Endeavor to Preserve
the Unity of the Spirit in Peace

The Unity of the Church

(Ephesians 4:3)

The unity of the church is not man-made. It has already been provided to us by the Holy Spirit. The very existence of the church is impossible without unity. This unity is of a completely different level than the unity spoken of by the world. It is the unity that originally existed between God and His Son, now given to the church by the Holy Spirit.

1. The Bond of Peace
How does the Holy Spirit unify the church? It does so by binding saints with the bond of peace. Breaking peace is a sin. Because of sin, discord arose between God and humans, and conflicts arose among humans. Particularly, Jews and Gentiles could never be irreconcilable, yet through the merits of the cross, a new humanity emerged – neither Jew nor Gentile. These individuals have been reconciled with God and have no further need to engage in conflicts with others.

2. Seeds of Division
However, within the church, individuals who exploit selfishness can be found. The peace that should govern the church is broken by them, and seeds of division appear everywhere. Those who have been redeemed and granted a new life ought to follow the path of this new life. Yet, these individuals surrender themselves to the worldly ways they are accustomed to. Most concerning of all is these elements of disbelief can easily contaminate others, leading to increased conflicts and struggles within the church as their numbers grow.

3. Diligently Preserve Unity
If we are truly called, we must walk in peace to maintain and manifest the church’s unity. This requires humility, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing one another in love. By doing so, peace can be preserved, and the church can become united, not only overcoming the power of sin but also preparing for heaven. Therefore, let us diligently preserve the unity of the Spirit. If even the slightest seed of division begins to stir within our hearts, let us not overlook it but quickly eliminate it.

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim