One of the Greatest Lessons I Have learned as a Christian

ONE OF THE GREATEST LESSONS I EVER LEARNED AS A CHRISTIAN
One of the greatest lessons I ever learned as a Christian is based on this truth:
“The most important thing in a Christian’s life, next to loving the Lord, is to love one another.”

The Text:
NLT Mark 12:30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' 31 The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."

God has given us a command to love one another, and He says that along with the command to love God, there is nothing more important for us to do than to love our brothers/sisters. But the love that Scripture speaks of is not a common kind of love like what we see occurring around us. Even in the church the love that is often demonstrated is a love based on the worlds idea and philosophy of what love is.The love that God wants us to share with one another (brothers and sisters) is “agape.” Agape is not based on what we feel, it is based on a total, unconditional commitment from one person to another (male or female).

Now since it is based on a commitment it must be a choice that we make and not something that we feel for the other person.
Because it is a commitment and it comes from those who call themselves Christian, it is an eternal commitment. After all we will live together forever, starting from this day forward. So when you tell your neighbor that you love them you are choosing to commit yourself to doing what is best for them for all eternity.

Because it is a choice on your part to commit your life to them for all eternity, it has to be an unconditional commitment. It cannot change no matter what happens. I like this definition of “unconditional love”: "Unconditional love is always giving and impossible to take or be a taker. It devotes total commitment to seek your highest best no matter how anyone may respond. This form of love is totally selfless and does not change whether the love given is returned or not."

That is agape, the love that God commands us to share with one another as the family of God. Agape must be given to others, but it is impossible for a fallible man or woman to agape on their own. That’s because they are full of all kinds of hang ups, barriers, and insecurities that keep them from tearing down the walls around them. In order to break down those walls all believers should realize that this agape is love that comes from God. It is only through the supernatural touch of the Holy Spirit that we are able to love one another with God’s Love.

God has given us His grace by providing a way for us to develop agape amongst us. He has united us as one fellowship of believers where we can practice agape amongst ourselves and grow.I know that we often times pray for unity, it seems to get away from us from time to time, but the reality is that God has already provided it for us and it is our job as the children of God to maintain this unity by practicing agape.

How can we maintain the unity that God provides if we do not recognize what it looks like? It is very important for us to understand what “unity” means.

Unity means:
1. That leaders must learn to relate to one another on the basis of who we are in Christ, and not on the basis of our differences.

NIV 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."

The church in Corinth was divided because everyone only wanted to fellowship with the ones that agreed with them, and if they did not agree they were excluded from that fellowship. Leaders should keep in mind that having different opinions is O.K. Paul is not telling them that they should all think the same way. Letting our opinion divide and separate us is deadly for any church. The only time we separate from one another is when one of us absolutely denies the essentials of the Christian Faith. Leaders we must be ready to fellowship with all believers.

2. Secondly, unity means that leaders must recognize that it is important to know that Jesus did not come to die on the cross for any human programs or religions, or causes or world evangelism, or even ministries. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die because He loved people.

You see, the key to “unity” is knowing that the most important command given to us, next to loving the Lord, is that “We Love One Another.”
If anything is more important to you than loving your brother, you are sinning (missing the mark, missing what God intended for us), because not loving your brother would be compromising the standard that God has set for us.

3. Thirdly, unity means that Leaders must recognize that unity is a gift from God, given to us through the Holy Spirit working in our hearts and helping us to become like Christ, having the mind of Christ.
NIV Philippians 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

• Unity comes when we obey God’s command to love one another.

• Unity comes when we remember what God did for us, and we do the same for others. God forgave us and accepted us, and we need to learn to forgive and accept one another. God chose and adopted us as His children because He wanted us. So we need to choose and adopt one another as our own family.

• Unity comes when we have a broken, humble heart that is submitted to the will of God. You ever seen a broken horse who still wants to fight but recognizes how useless it is, he keeps snorting and occasionally kicks but finally gives in, that’s what it means to have a broken, humble heart. When we finally give up and surrender our hearts to God, to do whatever He wants to do with our lives.

• Unity comes when we learn to control our tongue
o NIV Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

 Speaking the truth in love means we must learn to practice the discipline of silence but silence doesn’t mean keeping quiet. It means knowing when and where to speak, and being able to choose the best words to say.
o NIV Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
 Speaking the truth in love means to be direct, honest, open and transparent; not being cruel, unfair, or rude. Anything less we are destroying our own bodies (we are members of one body), our own family.

o NIV Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
 Speaking the truth in love means to speak only what edifies, that is say only what is helpful or positive, which calls for wisdom, even when we must rebuke someone.

o 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption
. You see if we do anything less than speak only what is edifying we will grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

o 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
 Speaking the truth in love means getting rid of the critical spirit

 A SIDE NOTE:
• If I was to ask you what the word critical meant most of you would say that it means “Inclined to criticize severely and unfavorably.” But there are several meanings that we can apply to the word critical. The meaning I want us to keep in mind is that it means “Exercising or involving careful judgment or judicious evaluation.” Criticism can be a way to gain helpful information that will help us evaluate ourselves.

• Leaders and all mature Christians should not be afraid of criticism because it is not all bad. Criticism can be encouraging and helpful when we use it properly, i.e. it could be a tool to improve or better ourselves or something that we do. My Coach was often critical about the play we just ran, but it wasn’t to put us down, it was to help us improve and do it better.

 The critical Spirit in this passage includes faultfinding and any kind of “Slander,” and slander does not only mean saying something to hurt a person, it means saying anything that no one needs to hear, including the truth. If the truth is going do harm to someone than no one needs to hear it. The only ones that should hear this kind of truth (and even this should be done cautiously) are those who are prayerfully involved in that person’s life; and even they should not know unless it involves a moral compromise (sin) or a serious doctrinal error
.
• Unity comes when we forgive those who sin
o NIV Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
• And it comes when we discipline those who do not repent
o NIV Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-- such a man is an idolater-- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
o NIV Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
o NIV Ephesians 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

• Unity comes when we remember that we belong to one another, i.e. that we are members of one family
o NIV Ephesians 4:25 “…put off falsehood and speak truthfully …, for we are all members of one body.

• Unity comes when we worship the Lord, encourage one another, and are thankful
o NIV Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is one last, critical point I want to share with all leaders about the meaning of Unity:

Unity does not mean that we have to agree on everything. We do not always have to agree on doctrine, on traditions, on assumptions, on opinions or on conclusions.

Differences will always exist as long as we live in this age and as long as we have these bodies. The leader’s job is to learn how to handle differences in the family that God has given us; like a coach who learns how to handle the different talents on his team, he doesn’t change their talent to conform, but he finds where that talent fits best to unite the team together as one for one purpose, to win.

That’s exactly what the leader of Victory Outreach has to learn to do, i.e. to find where each individual fits best in order to unite the family of VO together as one for one purpose, to fulfill the “Vision.” So that we are all working together with one purpose, one vision. This will not be accomplished by trying to get them to conform to the church traditions or opinions.

In order build this kind of unity leaders have to submit to God’s authority:
• Leaders who want unity and have made up their minds to serve God and glorify Him have to acknowledge that men/women (even men of God) are not infallible. They will make mistakes and they will fail.

• They have to acknowledge that Scripture is our only authority.They must remember that Only God is absolute truth. Only His thoughts alone are true, and He has recorded His thoughts perfectly, plainly, and sufficiently in the New Testament.

• Unity will come when we learn to conform our thoughts to His Word.

o If we do not agree on the authority of God's Word, then there is no foundation for fellowship, there is no reason for us to exist together. Without a foundation for fellowship we would only be like Israel in the book of Judges, “each doing as he saw fit.”

We would open ourselves up to those who claim they have a “revelation” from God, or to those who say they have a more powerful anointing, or to every wind of doctrine that may come our way because we have no authority to turn to that we can trust. We are like a man lost in the forest without a map. Every path looks good but is it the right one.

o Where ever God has spoken clearly in His word leaders are obligated to obey it and stand together on it. The Word of God is our only hope.
The more we allow the New Testament to control us, the more we will be able to correct our assumptions, our inherited opinions, our hand-me-down traditions, and our so often mistaken conclusions.

o This is where the role of criticism can be most effective. Instead of running from criticism, Victory Outreach leaders need to embrace criticism and use it as a tool to evaluate whether they have strayed from the vision or if they are on track. In fact, I believe that every leader should have at least one person, or advisor who they know is not always going to agree with them. That way they will know they are getting the full picture on the issue at hand. Criticism doesn’t always have to be negative.

• To promote unity Leaders (and those being led) must be determined, they must settle the issue within in their hearts, to allow God’s Word to be the “authority” in their lives, the one they turn to for guidance and correction, while at the same time they learn to appreciate, accept and love one another. In other words, they have to let the Holy Spirit convict them of their own sin, i.e. to see the beam in their own eye. But not so they can correct others, so that they can “feel” their brothers struggle (understand or be sensitive to), so that they might learn to love and accept both the weaker and the stronger brothers. Then they won’t be so quick to turn away from those who are different.

I am different. Anyone who has lived with me or knows me will tell you, that I am different.

But in some 20+ years of full time ministry, I have been accepted in Victory Outreach. Those that accepted me, did so because I am a sinner saved by grace, just like them.Those who accepted me, understood that Jesus did not come to die for their ministry, He came to die for me, just like He died for them.Those who accepted me, understood that God, through the Holy Spirit, has united us together as one, we are members of the same family; and the same Spirit that is at work in them, is at work in me, transforming me to become more like Jesus, just like them.

The issue here is whether God has given us Unity or Uniformity:

Uniformity means to conform to one standard or rule; being the same as another or others with no differences or disagreements.This standard is narrow and exclusive, separating and dividing rather than gathering together. It says, “If you don’t meet this standard than you don’t belong, you’re not one of us.”

For example, if you don’t agree with our traditions, or if you don’t agree with our opinions, then you do not belong to us. If you don’t believe in speaking in tongues, or if you don’t believe in alter calls, or if you don’t believe in praying out loud with the music blasting, or if you don’t believe in our system of government then you don’t belong to us.

Can you see the division that just took place, instead of holding on to the unity that God has provided you have just divided it. This is what was happening in Colossae, men were coming in and taking the people captive with hollow and deceptive philosophy and dividing the church, so Paul writes them a letter saying:

o NLT Colossians 2:16 So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. 18 Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. 20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 "Don't handle! Don't taste! Don't touch!"? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person's evil desires.

Paul tells us in the letter to the Romans that God is revealed to us through what has been made. Through creation, we can clearly see that unity is made up of many different things.

Think of all creation if you can imagine it for a moment. Think of all the things that we can find in it. Birds, bugs, trees, rivers, seas, mountains, micro scopic germs, atoms, ozones, stars, and planets, and on and on. Yet in all this diversity there is unity, it is held together by one set of natural laws.
We can conclude then, that God’s spiritual creation is also diversity within unity. Even in the Godhead, we find diversity in unity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Or we can look at Scripture and find that God has created one unified body of Christ with many different parts.

I think it is safe to say that unity is clearly not uniformity. By its very definition, “uniformity means to conform to one standard or rule; being the same as another or others with no differences or disagreements,” we can see that uniformity is destined to bring division within the body of Christ.

Why? God did not create us all the same.
There are many of us who think that unity means that we all think the same, act the same, dress same, believe the same, etc. but as you can see that is not unity that is uniformity.Insisting on uniformity will divide the church because that would mean that we are leaving people out or isolating them from the fellowship.

Unity (accord, agreement, harmony) means the condition/state of being one; combining or joining separate things to form one entity; Combining or joining separated things to form one whole or complete form; single-mindedness among individuals or groups.

Unity by its definition is a mixture of different assumptions, different conclusions, different opinions, and different traditions. Notice that unity means although we act differently, think differently, dress differently, or believe differently we are joined for one purpose/one vision.

I am different, and yet, …..I am joined together with those pastors and leaders who have accepted me in order to fulfill the vision of Victory Outreach. Unity means learning to accept our differences and disagreements. It doesn’t mean that we separate ourselves from them.

Insisting on unity will hold the church together because that would mean we are accepting and including people into our fellowship.
This is what Paul teaches us in Romans 12.
NIV Romans 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

In Ephesians 4 Paul teaches us that unity is given by the Spirit
NIV Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

Unity comes from within through the Spirit and as you can see, it gathers. Uniformity comes from outside through man, and as you can see it scatters. The Lord gathers and the enemy scatters.The Spirit of God brings together a diversity of people (Jews—worshipped as Jews; Gentiles—worshipped as Gentiles, yet they were One Faith)

Paul goes on to teach us that we must hold on to the diversity of people that the Spirit brings together until we all reach unity of the faith.
In other words, until the time comes when all our different beliefs and all our different knowledge of God grows us and makes us mature, we must hold on to the people that God has sent to us.
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
First of all did you notice that the unity of the Spirit (vs 3) comes before the unity of the Faith (vs 13). We are united together first by the Spirit of God and we grow into the unity of the faith as we build one another up in love.

Notice that maturity does not mean we have arrived, it means we all become leaders, doing the work of building the body of Christ together as one unity with whole lot of diversity. One family with a whole lot of different brothers and sisters.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

We can agree to disagree on many things, especially in the area of our assumptions, our opinions, our traditions, and our conclusions, and it doesn’t mean we won’t be united as one. When we learn to do that we will grow up to be like Christ. But if we allow our differences to divide us, then we are forgetting Our Lord’s command to “love our brother.” It is the most important command, next to Loving God, that we have.

How can we have unity with diversity? Think about what happens when a natural disaster hits, like the San Francisco earth quake. All those people were different and yet they were able to unite, differences and all, to accomplish one purpose, rescue as many as possible who were trapped or injured in the quake.

Unity is a gift, given to us by the Holy Spirit, and it is our job to hold on to it.
I said that this is one of the greatest lessons I have learned as Christian. I use to think that unity meant we have to believe the same and I would try to make sure that everyone understood what that one belief was, usually my own.

This caused me to separate myself from those who did not agree with me, and I began to think of myself as being on a another level. And the division I created led to anger, discontent, pointing fingers, blaming and on and on. Finally, I found myself unable to love or express love because I did not want to trust anyone.

I was a spiritual mess, but this lesson taught me to stop trying to make everyone believe like me. God had accepted them and I had to accept them. Just the way they were, differences and all. When I gave in and submitted to the teaching of Scripture all of a sudden, I felt this great burden lifted from me and I was released from it. I was free to love everyone and to express that love without looking at their faults but bearing with them in the love that only the Holy Spirit can provide, i.e. “agape.”

My prayer is that this will happen to Victory Outreach, because along with the freedom to love comes the ability to receive love from others, and the ability experience that peace that surpasses all understanding and that joy that only God can provide.

Through it all, always remember that it is a spiritual battle we are in, and your brothers and sisters are not the enemy. As for me, I choose to Love you for all eternity.
Jesus said, “By this they shall know that you are my disciples, when you have love, agape, for one another.”