Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

President’s Day is a holiday that honors the historical leaders of the “United” States Of America. It’s celebrated this week. Ironically that celebration falls in the middle of Black History month, which seeks to highlight and honor contributions of historical African Americans to this country as well. I call it ironic because I have never heard anything that emphasized the unified collaboration of this country’s leaders and citizens. In fact in recent years there’s been more discord than being on one accord.

The Holy Spirit highlighted this disharmony for me, and emphasized this discord is most prevelant among professing believers. Thus, I have been tasked to share the LORD’s perspective on His followers discord.

Let’s begin with the Apostle Paul’s rebuke of quarrelling believers.

Today’s scripture, 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (NLT) shares…
[1] Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. [2] I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, [3] for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? [4] When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?

Consider…
As a father of five, one of things that disappointed me most with my children was their bickering, especially over what I considered nonsense. Things like, who got to sit where or do what or eat first. Thinking back to their toddler days, two of their first words where ‘no’ and ‘mine’. I had no idea that would be foundational to their dialogue through adolescence and teenage years.

When I read today’s scripture I see the Apostle Paul, as a spiritual patriarch, expressing the same disappointment about infantile behavior among believers.

All of Paul’s writings were addressed to believers. And many of them addressed the childish behavior of choosing the prideful sides of discord among themselves, rather than humbling themselves on one accord to the LORD.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT) is an example of Paul’s unity emphasis…
[1] Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. [2] Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. [3] Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. [4] For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. [5] There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

When I listen to the discord among professing Christians in the world today, I wonder if they missed, or even worse disregarded, the Apostle’s myriad of unity pleas written to the early churches.

I confess, as that father of five, I sometimes matched the intensity of my children in my reproof of their bickering. I did so because it seemed to be the only way to get their attention and make them stop the nonsense. I admit, nonsensical bickering is one of my greatest annoyances.

That’s the same vibe I get from today’s scripture. Notice Paul says…

• I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people
• I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ
• I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready

…unfortunately the Apostle would probably have written the same words to professing Christians today. In fact Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a passionate speech called Paul’s Letter to American Christians

As I continued through today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul honed in on the reason for his scathing indictment. He said…

• You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other

…unfortunately jealousy and quarrelling still appear to be hallmarks of Christ’s followers rather than the love Jesus called for in John 13:34-35 (NLT).

In case we’ve forgotten, Jesus said…
[34] So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. [35] Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

The Apostle Paul expounds on Jesus’ command in Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT), where he exhorts…
[12] Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [13] Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. [14] Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Here’s the bottom-line, we may not see eye-to-eye on the religious practices of serving God, but we all must be on one accord about serving the LORD.

Think of it this way, most people don’t want to look at or engage a person with a deformed body. When we as the body of Christ quarrel and display jealousy with one another, instead of love, we make Jesus’ body unattractive to people who don’t know Him in the pardon of their sins.

Or consider this, who willingly joins a dysfunctional family? Perhaps the person who believes ‘misery loves company’. 🤔 Ouch, the Holy Spirit just showed me that may be the reason some people join ‘church’. However that’s not what God intended when Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 (NLT)…
[18] Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

The Holy Spirit also pointed out the fact that Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 (NLT)…
[21] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

…and it’s God’s will that as members of Jesus’ body we live in peace and are always thankful.

Then the Holy Spirit ran me to Ephesians 2:20-21 (NLT) to highlight what the church is supposed to be…
[20] Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. [21] We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

…we’re to be God’s house, not houses.

The last point the Holy Spirit is telling me to share about God’s expectation of unity among His people, is the fact that we were made in the image of The Triune God! Three distinct persons of God operating as one to accomplish His will. That means when God said LET US make human beings in our image, Genesis 1:26, He made them in the image of unity for His will.

So today, the Holy Spirit is begging God’s chosen people (all believers in Jesus Christ) to stop the discord and get on one accord in the LORD.

Today’s song is…
They’ll Know We Are Christians (We Are One)

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)