Since October 24, 2014, we have identified the ten stages of the Cycle of Perfect Unity from Genesis through Romans, verse by verse. Now in the Epistles from 1 Corinthians through 3 John, we find a shift toward each letter-writer’s inspiration regarding the behaviors of perfect unity and of disunity.
So I will now begin to highlight behaviors of unity and disunity rather than elements of the Cycle:
“Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:1-3).
Do you think of yourself as a saint? Personally, I find this hard to do. Dominating this thought is what a sinner I am! But to those of us sanctified – saved – in Christ Jesus, together with all those around the world who call on the name of Jesus, Paul greets you and me today with nothing but grace and peace from God and Jesus.
Not judgment – the peace and grace of a saint!
“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge – even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you – so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor 1:4-9).
If I may suggest that grace received, upon belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior, is a significant part of our perfect unity with God, then I may also suggest that our behavior was at that moment infused with the potential for enriched speech among each other and knowledge about Jesus relating to how we are to love each other unconditionally.
But it seems that disunity lurks in us as well:
“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also all the household of Stephanus. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor 1:10-17).
In just a few hours, and totally by “coincidence,” I am meeting with a dear brother in Christ to reconcile some quarrels we have had in the past. No kidding – God’s plan to humble me this morning with these words is no accident!
What should I carry into this meeting?
- Jesus expects us to agree.
- There are to be no divisions among us.
- We must be united in mind and judgment.
- Christ is not divided.
- Larry was not the one crucified for my brother.
- My brother was not baptized in the name of Larry.
- Jesus sent both of us to preach the gospel.
Reconcile in peace!