To sum up, all of you be harmonious,
sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil
for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were
called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8-9)
A church that honors God with its worship is a great place to
attend. But a church whose people honor God in their
relationships with one another is a special place to belong. What are the
qualities that make a church a special place to be and belong? Peter sums it all up in these words directed
to the church as a whole. As you read
these words, don’t just consider how others respond to you in the church but
also how you bless others.
The People are Harmonious.
harmony - a: pleasing or congruent arrangement of parts b: sense of accord c: internal calm or
tranquility
This oneness in attitude and spirit is the very basis of
fellowship. Harmony is playing in the same key but not in unison. It is a variety of notes based on the
same chord. We are not one in makeup,
experience, need, background, or gifts...but we are one in Christ! An orchestra’s capability grows dramatically
with addition of each new instrument. An
orchestra of only tubas would never be capable of what a symphonic orchestra
can do. Each one we add to the
fellowship who will play in harmony does not change the song but the dynamics
and power of the music.
The mission of the church is dependent on unity and the unity
is dependent on both agreement and diversity.
Unity does not mean uniformity; it means cooperation in the midst of
diversity. The members of the body work together in unity, even though they are
all different. Christians may differ on how things are to be done, but they
must agree on what is to be done and why.
Our individuality expresses the spectrum of God in His
calling. While some attempt to make this
a call to a form of "Christian cloning", where everyone acts and
talks the same, the major emphasis is not on actions as much as the attitude. The
word in the Greek language of the New Testament means to be like-minded.
The opposite of this is, of course, discord or
disharmony. When differences become more
pronounced than unity, the ability of the church to be the church is lost.
There must be room to disagree in faith and to accept Christ's unique work in
each of our lives. Taking advantage of a
position in the church to push a point can lead to the loss of overall
relationship with the body. There is a
need to develop a spirit that magnifies our common concern of message above
minute variations of method.
Remember…Satan’s joy, if he cannot devise a scheme to keep men from
following Christ, is
to create ways to divide sincere men to keep them from serving Christ.
to create ways to divide sincere men to keep them from serving Christ.
Listen for the harmony in
church. It is beautiful to hear.
Scripture to Claim
Now may the God who gives
perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one
another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one
voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept
one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. (Romans 15:5-7)
