There are different kinds of relationships which exist among men. We have the relationship between parents and children, between husband and wife, among colleagues at work, among extended family members; uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews and nieces.
It is usual in some cases for the presence and attention of blood relations of an individual to be required. These are usually within the immediate family definition. These core family units are known to have very strong ties because of the fact that they are born by the same parents. This obviously underscores the saying; ‘Blood is thicker than water’.
There is however another family whose members are related by blood. Unlike the normal or usual family setting, this family is not limited by geographical location, race, colour, language or number. Its members increase as each day passes and can be found in all countries in the world.
This family is the Christian family. The blood which ties us together is the blood of Jesus. This blood tie cannot in any way be compared with the one which ties us to our parents or siblings. It is superior, it is powerful and it is eternal.
One cannot therefore help but wonder why we do not seem to experience in the church today, the kind of bond which exists between members of the same family. Even within the same local assembly, one is saddened at the polarization of the congregation along class and cultural lines.
The issue of unity in the body of Christ was so important to Paul that he passionately wrote, “Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together. “ (Eph 4:3)
How do we keep this unity? I believe we can do this by focusing on the essential things which binds us together in Christ. Everyone should be persuaded in his or her mind concerning the non-essential things you could try here.
Someone may ask, what are the essential things binding us together? The essential cord which binds all believers is the gift of God to us; Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. The non essentials contains a long list of doctrinal issues which local churches should be free to follow but not at the expense of the body of Christ at large.
As individuals we can help strengthen the unity in the body of Christ by reaching out not only to members of our own local assembly but also to members of other assemblies. We should put doctrinal issues aside and let us encourage one another in the Lord. Let us not build little kingdoms for ourselves but rather let us all make ourselves busy building up the kingdom of God here on earth. All other kingdoms will collapse and fade away but the kingdom of God will last for all eternity. Why build temporary structures when we can have a superstructure that is solid and eternal?
We need to continually be reminded that Christ’s most fervent prayer in John 17: 20-21 encapsulated the need for every Christian to be united. We need to continually re-echo the prayer of the Lord as he asks the Father, “I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me.” (Joh 17:21)
Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the founder of the Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org. He lives in Kent, United Kingdom, where he works as an IT Professional. He currently serves as a Worship Leader as well as Home Group Leader in his local church and on occasion, speaks at invited events. He is the founder of the Biblepraise Fellowship Online Ministry and Moderator/Editor of the Biblepraise Newsletter. He can be reached through His email address, steve@biblepraise.org
