To Be One in the Lord

FF Chong—London, UK

With the world under Satan’s sway, he uses its elements to ensnare us in his schemes (1 Jn 5:19). Knowing this, the church must identify and seal every crack the evil one will fully take advantage of to split the church.

Jesus knew that the disciples would constantly battle against the evil one while in the world. Keeping them in the Lord forms a major part of Jesus’ prayer in John chapter 17 and is heartily emphasized: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (Jn 17:15).

The church’s ability to overcome challenges stems from the unity from Christ that she strives to foster and continues to build on, particularly among the servants of God. For this reason, Paul urges individual believers to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:3).

The weight of this teaching is centered on Christ’s work of reconciliation. Jesus sacrificed His own life in order to achieve peace. As a result, He abolished enmity in relationships, be they between man and man or between man and God (Eph 2:14-16).

This reconciliation is not intended only for all to admire His greatness. In fact, it brings to light Jesus Christ’s nature, which believers need to adopt in order to defeat Satan and to fend off relentless fiery attacks, especially in holy work.

Since most problems in the church occur in the process of serving God with others, constant spiritual cultivation is necessary. We must understand that a life of servitude does not mean that we are confined to doing work alone. It is a life that must be worthy of God’s calling, just as Christ demonstrated on the cross. His example of understanding and forgiveness is one we should follow if we want to be one in Him.

SANCTIFY CHRIST

Within the church, unrefined words have proved to be a major cause of division. When differing views surface during heated dispute, words should be kept to a minimum to prevent us from taking out our displeasure on others.

We must learn to entrust matters into the Lord’s hand, focusing on God above all else in order to sanctify Him in our hearts (cf. 1 Pet 3:15). Thus, His meek and reverent nature will be present in any difficult situation, ensuring peace in a diverse group of servants.

Serving the church ultimately ends with accountability before God. The point here is not merely how much church work should be done but how it is done. The crucial concern is whether it reflects the nature of God.

When we have the right heart, it generates and draws power from God. It impels us to stay silent, even as we are maligned, so that we may remain blameless before God (1 Pet 3:16). This is precisely what Christ did when He was fiercely reviled and brutalized (1 Pet 3:21-23). Instead of retaliating against those who harmed Him, which He was more than capable of doing, He chose to commit Himself to the Lord who judges righteously.

The retaliatory instinct is sinful and must be put to death if we are to continue living in righteousness. Honoring God in our hearts while being oppressed allows us to forgive the wrongdoer. In this way, we will experience that it is “by [Christ’s] stripes [we are] healed” (1 Pet 2:24b; Isa 53:3). This is God’s mysterious way of removing misunderstandings, differences, and ills.

An inseparable bond can always be maintained with Him when peace rules within us. To have a good conscience before God is what matters. The strength from holding on to the truth will lessen any harm done to us and help us win over the wrongdoer. By honoring God, the church can be in continual pursuit of unity.

MAGNIFY CHRIST

The church at Corinth caused much grief to Paul. The members were divided in whom they perceived as the church leader, and some believed that Paul was one of those at fault (1 Cor 1:12).

The schism became so serious that the believers could no longer be considered spiritual but were rather viewed as babes in Christ (1 Cor 3:1-4). Their coming together caused more harm than good (1 Cor 11:17). The church could no longer function as the body of Christ and became a congregation of repelling groups that were in grave danger of destroying one another.

To deal with such a thorny issue required a completely spiritual mindset that magnified Christ. Paul made it clear that the church belonged to Jesus (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1). It was Christ who had set the believers apart from the world and done everything He could to call them to Himself (1 Cor 1:13).

The attitude we show as workers speaks volumes about how much we know about Christ and His work. We, whom God has called to serve, must recognize that we are merely vessels. No one should ever lay claim to the ownership of the church or think that he controls the believers.

Sometimes, a conflict within the church can flare out of control, especially when we are self-seeking and unrepentant. Instead of resolving differences, we go about soliciting support for a course of action, which only further exacerbates an already negative situation.

At such times, serving God with a pure heart quickly vanishes, straining every working relationship to the breaking point. What preoccupies the church is not how to come together to work out a solution in fear and trembling; rather, whatever is conceived is intended to hurt each other.

In rebuilding unity amongst the different groups in Corinth, Paul lowered himself in order to promote Christ. He shook off those who supported him by saying that he neither died for them nor baptized them in his own name but in the name of Christ (1 Cor 1:13).

The work of rebuilding has to start with ourselves, not others. This generates peace and paves a way for patching up differences. True harmony comes from understanding that Christ is the head of the church, and only with Him can problems be truly resolved.

BE HUMBLE

Nowadays, humility is hard to come by. Disguised pride has been another major cause of divisiveness in the church. Many go to great lengths to justify their pride more than the rightness of a case.

Some, though clearly at fault, refuse to back down. Still others believe that whatever they do is the best, despising the works of others and feeding their own pride. Frequently, what results is nothing less than a disservice to the community of faith.

The Bible teaches that the entire church must be clothed with humility and submit under the mighty hand of God (1 Pet 5:5, 6). A humble person does not boast of personal achievement.

Though Paul received a double confirmation of the work he did at Corinth, where many came to believe and where he saw a vision (Acts 18:8-10), he did not boast of himself to those who supported other workers. Instead, he spoke to the church of his fear and ineloquence while he was with them (1 Cor 2:2-4).

To create an atmosphere that was conducive for working together, Paul did not hesitate to set an example of unity with Apollos (1 Cor 4:6). Though certain factions of the church considered them to be rivals, he quelled the idea not by superimposing his seniority and dominance over Apollos but by introducing peace (1 Cor 3:5-10).

Paul first spoke about the work they shared in building up the church—Paul planted and Apollos watered (1 Cor 3:6). He did not state that he had done more than Apollos even though he had been stationed in Corinth for eighteen months under the instruction of the Lord (Acts 18:9-11).

Not only that, Paul was given the understanding and wisdom to deal with this potentially explosive situation: when Paul was at Corinth, Apollos had yet to understand baptism in the name of Jesus. Yet, Paul made Apollos of equal importance in the eyes of the believers with regard to establishing the church.

He was willing to humble himself, downplaying his work, so that the church could recognize that it was God who gave the increase. There can be no greater power to drive away the black cloud of disunity.

THE SAME FOUNDATION

Distorting the truth has been the most deadly tactic Satan has employed to confuse believers. This has been one of the most harmful causes of division in the church.

Being a God of order, He does not change His word. Therefore, no other foundation can be laid than that which has already been laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:11). The pattern of sound words has to be kept in the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 1:13, 14). It is imperative that we know that no prophecy in Scripture is of private interpretation (2 Pet 1:20).

To prevent any heresy from splitting the church, the two sources of false teachers, within the church and outside the church, must be identified (Acts 20:29). In addition, believers must be trained to discern right teachings from wrong teachings.

There have been countless incidences of false teachers coming as savage wolves to harm the church. When they found a foothold in the sanctuary, they cast the truth down to the ground (cf. Dan 8:12).

The Jerusalem Conference is a notable example in which an onslaught of members advocating circumcision had troubled and unsettled the church (Acts 15:24; Gal 1:7-9). The infiltration of heresies into the churches at Galatia and Colosse is another example. As a result, the church became badly divided.

We must pray that we will not become false teachers. There are many reasons, apart from pride, for a worker to stray from the foundation of truth. It is a risky exercise to probe into an issue about which the Bible does not even speak. The initial intention may be good, but, over the course of time, the mind can become obsessed with the subject and be unable to disentangle from it.

Though searching the Bible with great diligence is essential, keeping simple in what we have received is a powerful means to move forward. Through a simple faith coupled with trust in God, we can break down every stronghold through our obedience (2 Cor 10:4, 5).

We must learn to be truthful to the truth. First and foremost, imparting God’s word is not about a rigorous intellect, nor is it about a mastery of the Bible or a demonstration of the ability to hone in on key biblical points and provide clear answers to life’s questions. Rather, it is about relying on God to cultivate ourselves and other members.

Second, we must be able to recognize the limits to our understanding. God has given to the church what He wants her to know. There must be no attempt to enter into uncharted biblical waters, extrapolating into the unknown.

The role of an imparter is to let the Bible speak for itself by disclosing, not inventing, biblical truths; to explain biblical concepts without any preconceived notions (particularly in ideology or ambition) and with an utter commitment to the truth that we have received; a respect for traditions (2 Thess 2:15); and a determination to practice faithfully what has been taught.

In this way, the church is molded into a mindset of honoring God and being equipped with the whole armor of God (Eph 6:6-18) to stand against the wiles of Satan.

TURN TO JESUS

It is hardly surprising to note that every one of us is having some sort of problem in our service to God. Sometimes, we are not the cause of the problem. At other times, the difficulty stems from us being unspiritual. When things are not prayerfully handled, they can quickly spiral out of control, causing nearly irreversible damage to the church and blurring the will of God.

When the church is in disarray, a problem that is compounded by division, the will to resolve conflicts must not be greater than the will to rely on God. Whenever there is a desire to be led, there is always an urge to foster a better relationship with God.

The will to submit to God in prayer is a humbling experience that makes us realize how insignificant we are. In this way, God’s abiding presence will surely be felt and fill the church. Though disunity can be a fatal weakness, the sting can be alleviated when the parties concerned are bent on offering prayers of trust.

The rivalry amongst the disciples was practically incurable—it even continued after the institution of the Holy Communion (Lk 22:23). Had it not been settled, it would have been a huge obstacle to the work of establishing the church after the ascension of Christ.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He instructed the disciples to go to Galilee (Mt 26:32, 28:7, 10, 16), where He rebuked them for their unbelief and rivalry (Mk 16:14). Turning to Jesus in sincerity changed them completely, and they were able to continue with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14, 2:1, 46).  

There is always a limit to how much we can do. In doing all that we can to the best of our ability, our work must always revolve around God and prayer. We must set our mind on Christ to usher the church into a mode of trust and obedience to the truth.

The power to keep the church united emanates from God. He knows what is best for the church and how she is to be guided. Our trust is that He will do what is beneficial to the church, though it may not be easily understood. Only the Lord alone can save His church from being divided.

PRAY FOR PEACE

            “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.’” (Ps 122:6)

For peace to rule in us, we are required to pray unceasingly for the church and lead the brethren to intercede for one another.

When concerted prayers are offered, believers are more inclined to care for the church. God’s work becomes more noticeable. Differences and misunderstandings melt away in the power of His presence. Characters are shaped in the Spirit.

Love and faith can thus be stirred up with words from changed attitudes. Surely and prayerfully, the church shall be united, just as the Father is one with Jesus (Jn 17:22).