Unity is not an add-on to the gospel. It is not something in which we say, “Well…if it works out that’s great, but if not…oh well.” Paul writes in his letter to the church in Ephesus that God’s “plan for the fullness of time is to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10).
As you continue to read on in Ephesians, you will observe Paul write that God is bringing together both Jew and Gentile. As I’m sure you are aware, the Jews did not necessarily see themselves as equals in regards to the Gentiles. This is especially true in regards to religion. After all, it was to the Jews that God gave the law. They were the chosen privileged people. They were the “circumcised.” Those “uncircumcised,” that is the Gentiles, were considered outside the circle. Yet Paul is declaring that God is creating one new body out of the two. He is birthing a new family and building a new temple. And it will include both Jew and Gentile. TOGETHER!
So salvation is not just personal. It is a remaking of the people of God. It is about God bringing together all things to the praise of his glory. There is no privileged group. No social hierarchy in which one people are better than another. It is about unity. And when such togetherness takes place, it produces an aroma in which the world stops and takes notice.
We are a world divided at the moment. I’m sure this is not a startling revelation to you. In fact, if you are entangled in social media these days, it doesn’t take long to witness just how disjointed we are. But when we as the people of God come together and realize that what we have in common, that is, Christ, is greater than any differences we might have, the world turns it eye toward us and marvels.
Now this unity thing is not easy. It takes work. Just as becoming like Christ is a journey, so is getting along with one another. So we need to be patient with one another. We need to listen to one another. And we need to lighten up at times and give others a break. Why are we so hard on others who don’t live up to our ideal of what we think they should be? Why do we demand forgiveness and acceptance when we sin but talk down to and alienate those who commit a similar or lesser sin?
“Be kind to one another,” Paul writes, “tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:32). These are words we need to tack on our bathroom mirror, our fridge, the dash of our car (not to where you can’t see the speedometer however), the background on our phone along with our computer screen saver, and our coffee cups and water bottles.
The truth is that if we are going to live like the “together people” God is creating us to be, then Ephesians 4:32 is going to have to be our mantra. It is going to have to be fleshed out in our daily lives for when it becomes so, our divided world will see that there is another Kingdom which is more true and rich and wholesome and beautiful than any kingdom they have ever witnessed. And they will then want to be a part. And when they do, we will say, “WELCOME!”
So it is unity for which we are being saved as God is creating a people for himself. And it is a people who are to show his kindness and grace by the way they treat one another. A people in which the light of their living in unity together so shines before others “that they see [their] good deeds and glorify [their] Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
"I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." -Jesus (John 17:21)
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