"Varied Unity" September 10 Readings: Isaiah 31-33, 1 Corinthians 12, Psalm 105:23–29, Proverbs 22:17–19

Today's Readings - Isaiah 31-33, 1 Corinthians 12, Psalm 105:23–29, Proverbs 22:17–19

Devotional - Varied Unity

What a wonderful church this church would be
If everyone in it were just like me!

Having grown up in the church and served in churches for 35 years, I can give an opinion about the source of a lot of the issues that we have today. Simply put, we want others to be just like us. We want them to like what we like, think how we think, feel how we feel, prefer what we prefer, minister how we minister and disdain what we disdain.

I like the old hymns. I like modern music.
I like this preacher or teacher. I like that one.
I think we should do it this way. I think we should do it that way.
We should focus our efforts on this ministry. No, we should emphasize that one. 

Opinions, preferences, styles - there are just about as many of them as there are Christians. The problem comes when we try to make everyone else mold themselves to our will and our ways. Of course, there are some doctrines and practices that should be universal for all churches and all Christians. We should all believe that the Bible is true, that the Sovereign God is Triune, that Jesus is Lord, that he died for our sins and rose again and is coming again one day. We must all believe that there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. The church is supposed to preach God's Word, provide fellowship for God's people, proclaim the gospel to the world and worship the Living God. On these things, there can be no compromise.

But on most other things the principle of 1 Corinthians 12 ought to govern our behavior. Verses 4-6 state the principle.

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God produces each gift in each person.

Obviously, this is about the working of the Holy Spirit in the church, how he gifts and empowers us into ministry. But the principle is clear and is carried on throughout the entire chapter. The one God works in different ways in different people. We do not all have to be alike.

One person can be focused on Bible teaching as a ministry. Another can be devoted to ministering to hurting people. Another can make ministry outside the church, in the community with the lost a priority. One person can become burdened with a particular social issue that needs a gospel answer. Others devote themselves to working with children or youth.

With different callings, different preferences, different ministries, different styles, we can all, together as one, serve the one God and his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian unity is built not on a forced uniformity or conformity. Unity happens when diverse people serve the same God.

Father, unite us. I do not ask that you make everyone think like me, but to have the mind of Christ. I do not ask that they conform to my preferences, but that they conform to Christ. Unite us around Christ, and not around anything else!

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you value the Body of Christ - united by the blood but diverse in gifts and ministries and the way God uses us?