Prayer Calendar

The Body of Christ United – Part 2 in a series: Abide, Unite and Go

by Lisa Hall, international prayer coordinator for TWR Women of Hope

It’s one of the most powerful forces in this world but oh so difficult to attain: unity. This cherished characteristic of unity in the body of Christ is the next step in God’s path once we have embraced a life of abiding in God. What we experience in our intimate relationship with him, we are now to live out with other believers. Then, together we are to go into the world with God’s message of salvation.

As we look at unity in the body of Christ, let’s answer three questions regarding why, what and how.

WHY are we to be united as a body of Christ? What is God’s purpose for our unity?

First, through unity in the body, God is glorified. People will know that Jesus is the Messiah and will see that the Father’s desire is to have relationship with them. As Jesus prays to the Father about his disciples, he shares, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23).

Next, the unity of the body of Christ represents God to the world. God placed us together as a body so we can show the world who God is and that he lives in united community within the Godhead as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we are living in unified relationship in our marriages, families and churches as the global body of Christ, we are representing God.

Last, through unity the body of Christ grows and matures. Paul tells the church in Ephesus, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers … so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature” (Ephesians 4:11-13a).

God gave spiritual gifts to be used within the body to mature us, and he divided the gifts so that we need each other to do his work. But growth and maturity do not just happen.

It takes intentionality to grow our relationships within the body. Sacrifice and the commitment of our time, energy and resources are needed to knit our lives together. We must choose to be vulnerable and honest with one another and, above all, to love and show grace to one another.

WHAT unites us as a body of Christ? The Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God comes to dwell in every believer the moment he or she believes and receives Jesus Christ as Savior. The Holy Spirit within us enables us to abide in God and to be united and abide with members of the body of Christ. As we individually continue to surrender to God’s work of purification and holiness in us, the Spirit of God shines in and through us and unites us.

HOW are we to live united as one body?

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. … All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need (Acts 2:42-45).

The early church was devoted to one another and to living life together. Not only did they share all things, but they had a joint purpose of living for God. Their love for God even affected how they treated one another. As a result, this community now experienced authentic biblical fellowship, or koinonia. Because this fellowship was for all believers, it held them together in genuine community and met their needs. And the result? “And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47b).

The challenge for us comes from the biblical principle found in Acts Chapter 2: The impact that we will have on a watching world is dependent on both our UNITY and our AUTHENTIC fellowship as believers.

And that leads to another question for each of us to answer: “How is God calling you to be more authentic and unified with the body of Christ?”

Photo via IMB