August 30, 2023
Living Out Our Unity in Christ
(Now this expression, He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:9-16
Jesus knew the importance of unity in the church, and in one of His last recorded prayers, He asked the Father for it three times (John 17:11; John 17:20-23). To honor Jesus’ prayer, let’s look at several aspects of our faith that unify us as believers:
One body. God adopts people into His family without regard for race, gender, or denomination. Trust in Jesus Christ is all that matters (Galatians 3:28).
One Spirit. All Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We’re different on the outside, but as believers, we all have the Spirit to empower and guide us.
One hope. As believers, we share a common hope—the return of Jesus and life in heaven with Him.
One Lord. Jesus’ lordship extends over all people. We should submit to His authority in every area of life.
One faith. Believers are united in one faith, which is founded on several basic truths: Jesus is God; He lived a sinless life, died for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, where He’s seated at God’s right hand.
By learning to see what we have in common, we can more easily overlook our differences. Seeing our unity, people will be ready to hear the good news that God offers a way to have peace with Him and with others.
Listen to Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. on OnePlace.com
Watch Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. on LightSource.com
