The Power of One Voice
If we knew the backstory, would we think or act any differently? I suppose we might, but for some reason it often doesn’t make a difference. We sometimes hear the phrase, “Putting on a united front,” as a rationale to demonstrate to the kids or the organization that leadership is acting with one voice about a certain issue, strategy, or event. Our problem, it seems, is that we can’t maintain the united front.
In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul appeals to the church in the name of the Lord Jesus to come to agreement and not have divisions in the church. Wherever you live, you can probably tell a story of some church fight or split that you know about. Sometimes churches have doctrinal divisions that bring about formal separations. Sometimes the divisions are based on more trivial things, but what is clear in Paul’s writings in Corinthians, Galatians, and elsewhere, is that the church should be united.
The division in chapter one may have included deeper things but appeared to be a problem of allegiance to individual personality preferences more than major doctrinal disputes. Paul’s words concerning those who follow Paul or follow Apollos or Peter suggest leadership preferences over more substantive issues.
We can certainly relate to having preferences when thinking about leaders we admire or even about preachers we like to listen to more than others, but Paul is quite clear in this passage and elsewhere that he understood the importance of unity in the body of Christ, the church. So, is Paul talking about unity in the church you attend? Yes. Is Paul talking about unity in all who have surrendered their lives to Christ? Yes again. How is this achievable on a larger scale when we struggle even in our smaller congregations? Well, we might need to consider the back story.
In John’s gospel, we pick up on how Jesus introduced the importance of unity in chapter 10 when he said:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Jesus spoke with one voice to his sheep. He didn’t go around with a different instruction for some than for others. He and his Father were one, and he was clear in all his teachings that his news of the kingdom of God was the same in each case. Later in chapter 13, Jesus added this important instruction for all believers:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
According to Jesus, the way his message proves to the world that he loves and desires all to come to him is demonstrated by how we love one another. If we ever hope to show the world the truth of the gospel, we must learn how to love each other.
As I consider the apostle Paul’s recurring theme of the importance of unity in the church, I began to wonder about the apostle John’s influence on Paul’s thinking. While we do not have record of Paul and John spending significant time together, we do have their likely meeting in Acts 15 when the early church leadership came together to address a major division in the church. We also see Paul reference a discussion or unity of opinion in Galatians 2:9.
I don’t think it is a stretch to consider that John may have shared what he overheard when Jesus prayed for the unity of all believers in John 17. Jesus prayed for his unity with his Father, followed by his prayer for unity among the apostles. And then Jesus prayed for us!
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
If Paul heard this from John or other apostles, then it makes perfect sense that he would see unity in the church as mission critical. According to Jesus in both John 13 and 17, the unity we show by our love is a demonstration to the world that the gospel is true.
Maybe our best decision today is to determine to work on allowing Jesus to shift our minds from opinions on a variety of topics and learn to simply love each other. It is hard to love each other when we focus on our differences. Our love will grow, and we will become more united as we learn to focus on Jesus.
Father, forgive us for the many ways we have slowed the spread of the gospel because we have failed to love each other. Today we ask that you transform our minds and hearts to be instruments of your grace as we work to love each other and come to one mind in Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
1 Corinthians 1:10-25; John 10:27-30, 13:34-35, 17:20-26 ESV
Photo by Pexels
To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.
