Unity in Christ

There is no stronger call right now than to be united. Whether it is uniting to fight a virus, uniting for a cause against social injustice, or a call for a united government, this world wants unity. However, what is troubling is seeing the church fall for the cry of unity that comes from this world.  As we saw last week, suffering in this world and suffering for Christ are different, and we will see as we continue with Philippians that there is a difference between uniting with the world and its desires and being united with Christ.  In Philippians 2:1-4 we see that we gain encouragement from being united with Christ. But what exactly does it mean to be united with Christ? Paul gives us three ways that we can see that we, as a church body and individually, are united with Christ as well as shows us what it looks like if we are not.

First we can see that we can be united with Christ by having a like-mind.  The trinity is the perfect example of what it means to be like-minded with the church body.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are separate individuals but they work with one mind. A.W. Tozer explains this very well in his book The Knowledge of the Holy “The Persons of the Godhead, being one, have one will. They work always together, and never one smallest act is done by one without the instant acquiescence of the other two. Every act of God is accomplished by the Trinity in Unity.” Christ helps to explain this idea of unity in John 17:20-23 “20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”  Here Christ is praying that we have unity as He and the Father are united, and through this unity we can see the love that God has for us. While we are all separate individuals, we should all work together towards the goal that God wants, and that is to bring all into union with Him. This does not mean we lose our individuality, but rather embrace our true and remarkable God given talents in the pursuit of giving God the glory and honor He so rightfully deserves. It is unity in what God desires, what God holds in value, not what the world wishes to see.  Anywhere that there is sinful desires, God is against and we must be as well.

The second aspect of being united with God is being united in love. When I first became a believer the Bible was described to me as one big love letter written from God to me.  And there is no doubt that throughout the Bible there are countless verses dealing with love. We have all heard the saying “love is patient, love is kind…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). But there is so much more to what being united with Christ in His love is.  It is putting away our own selfish desires, in fact daily dying to our desires, and putting God first. It is not our love of God that saves us, but God’s love for us. 1 John 4:10 ““10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Or 1 John 3:16 ““16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Love is an action, it is not merely words. God showed His love for us by sending His Son to die for us, we show our love to God by putting away our selfish desires and act just as Christ did on earth. As a Church body we show that we are united in love by going out as Christ did to share God’s love to everyone.

Next we are called to be united in spirit and purpose with Christ.  Throughout all of Christ’s ministry it is clear what He wants, and that is to unite all people with God.  This is the same purpose that we must have.  I am sure you have all heard of the Great Commission, if not, it is found in Matthew 28:16-20 “16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The body of Christ is called to go out and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  This is our united purpose and it is what we all must seek to do.  To do this though, does not mean we all must become pastors or even stand on a corner declaring the gospel, although for some this may work.  We all have our different areas of strengths when it comes to speaking of God. For example, I have a difficult time speaking in groups, it is not my strength, but through Mill House Ministries I am finding that I am able to articulate my words better than if I was in front of someone. JL on the other hand, has no issue with being in front of a crowd, or even another friend of ours who does not like to be in big groups has no issue going up to strangers to tell them about Christ. The Bible has another way to describe what I am saying here and that is found in 1 Corinthians 12:15-20 “15 Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 16 And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20 As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.” We all have different strengths but they all must work towards the purpose that Christ has.

We have looked at the three characteristics that Paul mentions when he states that we are to be united with Christ.  However, when you look at verse three you see that there is a characteristic that shows when someone is not united with Christ. “3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” When we look towards our own interests, we are not being like-minded with Christ, nor are we loving what He loves, nor serving the purpose that Christ has.  And I am sad to see that this behavior is more common today.  In fact, you can’t look at any major news outlet without seeing people who are acting with selfish ambition.  What I am talking of here are those people who are part of the protests who are breaking into places such as Target, but instead of getting essentials for their families, they are stealing TV’s and other worldly desires.  These people are not behaving in the characteristics that were mentioned above.  And this difference shows truly what it means to be united with either Christ or with the world. An individual cannot serve two masters, they will either follow the world or follow God. Matthew 6:24 “24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Unity with Christ does not equal unity with the world.  These are the two options every individual has to serve either God who is love and justice, or the world who hates what does not belong to it. John 15:19 “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” The world cannot love what it does not recognize, that is why we are separated from the world when we become believers.  And while there are characteristics that God hates, Proverbs 6:16-19 “16 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.” It is because these characteristics go against everything that God is.  If you are someone who has a lying tongue, a wicked heart, feet that are running towards evil, a false witness, or spreading dissension between the body of Christ then you are not united with Him and are serving the master of this world. It is through our actions that show ourselves and those around us who we truly serve.

When we are united with Christ, behaving in like-mindedness, loving what Christ loves, and united in the purpose of Christ, we are able to have the same humble attitude that Christ had during His ministry.  Through this humble spirit we are able to put aside our own interests and look after the interests of others.  Any time the disciples argued over who would be the greatest, Christ reminded them that they should take the place of a servant because that is what Christ did Himself. Luke 22:25-27 ““25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” To be united with Christ means to serve those around us, it can be as little as being a part of a food chain to a family with a new baby, serving in the church, or going on mission trips. I am not talking about the social gospel which has taken the place of Christ nor am I talking about bringing the Heavenly Kingdom now. What I am talking about is the undisputed and total recognition of our own rightful place and that is as saved believers to be ambassadors for Christ in this fallen world. Our goal should be to proclaim in our actions, thoughts, and decisions Christ Jesus, we are to serve in whatever way He has called us to. By leaning on Him we as Christians can be united. In the end we are all called to serve because that is what Christ did. Christ had the authority to be sitting at the table, and yet He served those around Him by washing their feet and even going to the cross He served God the Father.

Seek the Truth and encourage one another,

                        Alex