THE VITALITY OF UNITY
1 Corinthians 1:10-17
PART 1 STEPS TO UNITY
1 Corinthians 1:10
I. INTRODUCTION:
We live in a very competitive society and we take our competitions very seriously. We are competitive in every area of our live from our jobs to our sports. No only are we competitive, but we want people to be on our side and if they are not on our side then they are against us. Take for example the story of an Alabama football fan who poisoned the iconic Toomer's Corner oak tree on the Auburn campus after No. 2 Auburn defeated No. 11 Alabama 28–27 in Tuscaloosa rallying back from a 24–0 deficit - the largest comeback win in series history. When asked his reasoning he stated, “I wanted every Auburn fan to hate me as much as I hate them.”
Well that is the extreme, but I think a valid point to how easily we can be so devoted to a cause or belief that it becomes divisive in our life. Sadly, this extreme flows over into the Body of Christ. Unity provides fertile soil for the Holy Spirit to do His work in and through us while division has the adverse effect. Division stifles the ability of the Holy Spirit to do His work in us and through us.
a) Separating Into Parts
The history of the world is riddled with division. Division causes separation, hurt and sometimes even hate. It causes wars, murders and separates. Everyday division in America threatens our democracy due to an inability to love and respect those that we disagree with or that are different than us. Much of the stains on American history can be drilled down to division. From the infancy of our country equal rights of every person regardless to color, race or gender has been a struggle. Equal rights were not created or institutionalized by democracy. Equality and harmony are fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ. This is something we have to get right.
b) Disagreement Vs Division
To put it clearly, we can disagree without division. We’ve all heard the polite and loving response, “We will just have to agree to disagree.” That’s a very kind way to say, I don’t want this to turn into something that will cause division between us.
c) Division Is Based On Superiority:
Whether you are dealing with government, the church, the community, your job or your family. Division is caused by one thing – superiority. When a person says through action or words, “I’m right, this is the way it is going to be and nothing will change my mind, so everyone get in line or you better get out of my way” there will be division. The reason being that no one will ever have total agreement from everyone. My wife and I disagree from time to time, but we are one. We are equal. We are both intitled to our own beliefs and preferences. Neither of us are superior in our relationship. God is the superior in our lives and it is our duty and goal to align with him humbly the best we know how, and even in the best way we know how we may not agree. That’s just life. Keep God the superior figure and He will instruct you to love and be patient with one another.
Galatians 3:28
There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NLT)
d) Dogmatic Doctrine Causes Division
Dogmatic means asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionated, inflexible or unbending. There are some areas in our system of beliefs that have to be dogmatic. Jesus died for the sins of all, God is love and whoever believes in Him is saved. But most areas of spiritual belief should leave room for the believer to come to an educated decision based on real, unadulterated truth. Some Bible teachers have an attitude of what I say goes and you better not stand against me… or else. You might think I’m stretching for an illustration here, but I promise, this does happen more than we want to admit.
Scripture gets filtered through a teacher’s personal convictions so it takes discipline to discover what God is ‘truly saying’ and not just using the Bible to say what we want in order to back our dogmatic beliefs. When I say “truly saying”, I’m referring to the fact that you just might have to dig a little below the surface of a passage – maybe even study in the Greek or Hebrew through a simple internet application to get the true meaning.
I believe in the priesthood of believers. Simply put, that means we do not need a priest to speak to us on the behalf of God. In the Old Testament God did not speak directly to the people. Mankind depended on a priest to speak for God. Once Jesus rose from the dead, he became the Hight Priest and assigned every single person who believes him as a priest – one who hears from God.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Leaving room for God to speak directly to each believer and not telling them what to believe is God’s desire for all who follow Him.
Philippians 2:12 tells us to continue to work out our own salvation.
This dogmatic belief system, whether intentional or not, creates division. Not just a disagreement or a difference in belief, but division. Imagine what the body of Christ could accomplish if we were able to turn purge that division and stand on what we agree on and make an impact on the world. Throughout the history of the church, division only stifles the movement of God. We have to learn how to disagree without division, and the way to do that is to leave room for every believer to have their own intimate walk with God. But what if they are wrong?!! That’s God’s job, not ours.
Let me reiterate, disagreement and division are two different things. We can disagree in love and promote one another, but division stifles the movement of God rather than progressing it forward. If you were to ask me what the one thing that holds back the full movement of God in the Body of Christ, without hesitation I would say division.
II. STEP ONE TO UNITY
I Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. (NLT)
a) UNDERSTAND THE SOURCE OF UNITY: v10a… by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ
- Unity is not a suggestion or an option. It is a command of Jesus.
- There were a lot of people who disagreed with Jesus and He did not turn it into division.
- Jesus was kind, compassionate and prayed God would forgive those who were nailing him to the cross.
- He's the source of unity. Our inspiration comes from his example and power from Him that lives within us.
b) HOW TO PRACTICE UNITY: v10b… live in harmony with each other.
- Unity is more than tolerance. Unity is affirmation through what we say and teach.
- This small passage translated from the Greek says speak and teach affirmation to one another - The passage isn’t saying to approve what we disagree on.
- Speak and teach affirmation on the things that we stand in agreement on.
- Don’t argue the things we disagree on. Promote what we do agree on
- We are free to believe what we feel God leads us to believe.
- We are not free to cause division against those who don’t believe the same as we do.
- Only God can change a person. We do not have the ability, much less the right to make someone conform.
- Refuse to pick sides.
When Joshua was leading the Israelites into Jericho, he was so focused on the two sides, he got caught in this trap of picking sides. Just before the attack on Jericho Joshua saw an angel of the Lord and asked him was he on Joshua’s side or Jericho’s side. Then angel replied, “I am on the Lord’s side.” We can learn a lot from the Angel Of The Lord’s Army.
• There are three sides. Our side, their side and God’s side.
• Like Joshua, it is our duty to merge our side into the Lord’s side by seeking out what He wants.
Joshua 5:13
When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” 14 “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the LORD’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”
c) KNOW THAT DIVISION LEADS TO BITTERNESS v10c… let there be no divisions in the church
- Don’t take part in division. Flat out refuse to say anything that will promote disunity.
- Division that goes unchecked causes bitterness within each of us as believers.
- Bitterness has a way of building roots in our lives and producing a harvest of bitterness.
Hebrews 12:14-15
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
d) THE RATHER OF DIVISIONS v10d… Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
- The beautiful thing about God’s Word is that is teaches how to remove hurtful things from our lives.
- We are instructed here that instead of being divisive be of one mind and united in thought and purpose.
- Rather than focusing on the things we disagree on, let's focus on what we agree on.
- Instead of speaking bad things about others, speak things to promote them.
- It seems opposite of everything we know, but it's best for us to do the rathers of division.
- So, what is this ‘One Mind’? What is this ‘thought and purpose’ that we are to be ‘one minded about?’
Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (NLT)
Matthew 7:1
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
CLOSING THOUGHT:
How important is it to you that you are right versus how important is it to you to love people the way that God loves me?
Do I promote unity or am I adding to the cause of division by what I say to and about others?
Lord, I pray that all of us will strive to love one another, forgive one another, be patient with one another and accept one another the way that you have embraced me. Amen
