Believers United?

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. [1 Peter 3.8]

Again today, the "family" theme come through in Peter's first epistle.

Peter's instruction sure sounds good, but the execution of it may not be so simple! The divisions and schisms found in the Body of Christ today are many and complicated. The theological and doctrinal dissimilarities between those who consider themselves 'Christ followers' are huge. 

Is there any hope that believers can be united?

There must be (emphasis on 'must')!

The one mind we should have is that we are part of God's Kingdom. Without first acknowledging that we are part of one undivided Kingdom, there is no possibility of reconciling other differences. That one undivided Kingdom is indeed God's, and our part in it is secured only by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The faith we exercise to believe we are part of God's Kingdom is the same faith with which we believe others are part of God's Kingdom (this statement is worth meditating on!). To genuinely believe Christ died and rose again for me is to believe Christ died and rose again for others. To accept that God gave me faith to believe is to accept that God gave others faith to believe as well. The Kingdom is one, Christ is one, and faith is one - the only variable is the human factor, and this leads us to...

Sympathize with each other! Imagine the Kingdom of God is like a shirt - no two people 'fill out' the shirt in the same way. It is distinctly recognizable as one shirt, but it may look different from individual to individual who wears it. Our spiritual 'character' varies much the same as our physique - both are highly unique to the individual. Oftentimes both these traits are beyond any control of our own - and this is where sympathy is required - we need sympathy and we need to give sympathy.

Then, there is once again the family factor! As we focus on God's Kingdom and recognize others naturally 'drawn to the same light,' we find our true eternal family. The analogy of bugs drawn to light is actually a good one. There are all kinds of 'bugs' drawn to God's redemption through Christ. Even though those bugs may vary in size, shape, color, and a myriad of other features and functions, they all have one thing in common - they are drawn to a single light and that makes them family - the family of bugs drawn to light! If these bugs could speak to one another, we might overhear the following conversation: "Wow, you really are different, but isn't it cool that we are drawn to this one light?"

Finally, as we unite around the singularity of God (Who He is and What He stands for), and recognize the difficulties we naturally face in our plurality as different individuals (and consequently can sympathize with each others' uniqueness), we find ourselves at a crossroads to decide whether to be tenderhearted and humble or proud and hardhearted. Peter's instruction as to what to do is not unclear!

There is so much more that could and should be discussed on this topic. There exists no shortage of people who will twist the meaning of 1 Peter 3.8 into something it is not. Truth will prove itself.

Father, help me to be mindful of these thoughts today and grow in my understanding of the Kingdom!