“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.” (Philippians 2:1-2)

In a world where we as believers are more divided then united, we need God to present to the world His message of love and grace through us as empowered by the Holy Spirit. His message is one of hope and life, which comes to us through the cross and the resurrection. When we come to Him by faith He gives us one command, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) The challenge of this command comes because each of us is different. “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9) In the world today there are 195 nations, 5,000 tribes, 24,000 people groups, 7,000 languages, and 8.1 billion people, according to a search of the internet. In the midst of these 8.1 billion people there are 2.1 billion who claim to be Christians. And all of us as believers are unique.

Paul speaks of what should unite us as followers of Jesus Christ. We are to be united by His love. Paul wrote, “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3) Love is the most excellent way. “And yet I will show you the most excellent way. . .. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 12:31b, 6-8) It is this love which is to bring us together.

We are also to be united by the same Spirit, who Jesus and the Father has sent to us as we come to know Christ by faith. “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18)

Paul would add in His call to unity, we are to have one mind. This is a part of Paul’s prayer for the church in Rome, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward 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)

There is a world in need of the message of Jesus Christ. God desires to use each of us in our uniqueness to present the hope of the Good News of forgiveness and life through Jesus Christ to a very diverse world. The way this will happen is when we seek to unite in love, in the presence of the Holy Spirit and in the mind of Christ. When we learn from each other and pray for each other seeking unity in Him, we begin to make complete Paul’s joy, also the joy of our Lord. In his letter in one individual, Paul said, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” (Philemon 1:7) May we, as we Walk with the Living Lord, refresh each other’s heart for God’s people, the church, then the world will hear our message.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block