Ephesians 4:3-6, 15-16
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.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of 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.
Benjie Kim echoed the Apostle Paul's stance that avoiding division within the church is critical if The Gospel is to be spread. Unity must be an intentional goal because division occurs naturally in a diverse community. In Ephesians, Paul lists out three solutions we can follow:
1) Trust. We need to trust that God has a plan for our lives and for NOC. Though we are all broken humans, do we trust that God can work in them?
2) In all things, act and speak the truth in love. Avoid gossip and slander, and instead seek out engagement and conversation.1) Trust. We need to trust that God has a plan for our lives and for NOC. Though we are all broken humans, do we trust that God can work in them?
3) Radical acts of service. Benjie encourages us to go out of our way to serve the greater good, in all aspects of our lives. When others see a community serve in this way, they will see Jesus.
What is one act of radical service you can do for someone this week? Let us strive to be a church of unity.
by Chris Cheung
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