Since we can always find reasons to divide ourselves from others—race, politics, nationality, gender, wealth, occupation––the challenge is to find reasons to unite. This is true in society, and—sadly—in the church as well. Fortunately, Paul offers Christians just such a reason for unity. “But our citizenship is in heaven,” he writes, “and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
No matter where we stand on any other issue or factor, we find common cause when we profess our faith in God through Jesus Christ. And that faith has given us a new identity, what Paul calls our “citizenship in heaven.” Seen in this light, how can we allow anything to disrupt our community? And yet we do, over and over again. Doctrine, ordination standards, church governance, personalities, hurt feelings, the church falls pray to them all. And when the church fragments it is less able to live out its calling.
I have experienced conflict in the church. It can cause unimaginable pain as it draws the life out of a community. And while it is always easy to assign blame in such circumstances, to point fingers and make threats, what it needed is a willingness to look to our common faith and to allow Jesus Christ to draw us together. Imagine the power of such witness! Imagine the model we could offer the world! “Our citizenship is in heaven…” Paul tells us. And though the church has always been a victim to its own divisiveness, we may look for the day when our common heritage bridges all chasms and gives us the courage to stand together saying, “Jesus is Lord!”
Prayer: Lord, as we reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, let us be more aware of the sacrifices we can make for one another as a step toward unity. Amen.
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