They may be united, but they do not have unity!
There is power in the unity of the Spirit; and that unity was a part of the life and teaching of the early church. The Apostle Paul assumed that there was unity when he wrote today’s passage of scripture.
Paul instructs the Ephesians to do EVERYTHING possible to keep “Spiritual Unity.” It is the result of believers living under the control of the Holy Spirit, and is a very serious matter to God to cause division among His people.
This Doctrine is extremely important. The church is always under constant attack from Satan. Because we are one body, we need to be in mutual harmony. Disease can, and does destroy the effectiveness of the body: therefore, the church must maintain a consistent regimen of exercise in healthy unity with the objective to maintain “oneness” within the church. Unity is the responsibility of every believer and is to be vigorously pursued!
In Christ’s church, there is a bond of family, yet there is room for variety. Satan will try to tear apart the unity of the church. As members of the body, we must resist him with the only might that we have and that is by supernatural, Holy Spirit filled power! Remember friends, two chickens tied at the legs and thrown over a clothesline may be united, but they do not have unity! Only by God’s Spirit can we have unity. Let us pray for that, more than we pray for our own needs.
Dear Father,
Give us the grace we need to seriously take to heart the grave dangers we face when we are in division. Take from us all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else that may hinder us from union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so that we may be all of one heart and one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and love, to the glory of your holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Thanks Jim…love the chicken analogy…puts it in a very vivid perspective.