprimand of the Corinthians for getting off track. Letting our own ideas or “What we think” get in the way of the Bible is the quickest way to send a church away from Christ and down a lost path.

So, how does a group of people maintain unity and ultimately remain in Christ? I’m glad you asked!

Here are three places to start:

1. Read and study the Bible together
2. Never begin a sentence with “I think …” or “I believe …” when discussing the Bible.
3. Develop a willingness to discuss differences in understanding of the Scriptures.

Can you think of more?

The folks in Berea heard Paul speak and dug into the Scriptures to check out Paul’s teachings. (Acts 17:10-12) This is how to keep a church united and on track.

Paul told the church to avoid those that cause divisions. (Romans 16:17)

Logically speaking, those that would do things to divide the church have only their own interest in mind. The Lord was interested in unity. (John 17:21) Paul made it very clear in several places in the New Testament. If your church doesn’t look like the church the Apostles worshipped in, it’s probably the result of a division somewhere along the line.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).