Daily Devotional

-May 21, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-Unity And Oneness In The Body Of Christ-

“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

(1 Corinthians 1:10).

The Apostle Paul was appalled at the lack of unity and the divisions in the church at Corinth. He had heard it from a reliable source, those in Chloe’s household, that there were contentions among the saints. If Christians can’t get along, how can we testify and witness effectively for the Lord. The devil is always the one who is behind such division and strife.

Paul uses strong language with the Corinthians, writing, “I plead with you, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Lord Jesus is our Head and we are all members of His body; there is no room for division or contention. Every believer should be in unity, be one in Christ, and get a long well in love.

When we get saved we are a new creation. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We have a new life, under a new covenant, with a new nature. The men in the church are our brothers and the women are our sisters. The bond we have in Christ is stronger than even in our natural families. The church in the NT is called the body, the building, and the bride of Christ.

All this said, we still have our individual backgrounds, experiences, and personalities, which differ greatly. In spite of this, there must be unity in diversity. We have one mind, the mind of Christ. We may not agree on some minor issues, but in the basic major ones we do. The devil does his utmost to divide believers and cause disruption and a lack of unity. Today there are so many denominations that segregate believers. This was not true in the first century church, though they still had issues with divisions. The key to unity then and now is the same: love.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you love for one another.” Our Savior loved us unconditionally, sacrificially, and eternally. Our love for each other should follow His example.

May the Lord help us through the Holy Spirit to be one with one another, speak the same language, have unity, and be joined in the same mind and judgment. 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Let all that you do be done with love.” May love prevail in every detail!

Have a blessed day in unity and love so we can present Christ and represent Him in this world. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean