Today’s passage: Psalm 133
“1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”
Most people would agree that living in unity is good and pleasant. Seems like it would be a goal that we would all strive to meet, yet somehow, we always seem to fall short. Being that living in unity is a beautiful thing, it seems strange that we need to be commanded to do so. In Mark 12, when Jesus was asked which commandment was most important, loving your neighbor ranks second only to loving God. And in Luke 25-28, Jesus said that by obeying these two commandments, one can inherit eternal life. Brothers who live in unity shine the light of God. Brothers who are divided distort the message of love that we were created to share. Satan loves to divide us. He uses every trick in the book – pride, jealousy, insecurity, lust, laziness, etc. to break apart the body of Christ. He loves to kill, steal and destroy unity, for there “the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” United we stand, divided we fall.
I think it’s time I take a look around and identify any areas of division in my life - in my family, friends, small group, Bible study, church, work, etc. Won’t you join me? Ask questions like what can we do to foster reconciliation? Have I left any of these communities due to division? Or did someone else leave the group? Were there hurt feelings, or maybe I didn’t feel appreciated or respected, or maybe I felt I was being taken advantage of or maybe I just got scared. Often times it just seems easier to run away – make new friends, have a fresh start, and move on. But we have to stop and consider…are we allowing satan to destroy our unity? Is division distorting or destroying the message of God’s love? Pray for guidance and courage to take a step toward reconciliation.
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
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Amen. Jesus mentioned the word church two times. The first time in the context of He is the one building it (Matt 16) and the second time in the context of we will have trouble with one another while in it(Matt 18) How true! The attack is against our unity. It's not that we have to agree with everyone on all points but a matter of our heart attitude toward each other when we do disagree with each other. Paul said we must endeavor to keep the unity of the faith. The unity is already in place by the bond of the Spirit but we must learn to walk it out in our disagreements and problems with each other. No wonder Jesus prayed so much for our unity right before He was betrayed. Paul and Barnabas two powerful apostles of Christ had a major disagreement and they went their separate ways in the work of the ministry. Sure they didn’t work together anymore but we can be assured they didn’t hold any grudges toward each other either.
ReplyDeleteKelly, great post.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note on your point about obeying these two commandments for eternal life as found in the passage in Luke 10:25-28.
To put this text in context, a lawyer has asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life. Jesus then asks the lawyer what is written in the Law (the Old Testament) and how does he read it. The lawyer responds and says to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus then says to the lawyer do this and you will live.
The first point I would like to make is that at the time Jesus said this the people of Israel were still under the law.
Galatians 4:4-5 "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
So, not to get too technical, but the Jews of Jesus time were in the Dispensation of the Mosaic Law. We are in the Church Age now.
They were saved by faith in Jesus and what He would do. Jesus is still fulfilling the prophecies and ministry on earth when this was spoken and the Gospel as we believe it came into full effect after the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ after the Crucifixtion.
Romans 4:3 states, " For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."
So all the Old Testament saints were saved by faith as we are. However, we look back to what Jesus did on the Cross, and the OT saints looked forward to what Jesus would do on the Cross.
When Jesus tells the lawyer to do this and he will live, Jesus is telling him that a true faith in God will result in a love for God with our whole being and a love for others as well. The following of these two commands are thus the fruit of our salvation and not the root of it.
I write this because so many people today have a false view of what the Gospel is, who God is, and what we must do to get saved.
Acts 4:12 states,
"And there is a salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The Gospel is as 1 Cor. 15:3-5 states,
"3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve."
The Apostle John in 1 John 3:23 ties the Gospel and love for one another together when he writes,
"And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."
We are saved when we repent of our sins and place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for us as a perfect propitiation, or atonement, for our sins that we have committed against a Holy God. When we recognize that He is the only way to eternal life and place all of our trust in Him for our salvation and we acknowledge that our good works and obedience do not earn us salvation in any way. Our obedience and good works will earn us rewards in heaven, but our salvation is secured by placing our faith in what Jesus did on the Cross for us. Obedience and good works are not a part of our salvation, rather they are a part of our sanctification.
Out of our salvation, we now have the capacity to to love God with our whole being and to love others as we love ourselves, although we fail in this each day as we are still sinners. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are renewed each day and grow closer to God as we draw closer to Him. (James 4:8)
Kelly, sorry for the long comment. I think you are doing a great job on your posts!!!
Actually you both are right on: consider the beauty of Jesus question to the lawyer
ReplyDeleteLuke 10:25
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Notice the ungodly lawyer came to tempt our Lord. His motive isn’t coming to know truth but rather is rooted in “self” and notice the phrase “What shall I do”
ie: which one of the commandments must “I” do to work my way to God?
Jesus is going to expose his sinfulness and need of a Savior even tough the lawyer doesn’t see his need. Might I add here, this is the big problem today People aren’t interested in coming to Jesus until they see their sinfulness and need of salvation.
This is the beauty of Jesus’ response. Okay, you want to work your way to God then you tell me what commands you need to follow?
Luke 10:26
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Luke 10:27-29
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Jesus laid out Salvation Plan A -
Follow the Law without ever breaking it even once in thought or deed! Otherwords, be sinless!
Of course we all know it can’t be done. The law shows we all have sinned. We all have broken God’s commands. The purpose of the Law was to act like a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ
But the lawyer didn’t see himself as a lawbreaker especially the 2nd command he quoted to Jesus thus his response to Jesus
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
The lawyer isn’t interested in humbling himself but rather justifying himself on the second commandment. He was breaking the commandment he just quoted yet didn't see it.
Jesus is going drive home his lack of obedience to the 2nd commandment with an illustrate called the good Samaritan. Some people justify themselves while others are totally helpless and in need of a “Savior” or good Samaritan This is God’s Plan of Salvation. We have been beaten up by sin and left for dead until Jesus came along and lifted us off the road.
Isn’t this what we are still dealing with today? People justifying themselves concerning the commandments of God rather than seeing their sinfulness and asking for God to save them? This is the heart of God’s work Conviction of sin using the law of God and then our need for faith in Christ for salvation
THe lawyers proper response should have been:
Luke 18:13-14
13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."