Keep the Unity of the Spirit

Unity in Christ is critically important.  Sometimes conformity or uniformity can pass for "unity" because we look at externals and cannot see the heart.  A smile can hide great offense, and outward compliance can mask deep wounds.  I have been enjoying a book written by Francis Frangipane called, House United:  How Christ-Centered Unity Can End Church Division.  I have appreciated his many insights, but none more than the portion I read yesterday concerning unity in the early church:

One may argue, "If we had their power, we would be united as well."  Let me emphasize:  they were of one mind before Pentecost (see Acts 1:14).  If there had not been unity among the disciples prior to Pentecost, there would not have been an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  The outpouring did not create unity; unity made the way for the outpouring.  The order was first, then came the power of the Spirit.  Frangipane, Kindle highlight Loc. 991-94

We all desire the empowerment of Pentecost, but are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary for true unity, the most basic of which are faith, humility, repentance, and submission before God?  We are very often like the animals in the fable of the Little Red Hen:  desiring to eat the bread but not willing to do the work required to harvest the ingredients, prepare, and bake them according to the recipe.  If we want to eat cake, we will need to do the work first.  God is all about doing this work in desperate souls who see their sin and need as great and their ability and strength as small.  In us no good thing dwells, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Unity starts with me.  It does not start through outer conformity but through inner transformation by the Holy Spirit.  God has created the Body of Christ with many different members with unique functions and perspectives.  Yet He has also given us all the same Head, Jesus Christ, who is to direct and govern all our functions through divine love.  How versatile and useful is a body where all the parts work together in harmony for the good of all!  This unity can only be fostered by faith in Christ.  It takes trust.  We need God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus is the head of my life, I can walk in step with Him and lead others to do the same despite any differences we may have.  May Paul's exhortation ring in our ears in Ephesians 4:1-3:  "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."