Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

 Unity of Churches – God’s will.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor; if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.  “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Vs. 9,10 & 12

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, prayed for the unity among His disciples, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me”, John 17:21. Ephesians 4:12-13says, “……the body of Christ may be built up, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.” So the Scriptures warrant a unity of faith with the Father, Son and the believers and hence the unity of the churches is God’s will. 
It is said that Ecclesiastes is King Solomon’s sermon on the meaning of life. The word vanity which refers to emptiness or meaningless is used about 35 times in this book to show the vanity of selfish living by focusing on oneself. Statements like “two are better than one” and “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken” are all pointing to the need for establishing relationship goals for an effective community living and to ensure security and increased productivity.
Christianity is based on “loving God and loving the neighbor”. If we the people who believe in the uniqueness of Jesus’ virgin birth, One God (Holy Trinity; Father, Son and the Holy Spirit), one baptism for the remission of our sins, Jesus’ death on the cross for our salvation and His resurrection and ascension in to heaven and His second coming; why are we not one in our faith and practices and worship together? How can we then expect other religions to accept and respect us? God created us in His image, but cast, color, creed and even denominations are all man made. 
 In every census since 1951, it is said that the Christians have made up of only between 2-3% of India’s population. Christianity has not grown in India because we do not practice what we preach. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ; but I do not like your Christianity. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”  Bishop Desmond Tutu said, “When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said "Let us pray." We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.”
 God expects us to be holy as He is holy. It is when we manifest His holiness, that others will know that we are Christians by our love and not by our empty words. “Union is strength” does not mean “unity in diversity” or “harmony in variety”. It means that “all of them may be one,” as in John 17:21.


                                                        Prayer
Lord, Enable each and every one of us to be better Christians by doing Your will by fostering unity and help us to bring many to Your Kingdom. Amen.

                                                  Thought for the day
               “For this is the will of God, that by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” I Thess. 5:8, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Peter 2:1
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                              Thomas Alex
                                            Jackson Tennessee

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