Unity was a central component of Jesus’ teaching style. He purposely chose to train and develop His disciples through real life experiences by which they would know Him, trust Him, and in the end follow Him.
But to experience all that God had for them, the disciples had to be there and not leave. Commitment to each other was essential. To leave prematurely or to desert one another because of a difference of opinion would thwart the process of God. In fact, it brought eternal disaster to Judas Iscariot; not to mention ending his ministry.
In order to grow into the kind of disciple that Christ wants us to be, we need to be there too; among fellow believers and stay there through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Leaving, quitting, or changing churches must not be such an easy option for us; yet it seems to the first choice for many.
Unity is faithfulness and fidelity. Jesus promised to never leave His followers (Matthew 28:20) and He never will. Jesus modeled fidelity (staying together) as a healthy and right kind of lifestyle for a member of His Body to live. He understood that spiritual growth and maturity demand a trust that is forged through thick-and-thin resulting in a commitment to one another.
When believers find it easier to quit a church or change churches because of disagreement or relational tension, it is like amputating a part of your body – and can be just as painful. It’s almost like a divorce - the destruction of a relationship.
But to experience all that God had for them, the disciples had to be there and not leave. Commitment to each other was essential. To leave prematurely or to desert one another because of a difference of opinion would thwart the process of God. In fact, it brought eternal disaster to Judas Iscariot; not to mention ending his ministry.
In order to grow into the kind of disciple that Christ wants us to be, we need to be there too; among fellow believers and stay there through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Leaving, quitting, or changing churches must not be such an easy option for us; yet it seems to the first choice for many.
Unity is faithfulness and fidelity. Jesus promised to never leave His followers (Matthew 28:20) and He never will. Jesus modeled fidelity (staying together) as a healthy and right kind of lifestyle for a member of His Body to live. He understood that spiritual growth and maturity demand a trust that is forged through thick-and-thin resulting in a commitment to one another.
When believers find it easier to quit a church or change churches because of disagreement or relational tension, it is like amputating a part of your body – and can be just as painful. It’s almost like a divorce - the destruction of a relationship.
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