Unity In The Church

Philippians1: 1

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: NIV

As Paul wrote to the church, he spoke of them collectively with the inclusive term “all”.  In fact, 8 times in the letter, Paul speaks to the church in phrases like “all of you” and “all the saints”.  No other book of Paul uses the term “all” to describe the church even half as often.  Paul is making a subtle call in this letter for unity in the Philippian church.  Every member he is saying is bound together under Christ.  Both the members who are splintering the church with their wrangling as well as the affirming and warmhearted ones are included in the greeting.  All are one in Christ and part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Ephesians 4:4, 5 makes this clear when Paul wrote that in Christ, we have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”  We may have differing views of election (“or the election”), opposing views of which color carpet should be in the sanctuary, different ethnic backgrounds and speak a variety of languages but we are one in Christ.  The Holy Spirit infuses each Saint with eternal life and brings all into the family of God.  Therefore, as part of one family Paul can call for two arguing Christians in the Philippian church to “agree” with each other in the Lord.  Fellow saints he says must do everything possible to help bring them together.  The question is “Why?”  I think there are several reasons for this call for unity.  First, the gospel of God’s grace is not effectively shared if division splits the church.  When the focus of attention is on who wins or who loses in church conflicts, almost no one has the time or energy to share their faith with unbelievers.  Second, division in the church eventually leaks out to the unbelieving community, bringing disrepute to the great grace of God.  Third, division in the church keeps the church from being a sanctuary of peace for wounded and broken Christians who need the love only the church possesses.  Fourth, division in the church makes closeness to God tenuous and His wisdom difficult to attain.  How can we say we love God if we hate our brother?  Jesus said that if anyone has anything against us, we are to go to the brother and try to reconcile with him before we bring our gift to the altar.  Sixth, division in the church prevents the effective blending and merging of the gifts of the Spirit.  Paul compares the church to a body.  One is the eye, another a hand.  If the hand is not associating with the eye or angered by the eye, the hand misses out on all that the eye can provide for its benefit and comfort.  Division in the church is often disastrous, both for the community surrounding the church, which desperately needs Jesus, and for the church itself, which can’t afford the loss of God’s presence or the disruption of the gifts of the Spirit.