How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Psalms 133:1 NIVUK
There is a tragic, terrifying symptom of the worst cases of Coronavirus. It's called a Cytokine Storm. When it begins in the body, doctors know they are fighting a battle of life and death.
It happens when the body's immune system turns against its own internal organs and begins to attack them.
Imagine the tragedy: the very thing the body counts on to keep it well seeks to kill it.
I can think of few things more shocking.
When Christians turn in on themselves and attack each other, it is the equivalent of a Cytokine Storm for the Body of Christ. It is ugly and self-destructive. There is nothing good or pleasant about it.
Yet the complete opposite is true when God's people live in unity. It is good and it is pleasant.
And the original Hebrew goes even further. It is good, yes. But it is also happy, fortunate, agreeable, rich, fitting and right. In fact, the word for 'good' is also used for the ancient Hebrew version of 'wellbeing'.
And the word translated as 'pleasant' can also be translated as sweet, lovely and beautiful.
What a wonderful thing!
But what is unity? And why is it so good for us?
This psalm was sung by pilgrims as they travelled great distances to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. This very journey gives us three aspects of unity that help us to understand it much better.
Firstly, the pilgrims were united in purpose. They had the same intention. They had all decided to do exactly the same thing - go to the Temple to worship.
Secondly, they were united in direction - they were going the same way.
Thirdly, they were united in motivation - they were heading to the Temple for the same reason.
The Bible talks about unity in similar terms elsewhere:
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:1-4 NIVUK
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind towards each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6 NIVUK
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11 NIVUK
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:1-6 NIVUK
Do you see it? We must be united in purpose. We must make the decision to not live for ourselves and our own interests but to live for God and His people.
We must be united in direction. We must all dedicate ourselves to following Jesus wherever He leads us.
We must be united in motivation. We must follow Jesus for the same reasons, not for selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Let me tell you, the disciples were not united in this way when Jesus was alive. They often squabbled like infants over who was the greatest (Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48). Rather disconcertingly, it even happened during the Last Supper (Luke 22:24-27). And one of their number, Judas Iscariot, clearly had a very different motivation to the others, being driven purely by financial gain (John 12:6).
Has anything changed in the human psyche? Aren't there still those in church who jostle for power and prestige and, yes, even money?
Let me make this plain: we cannot be united with them. They have a different purpose, direction and motivation than genuine followers of Jesus Christ. They are headed a different way and we can only experience unity with them when they repent.
The disciples only became united when they set aside their petty, infantile battles and were filled with the Holy Spirit. It's only after Pentecost that we read these words about them:
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No-one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
Acts 4:32 NIVUK
If we are struggling with accepting our brothers and sisters who are a little different from us, but whose purpose, direction and motivation are the same, perhaps the first step to unity is to recognise that we are the ones who are at fault, not them, and to ask for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our hearts and minds.
But why is unity such a blessing? King Solomon explains:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no-one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIVUK
Unity with other believers is for our mental health what a safety net is to someone walking a tightrope. We might feel alone, exposed and in danger. However, if we stumble, we are united with people who lift us up and restore us.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2 NIVUK
We are united with people who laugh and cry with us (Romans 12:15-16; 1 Corinthians 12:26). They share in our good times and our bad times. They are there for us when we need them. We have their back. They have ours.
Other people call this 'community'.
And this is good for us. It promotes the best wellbeing. It bolsters our mental health. Every human being needs this.
But Christians know that we can only enjoy this close bond of unity with people who have the same purpose, direction and motivation. Just as it's impossible to hold hands with someone who is headed the opposite way, so two people with different purposes, directions and motivations cannot enjoy the closest of unity (2 Corinthians 6:15-16).
But when we set aside our petty differences and focus on the purpose, direction and motivation that unites us, then our unity really will be a good and pleasant thing.
It's pretty clear that unity is important for our well-being. But it's also ANOINTING.
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