God’s Plan: Unity in Diversity

 

READ Joshua 17–20

Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father . . . .” for good reason; it is such a rich thought! The Creator God is just that because of the relationship His children have with Him. By faith, I am a child of God, but not an only child. I have millions of brothers and sisters who also call Him Father and together, we each have a place in His family.

This came to mind when reading this section of Joshua. It could be a boring list of land allotment. Each tribe was given territory along with a detailed description of the boundaries. However, I’d already prayed “Our Father . . .” and thought of the various places God puts His children and the varying responsibilities He gives us. Even though I cannot fathom the scope of how that works, this description shows me that He knows exactly where He puts us and why. An OT example from Joshua says:

The third lot came up for the people of Zebulun, according to their clans. And the territory of their inheritance reached as far as Sarid. Then their boundary goes up westward and on to Mareal and touches Dabbesheth, then the brook that is east of Jokneam. From Sarid it goes in the other direction eastward toward the sunrise to the boundary of Chisloth-tabor. From there it goes to Daberath, then up to Japhia. From there it passes along on the east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and going on to Rimmon it bends toward Neah, then on the north the boundary turns about to Hannathon, and it ends at the Valley of Iphtahel; and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Zebulun, according to their clans—these cities with their villages. (Joshua 19:10–16)

Regarding where He puts us, the NT sums it up: “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” and the reason for that location: “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:26–27)

The NT also explains that He gifts His children with diverse motivations that could be identified as personal priorities and gives reasons for those gifts:

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3–8)

These gifts are something like ‘allotted territories’ in that the teacher teaches, the leader leads. Studies show that at the root of these varying ministry activities is a motivation to gather and dispense information, or a motivation to keep the work of the church moving forward, or to comfort and encourage others, or to take care of financial needs, or practical needs. The ‘givers’ have an ability to make money, and the encouragers focus on progress and the future.

Like the OT tribes where all of the land belongs to all of the people, all Christians have all these gifts, but they have their priority motivations just as God put each of the tribes in a certain place to care for and protect one another. Today’s children of God are to do the same, and under the leadership of the One who died for us and now lives for us and gives us the love and motivations to do it in practical ways. In other words, the Lord puts us where He wants us and gifts us to do what He wants us to do.

Like our OT ancestors in the faith, we cannot do it without the Lord. We are weak and unable. For that reason, we pray as we seek to do the things He gifts us to do in the places where He has put us.

Lord, my day is already filled with prayer burdens and a large part of the ‘land’ You have allotted me is prayer for those with broken hearts, or struggling marriages, or in conflicted relationships. I pray for divided churches , wayward children, unbelieving friends, the needs of our community, the messy world we live in. I bring it to You, Jesus, because I trust in You and want Your will to be done. I also ask You to surprise me by answering these prayers in such a way that You bring much glory to your merciful and mighty name . . .

 

Unity in Diversity?

 

 

READ 2 John and 3 John

In my Bible, the introduction to 2 John says, “Only when you find agreement on sound doctrine will you find meaningful fellowship.” 

I’m a bit hesitant with this statement. Years ago, I was at a Bible study when the large group of women in attendance started talking about a controversial doctrine. There was no agreement and usual harmony in this group began to fray. That particular day, the pastor happened to be visiting the group. He began to talk about the redemption that is in Christ, asking questions and receiving testimonies. Soon the harmony returned. Then this wise pastor reminded us that we may not agree on some issues, but we all agreed on the Person and work of Jesus Christ, and He is the reason for our fellowship.

Since then, I’ve found that even those who agree on most doctrinal issues can still find something that they don’t agree on, and if they decide to argue about it, that sense of oneness that Christ gives is lost. Fellowship is not about unity in understanding as much as it is about loving each other in Christ.

Even so, false teaching will destroy unity. Today’s reading begins with John telling the recipient of his “love in truth” and how that love is present with “all who know the truth.” (2 John 1) John quickly clarifies that he is talking about God’s command to love one another and says, “ . . . And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it” adding the warning that “Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 5–7)

John isn’t pointing to differences of opinion but that there is unity in diversity when that unity is expressed in obedience to God. He also points out that those who do not abide in the Lord’s teaching are not even His!

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. (2 John 9–11)

False teachers still exist. One thing that marks them is discussed in 2 John, again in the area of loving one another. He tells of Gaius who welcomed traveling Christian missionaries into his home and condemned Diotrephes, a selfish church leader who not only refused to help these itinerant, godly teachers but also had slandered and opposed those who disagreed with him.

It is not differences of opinion that is divisive so much as pride that thinks ‘my ideas are without flaw’ and letting this keep me from living by God’s clear command to love one another. The amazing reality of God’s life in us is the fact that Jesus can and does produce in His people unity in our diversity. Our foundation is His gracious love for us and that love is our unity. We may not agree on minor things, but love and truth keeps us unified.

This is not a blind love. God also gives discernment. Some, like that wise pastor, are able to appeal to unity in Christ when God’s people are threatened by division or even false teaching. That said, false teaching is a very real threat. John wrote, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4)

The threat at that time was a fellow named Diotrephes “who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority” but John was determined to stop him from “talking wicked nonsense against us . . . refusing to welcome the brothers, and stopping those who want to and putting them out of the church.” John pointed out the folly of imitating evil rather than imitating good by saying, “Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” (3 John 9–11)

This reading tells me that sound doctrine is best proven by what it produces. A congregation that continually fights is missing something, whereas a church body that is in harmony and full of goodness with unity is hearing and obeying truth from God. It also tells me that when I think I’ve got a handle on a truth that no one else seems to see, I need to drop my pride and delve deeper into my Bible. If this ‘truth’ puts me in opposition to others, it could be my problem, not theirs.