“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
God has called for unity and love within the body of Christ. He has called us to lay aside the many differences that separate us and move toward the common ground that unites us-Jesus Christ. In Paul’s many letters to the church, he emphasized how important it is for Christians to refrain from bickering over non-essential truths, stand on the doctrines of our faith and unite against the real enemy, Satan. When we fight against each other, the devil has free reign to use his tactics to deceive the world. Our purpose is to work together to further the kingdom of God. Our relationship with God should be the most important thing in our lives. And as such, loving one another should be our second priority.
Speaking the words of loving one another is easier said than done. Loving each other as God loves us, unconditionally, is a difficult task. Yet, it is what God has called us to do. What if the world saw us loving each other and working together toward kingdom building despite our differences? What if the world saw us moving forward as the unified body of Christ, despite our differences of opinions on the process of electing a pastor? What if the non-believers who are visiting our church saw us laying aside the weight of our church and running together with patience the race that is set before us? New Northside would become a powerful witness for Christ and God would use us in our mighty way!
Whether we think the current process in place is right or wrong, we must focus on the truth of God’s word and let our hearts and minds be shaped by it. We must let our lives be shaped by the love of God by demonstrating His love for each other as we tarry through this process. Let us continue to pray for God’s guidance throughout the remainder of the process and let us be reminded to lift each other up and be unified in Christ.
“And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:23-25)
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