Be of the Same Mind
Be of the Same Mind
A Call to Unity
1 Corinthians 1:10 “Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (NASB 2020)
As believers we share many things. We have the same inheritance. (see Ephesians 1:18 & Colossians 1:12) We have the same Spirit—the one who raised Christ from the dead. (see Romans 8:11 & 1 Corinthians 12:4) We have the same ministry of reconciliation (see 2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
Even so, the flesh—the worldly way of reacting to things and responding to people—constantly pulls us toward division. This temptation can be an issue in our interpersonal relationships. Perhaps more than anywhere, our online interactions on social media, blogs, and other such platforms, can easily get out of hand and become unloving, hurtful, and ungodly. As Paul urges in the passage above, the better path is for us to agree, to have the same mind, and the same purpose.
Jesus prayed for this unity and it is written down in John 17:20–23 “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. “The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me.” (NASB 2020)
Now, stick with me here because this may feel a bit unsettling. I assure you that I haven’t gone off the deep end into blind acceptance of every idea and position that comes along.
It is not our job to change the views, beliefs, and opinions of others. These are matters of the heart and therefore outside our purview. Neither is it our job to correct flaws in local assemblies (churches). Jesus said that the Church is built upon the rock of the truth that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (see Matthew 16:16-18) and that even the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The Church will survive despite, and sometimes almost because of, the flaws. I say sometimes because of the flaws because those flaws often cause people to question what they hear, to study for themselves, and to seek the truth elsewhere.
While we cannot change people or eradicate every flaw in the institutional church, through gentleness, patience, and compassion we can participate in what Father is doing to make those changes in the assembly of believers. We can build up and encourage as opportunities come our way. Good comes from a positive loving approach. Division always tears down, damages, and destroys.
None of this should be taken to mean that we are to wink at erroneous teaching or heresy. Rather, this is about the godliness of a gentle answer. It is about patience in discussing differences. It is about compassion for those who have been misguided. It’s about remembering that our own views have changed as we’ve grown and matured in Christ. There may be a place for confrontation, but gentleness and meekness are often far more effective.
A caveat here: This article is not meant to be a source of guilt or a sense of failure for anyone. Father made each one of us unique and some of us are built in a way that makes discourse on contentious issues awkward or even deeply hurtful. I have trouble with such things, especially in person, unless I am convinced that the other party is doing their best to remain respectful and kind. Online, I find that there is a certain distance and time delay that helps me to respond in a more thoughtful, gentle, compassionate, and well, godly way. However you may be wired, that wiring came from Father and you do not need to feel badly about it.
There are times when one party in a discussion becomes abusive. In such cases, it is not necessary for us to allow ourselves to be hurt and abused. In such situations, or even if we are simply not comfortable with such interactions, it is perfectly acceptable to ignore such discussions, remove ourselves from them, or even cut ties entirely when needed.
Nevertheless, we walk by faith, and we know that the One in whom we live and who lives in us guards our hearts and minds through the peace He provides. (see Philippians 4:7) We are free to be exactly who Father made us to be. We are free to love others, to exhibit gentleness, patience, kindness, and compassion. These things foster unity and they are useful for our everyday lives (perhaps especially so as elections near) as well as for our life in the Church.
