Articles
Unity in Christ
As Jesus prepared for His death on the cross, He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and all believers. At this time of intense grief and preparation, unity was on His mind.
John 17: 20-22 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one.”
Jesus prays that the unifying love of believers would mimic the divine nature of God the Father and the Son. Specifically, Jesus prayed that our actions and attitudes would reflect the same unity that He had for the words and will of God.
Unity in Christ among church brethren should not just be a concept, but a living reality. Our faith results in with our spiritual family. The Bible refers to believers as “brothers and sisters in Christ” because we enter a bond with God the Father, and the Son, and join a spiritual family where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to love, support, and fellowship with each other.
Romans 8:29 "For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."
The Bible speaks of unity among believers as a central theme, emphasizing the importance of coming together as one body, even when it means setting aside our personal disagreements for the greater purposes of love and fellowship.
1 Corinthians 1:10 "I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
This scriptural call for unity allows congregations made up of diverse individuals to come together as one family in Christ, embracing the differences in our backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, recognizing that in Christ, we are all brothers and sisters.
Ephesians 2:19-20 "So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone."
Biblical faith creates a bond in which people can experience the love and care of their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This bond connects us to believers as far back as the apostles, and Jesus is the only thing that can hold us all together. This support is to be there in times of joy and hardship, just as a family should. While no family and no congregation is perfect, believers should strive to live out these values every day, providing a welcoming and loving environment for all those who share the faith. We would love to show you a small part of the unified family of God!
