UNITY - Get It Done!

There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,  a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. Prov.6:16-19

Few people read this verse and most when they do do not pick up on the last statement made. The Lord HATES someone who sows discord!   Discord means just that, whatever causes people to be at odds with one another. And I know how we tend to apply this - we tend to apply this to religious division. We blame others that they do not agree with the Bible, therefore they are causing division. I agree, that truth is truth and that if you are not going to abide by that, then you are fighting against God not for Him.  However, the emphasis in proverbs is God HATES anyone (those who call themselves Christians or not), that is the cause of sowing, instigating, breeding, festering, fostering, agitating discord. PERIOD!

We see so much of this today. Turn on the news and there is always someone sowing discord.  Rom.3:10-18 is a good synopsis of our world and even our nation today. "...  as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known is no fear of God before their eyes." 

Before we get self righteous, let's keep in mind that we are included in this description. Now, this doesn't mean we have to get all warm and fuzzy with every false doctrine that comes along, or teaching that doesn't agree with the scripture.  We ARE going to disagree. But, there is no room for labeling, judging, name calling, slander bashing, whispering, backbiting, gossiping or anything else associated with any of those. If we do that, cause that, participate in that, then know you are doing what the Lord HATES!  Think you'll get into heaven?

Jesus showed us that no matter how oppressing, no matter how ugly the situation, we can overcome and we can act as God wants! Remember Gethsemane? Did Jesus curse? Did he accuse, blame, call people names?  Did He tell the Guard they had no right? Did He insight a riot?

Jesus said, "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." Jn.13:15-17

Get it done!

Jim

UNITY - is not a musical!

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

  Acts 2:44,45

It is easy sitting in a living room with a cup of coffee and a Bible to somewhat romanticize the Biblical world of the First Century.  It is nice to imagine that they were all dancing around like they were in a musical and that everything was rainbows and roses. However, First Century Jerusalem was not like that. The famous events of Pentecost, we must remember, is only 50 days from the events of the crucifixion. The same political and social world is still in play. The believers of the day (that would become known as Christians in just 10 years) were still looked upon with disdain. The Jewish leadership is still in panic and cover up mode (Acts 4:1-3). The Romans still disdained Jews and had no empathy for Christians, especially Jewish Christians. Because of the events of the cross, Jerusalem is a police state. It is an occupied city and people are still people. No one, especially if they know that someone is a believer in Jesus wants to have anything to do with them. They are afraid that the Jewish leadership or Romans will come down on them, so they want them gone. Pentecost is still a feast day in 1st Century Jerusalem, so activities especially around the Temple were high. This did not set well though with the Roman Authority, who thought just 50 days previous that they had quelled a rebellion. The Jewish Authority as evidenced from Mt.28:11-15, is still on their guard not to let anything regarding Jesus come to the surface. Acts 4 backs that fact up.  No one, is willing to openly show any hospitality to those who follow Jesus, much less kindness or open sympathy. 

All of this sounds familiar doesn't it?  Being a Christian is bad - being looked at as sectarian. To openly walk as a Christian or say you're a Christian, especially in public or civic oriented jobs, is to face censorship or the loss of your job. Here's one thing for sure....just as Christians in the first century did not need a bunch of infighting neither do we today. It is hard enough to live in a world that is hostile, without having to worry about whether your brothers or sisters in Christ are going to devour you. So, looking to the example of Christians of the first century let's look at how they worked and acted with and among one another..

1.) Jn.13:14,15  - Jesus' teaching was to love as He loved. To treat others as their servant

- not their Lord - especially one another.  To understand that in God's kingdom, we are NOT to be like the world or act like the world AT ALL!

2.) Acts 2 All things in common Distributing to all that had need.  There is an attitude of desire and generosity,  to work together on everyone's part. A desire to help, be concerned about the welfare of everyone that was among them. Acts 4 One heart and soul  This echoes Jn.13 and Acts 2 and shows how different this was from the world in which they lived. 

It is interesting, that even as today the first schism in God's house came from the all to familiar worldly mind set of ethnicity (Acts 6). And did you notice that when this happens and divisions and hurt occur, the less like Jesus their Lord they looked?  What does this tell you? 

 You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"

Mal 2:17 

Jim

UNITY - What Jesus SAID!!

" A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." 

Jn.13:35,36

This is what Jesus said.  To add anything to this, or to take anything away from it is wrong. Period.  It is the hallmark of what it means to be HIS follower. Love One Another!  The word LOVE here is agape....best defined as "love as God loves." So, this begs a question for Christians in their behaviors toward one another, are we loving each other as God loves us? Does our words, behavior, actions, show that love? If not, we are missing the mark! Wait...isn't that called sin? Missing the mark? 

Now, let's get a little definitive. Love one another as Jesus states this here is the same as  "Love the brotherhood" (1 Pt.2:17, see also 1 Pt.3:8; 1 Jn.3:16). Admittedly, the first question is what define's a "brother." Answer? ANYONE who "believes and is baptized shall be saved (Mk.16:15,16)." is my brother, regardless of whether we see everything eye to eye. A brother or sister may be erring, but that does not make them NOT a brother or sister and does not cancel out anything with regard to the way that I am to act toward or treat them.  I may not agree with them, I may not even be able to worship with them, but they are still my brother or sister. The name over the door does not matter with regard to that. Family is family, even if or when estranged. 

If I understand Jesus correctly in the parable of the Good Samaritan, I am to consider everyone as a brother. So, that defines my actions, words and demeanor towards all people. Yet, there seems to be more emphasis to those who have put on Christ in baptism. Yet, the question comes up, "the bible says to withdraw yourself from brethren who sin." Many have not studied what this means and take the traditional religious "Amish" view of this to "cut off, shut out, shun" people. Yes, the Bible teaches to "mark" brethren for teaching a false doctrine, behaving seditiously, and to withdraw from brethren under certain situations.  What people fail to apply here is that this in no way is an authorization for ME to behave "badly" and use Biblical Authority as an excuse to do so. So the question to ask with Jn.13 as our model, is "Would God behave, act, say the way that I am getting ready to, toward this person?" If the answer is no....then you better NOT! 

Please do not misunderstand. This and this commandment is not a carte blanche to just lovingly accept anything that claims a sense of being godly. Sin is sin and I am not to support it or condone its behavior. But be careful in taking a stance against sin, that the Devil does not cause you to sin. When do we have the tendency to sin the most?  With family or in situations where I let my guard down. Where family dynamics introduces different thoughts, behaviors, and words. What is interesting to me, is while the Prodigal Elder Brother wanted to "write off" the younger brother, the Father reminded him, that the Prodigal son was still a son, and thus still the Elder brother's brother.

Complicated isn't it?  The next several articles will follow this theme and we will discover more about the idea of what God means by UNITY!

Jim