Unity
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1
It is the will of God that union and brotherly love should exist among His people. The prayer of Christ just before His crucifixion was that His disciples might be one as He is one with the Father, that the world might believe that God had sent Him. This most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down the ages, even to our day; for His words were, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word" (John 17:20). While we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth, it should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity. This is the evidence of our discipleship. Said Jesus, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35). The apostle Peter exhorts the church, "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrawise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing" (1 Peter 3:8, 9). (Patriarchs and Prophets, 520)
Reflection: When we call ourselves Christians--followers of Christ--we need to pray more for the mind of Christ. Loving our neighbor unconditionally can only come from above. When this happens, people will know we have a love that only the Lord can give.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1
It is the will of God that union and brotherly love should exist among His people. The prayer of Christ just before His crucifixion was that His disciples might be one as He is one with the Father, that the world might believe that God had sent Him. This most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down the ages, even to our day; for His words were, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word" (John 17:20). While we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth, it should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity. This is the evidence of our discipleship. Said Jesus, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35). The apostle Peter exhorts the church, "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrawise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing" (1 Peter 3:8, 9). (Patriarchs and Prophets, 520)
Reflection: When we call ourselves Christians--followers of Christ--we need to pray more for the mind of Christ. Loving our neighbor unconditionally can only come from above. When this happens, people will know we have a love that only the Lord can give.
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