Unity and Holiness

By Kirk Wellum

In Psalm 133 David writes:

How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Unity is a great blessing indeed and I have been reflecting on it since our faculty meeting today. It is wonderful, joyful experience to be able to work together with brothers and sisters in the greatest cause of all: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is one of the sweetest blessings of God.

However, this divine blessing reminds us that one of the enemy's favorite tactics is to divide and conquer and it is a strategy that he has used effectively time after time. It is something he is able to do without much effort because there is so much that he can use against us. Pride, envy, bitterness, discouragement, weariness - to name just a few - can be used by our adversary with great effectiveness if we are not careful to stay close to the Lord.

Near the end of the letter to the Hebrews, we read: "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son" (12:12-16).

This interesting collection of exhortations is far from random or haphazard. Lack of holiness in general, and bitterness and immorality in particular, will destroy unity and make it impossible for anyone or any group to make progress in the things of God. Unfortunately, these sins are more common than they should be and hence the apathy, deadness, deviousness and the superficiality that marks too many who call themselves "Christians".

May God awaken in us all a hunger for himself that drives us to strive for better and greater things not merely as individuals but as a mighty army of God's people who are determined to give him glory and praise!