The Bible has a wealth of knowledge that pertains to issues of church unity as well as church discord. In this piece, I’ll address how we might put the teachings of the Bible on unity in the church into practice in our daily lives and share several Scriptures on the subject.
When it comes to being a Christian, having unity with other Christians is among the most crucial aspects. Each one of us has a responsibility to love one another and to work toward spiritual harmony. In this article, we will look at a number of verses that discuss the need of unity within the church as well as the ways in which we can express love for one another.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand I am not of the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for this reason cease to be part of the body. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet: ‘I have no need of you’ … Now you are Christ’s Body,[a] and individually members of it.[b] And God has appointed these in order that He may show in operation through us His abundant power on your behalf.[c][d]
Romans 12:4-13
In Romans 12:4-13, Paul says that unity is a sign of the Holy Spirit. It’s a sign of the Church, and it’s a sign of Christ’s love for us. Unity is also an indication of our love for God and His glory.
When we are unified with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, we demonstrate that God has given us His Spirit (Romans 8:9). That means that there are no divisions between us; we are all united together in Christ’s body. We have been called out from the world so that we would be separate from it—but not isolated from each other! Being part of a new people means we can enjoy fellowship with others who share our faith, regardless whether they look or act like us or come from different backgrounds than ours do.
Romans 8:1
God’s love is greater than our fears.
God’s love is stronger than our doubts.
God’s love is bigger than our failures.
God’s love is more important than our problems.
God’s love is deeper than our wounds.
God’s love is wider than our circumstances, and it will be there for you when you need it most.
Ephesians 2:14
“For he is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of two, thus establishing peace. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” —Ephesians 2:14-19
Philippians 2:2
2:2 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Acts 4:32
Acts 4:32 is an important scripture for the topic of unity in the church, because it shows how we can be unified. The verse says, “And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul (unified).”
It’s important that we remember what this verse means when talking about being united as a church. It doesn’t mean that every member had to agree with everything that all other members did, but rather they shared a common faith and love for each other. So if you are part of a group where everyone is always agreeing on everything and doing exactly what others want them to do, then you may not have unity at all! But if your group struggles through disagreements and disagreements are talked out reasonably while everyone stays focused on what they believe in (even though others may have different beliefs), then you have true unity!
John 17
- John 17:20-23. “I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, just as you, Father, 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.”
- Ephesians 4:1-6. “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called…make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit…”
Psalm 133
Psalm 133:1-3 – “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”
The psalmist’s prayer for God to unite His people is a beautiful picture of unity among believers. Our Lord prays this same prayer in John 17:21-23 when He asks that all Christians be one just as He and His Father are one. Christians are called to be members of Christ’s body (see 1 Corinthians 12). Once we’ve been united with Christ by faith in Him through baptism (Romans 6), we belong entirely to Him and no longer belong to ourselves (1 Corinthians 6).
Having Unity and Love for One Another Is a Big Part of Our Christian Faith.
You are part of a body, and you must have unity with your fellow members. If one member is hurting, all members suffer. If one member is healthy, all members rejoice. And when we don’t have unity in our hearts and actions, we hinder the work that God has called us to do in this world.
We can achieve unity in many ways:
- We must love each other as Christ loved us (John 13:34).
- We must seek understanding rather than condemnation (Romans 2:1-5).
- We must seek common ground rather than focus on differences (Romans 14:1-3).
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped to explain what unity in the church is, why it’s important, and how you can go about achieving it. The most important thing is to remember that unity isn’t just about making sure everyone gets along; it’s also about having a shared belief system and working towards common goals together as a group.