12/16/23 KEEPING THE UNITY

12/16/23 KEEPING THE UNITY

One of Satan's strategies is to stir a spirit of division within a believer's mind (through suspicion, disagreement, misunderstanding, criticism, haughtiness).

Sometimes there is a legitimate reason for broken relationships and sometimes broken relationships cannot be healed because someone will not turn from sinful behavior. But I am referring to believers allowing divisiveness in their own mind rather than being patient, loving, forgiving, compassionate.

We all have our idiosyncrasies, whether we know it or not. Sometimes we don't realize how we are hurting someone. Sometimes the fault we see in other people is real and sometimes it is imagined. In any case, some relationships are lost because a believer allows non-essentials to ruin a relationship.

Once we allow an unhealthy attitude within ourselves, to move us away from a believer, we set ourselves up to be moved away from God.
Openness, patience, humility are redemptive responses to other people.

I am not referring to our response to actual sin in another person. But even when the other person is deliberately sinning, we should be redemptive and live at peace with them, as far as it is possible.

We are to do to others as we would want others to do to us. In fact, we should extend the same kindness to them that God extends to us.

Remember, this is not a call to gloss over someone's sin, but it is a reminder to guard against the wiles of the wicked one, who wants to sow discord and division within our own heart.

Ephesians 4:1-7
1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.