Who We Were

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. — 1 John 4:21

Some things are very simple. We can't love God and refuse to love each other. This is not hard to understand. On the other hand, some of our kinfolks in the Lord are just down right hard to love because they can be so difficult. But, we need to remember who we were when Christ died for us — powerless, ungodly, sinners, enemies (Romans 5:6-11) — yet God loved us and sent Jesus to save us. 

So before we whine about our "hard-to-live-with" fellow Christians, we had better give thanks that God loved us when we were sinners. Then we need to thank God for his grace by being more loving with each other.

Ways of Unity

. Through Christ 

Ephesians 2:14

For he himself is our peace,  who has made the two groups one  and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility

. Through the Cross

Ephesians 2:16

and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,  by which he put to death their hostility.

. By making effort

Ephesians 4:3

Make every effort to keep the unity  of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

. In the Faith

Ephesians 4:12

to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ  may be built up

. In the Knowledge

Ephesians 4:13

until we all reach unity  in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God  and become mature,  attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

[Message No: 7785]