Devotional Messages

The Unity of the Faith

In our readings from Numbers and 1 Corinthians today, we read of God's faithfulness:

"No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them." (Num. 23:21)

"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

We saw our God standing firm by His people Israel: though Balak desperately wanted to curse the Israelites, God defended them to the utter frustration of the king of the Moabites. And though we are tempted in our Christian lives, it is never beyond what we can bear, as God is with us. God is indeed faithful to His promises and stands by His people.

In the reading from the Corinthians, Paul goes on to show that the Corinthians all share a common belief that should unite them: their belief in Christ. As it was then, so it is now, that 'partaking in the one bread' (the body of Christ), and 'drinking the cup of the Lord' (the blood of Jesus), should show the unity of those who have faith in Christ.

This eating the body and drinking the blood is played out in Christian churches regularly through the eating of bread and drinking of wine in a ceremony called the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist. In eating and drinking, the Christian is identifying him or herself as one who shares in Christ: we share His life and death and salvation through metaphorically sharing in His body and blood.

We know that God is faithful, that He is with all who trust in His Son for salvation. So why aren't we?

It is a common belief today that the biggest problem with 'the Church' (i.e., all who follow Christ) is the lack of unity. It is sadly not uncommon for differences of opinion among Christians to result in enmity, it is not uncommon to find politics and power struggles within a local church, and in the larger Church we sometimes see denominations pitted against each other.

Though I know it to be true, I find it hard to imagine 'the Church of Christ on earth'; it is too hard to see past the hierachies of different denominations and belief systems; it is too hard to imagine all Christians unified on this earth. It is too common to find Christians from different backgrounds thinking themselves more Christian than others, or better than others. How is this being faithful and unified? How is this sharing in Christ? Is this not closer to hogging Christ?

Let us, in the unity of the hope that we have, together proclaim the truth of Christ crucified. We do 'share in the one bread', so let us proclaim God's faithfulness, and let us be faithful to one another, to the glory of God.

Praise God for His truth which has the power to unify, and pray that as believers we may encourage and support each other to the glory of God.