United On The Essentials

United on the Essentials

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! Psalm 133:1

The year the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, we didn’t have our most talented team. Other years we had sustained fewer injuries and probably had more talent, but that 2007 team played so well together. There were plenty of unique personalities, and I’m sure they had their differences at times, but that group was united in thought and purpose like no other team I had had a chance to lead. Even when we were trailing the New England Patriots 21–6 at the end of the first half in the AFC championship game, our guys were unrattled. I saw in their faces that what we had in the locker room—fifty-three players pulling together—was all we needed to make the game better in the second half. We did—and as you probably already know, we won.

The church is Christ’s bride, and in that role collectively represents Jesus Christ to the world. For those of us who might be tempted to view church involvement as optional and believe that our faith is private and personal, the church is God’s plan. In order for our faith to grow further in a relationship with Christ, we need the fellowship and encouragement of others of like faith to edify and sustain us and our faith. God’s plan is that we have a private, personal relationship and time with Him alongside the collective worship, study, and fellowship with others in unity with Christ and His purpose for the church.

And in addition, we need to follow Paul’s admonition that we be unified on the essentials of our faith and not worry so much about the nonessentials and our different points of view on them—dress, work hours, color of our hair, the list goes on. But regarding the core elements of our faith in Jesus Christ, we need unity, clarity, and commitment. When that occurs, unity occurs within the body of believers—Christ’s church. As a result, Christ is lifted up to draw all people to Himself, and He is glorified.

Are you committed to a body of believers?

Uncommon Key > If you belong to a church, write down a few reasons why you are committed to that group of people. If you have never found a church home, look for one that is unified in the essentials of faith in Jesus Christ.