"Live As One"

God's intended purpose for man through Christ is to live as one. He didn't bring us into Christ to live as independent units or alone to ourselves. It was not His intention here in this life or eternally! God destines us to be one!! Just listen to Him speak: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:26-28) The words from God speaks to us to show us where God is trying to lead us.

In Genesis 3-11, we have recorded for us man's self asserted lives that began in the Garden of Eden and culminated in the plain of Shinar. Man tried to show on our own that we could make and do anything we wish without Him, even if it meant using our strength and own power that ended with erecting a tower to our glory! How God looked with disgust and did not allow such non-sense to happen. There would be no home without Him, no name without Him, no glory without Him and no rest without Him. Man became scattered!

In Christ Jesus, God brought reconciliation. Reconciling man to Himself, God announced no more independence and failure. In Christ Jesus we are clothed and made as one. If there is a place on earth where someone can run to to be free from racism, elitist attitudes, unholy behavior and self righteous assertions, it should be those in Christ, the church! But many times, this isn't a reality, even though it should be. We simply have made the community of believers in Christ something other than what God intended. We fight, argue and split over personalities, hurt feelings and the misuse of Scripture. (I am not speaking about false teaching but those who misuse their Bible for their own purposes that divide us.) Arrogance hits us and we call it defending the faith. People are thrust aside because they do not see eye to eye with another on matters of opinions. The words of God falls on deaf ears and must tear the heart of God to no end.

Some years ago at a congregation, they were planning an outreach program to bring those unreconciled into God's house, His love. They came to the building to pray for this outreach. A man was called upon to open the period with a prayer. He stood, people bowed their heads. Silence...a long silence with nothing said. People began looking up to see what was going on. This one leading was standing, shaking his head back and forth. He tried to speak but there were no words. The place became silent as a tomb and every person watched him walk through the people as he made his way to a certain place. He motioned to a man to come toward him. The man came. Who knows what was whispered, but tears fell, they hugged and the prayer began right where they stood together. Slowly another got up, went to one they had a grievance with. Before long, many were standing, tearfully reaching out to those they had hurt or had a wrong attitude toward asking for forgiveness. Right before everyones eyes was a transformation that took place. They were coming together as one in Christ Jesus. Their outreach to the lost became very effective after that day.

That should be what we all realize. We are a covenant people and as God's covenant people we are the only hope the world has to see the peace of the Lord Jesus, molding us to live as one. We come from many different background, with different habits but have one thing in common: We were lost and have been found! We were isolated and are now united! We were destitute and poor and in Christ we have been made rich! We are in Jesus, not as independent units but part of a single whole.