Unity?

Dear God, why are we so evil in treasuring a form of unity that is so superficial like unity in being under a certain organization, unity in love, unity in race, unity in language and all kinds? In the end, when the 'wind blows' what will be left? Why do we not understand Isaiah 40:8-The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever? All the unities above will never last but ultimately, those who hold on to the unity of God's revealed truth will not fade... Why? Firstly, God is an eternal being Himself, therefore His word will transcend time and space(guess what, He made them too)... Secondly, it takes the conviction of the Holy Spirit these truths in the Bible that is totally different from the wisdom of the world... Basically, saying it's God helping you to understand His Own eternal word... So of course la, it won't fade, win-win situation... Therefore, doctrinal truths matter!!! It's not just piece of paper or what you need to know to be a Christian instead, if you're a Christian, you have to know it!!!

But what do we do with it? Are we really concerned for it? No... Instead, we treasure those superficial unity more which in actual fact is no unity at all... Be it with non-Christian or worse still, Christians, we just like to avoid conflict and brush things off...

The most hurtful thing you can hear from people would be, 'aiya, what's with all these theology all? not important la... justification by faith, not by theology... so, please don't fight over it and let's just continue to be bros and sis la ok?'

How futile is this to think of theology in this way... Have you ever considered Ephesians 4? One baptism, one faith, one LORD and more ONES... And what does the bible say about unity? And do we even have any idea of what theology really means? If you don't view God in a proper manner, obviously it will affect the way you live la... E.g. when we are busy with our studies, we instantly spend time less on working out what the bible is saying... And in light of reading 1Corinthians, it just makes me ask myself the question of my own identity, am i a Christian 1st or a student 1st? If we are indeed Christian 1st, why can't we put reading the bible, committing to church, doing ministry and even considering helping to advance God's kingdom and on and on instead of our studies? Not saying studying is wrong, but why not? In 1Cor 7, you can see that marriage itself obviously can cause your time devoted to God be divided, but does it mean you don't marry? Likewise in everything else, studies, career, family, relationships, hobbies and all will also divide your time devoted to God, but in the same passage, you can see we are to secure our undivided devotion to the LORD... How la?

Undeniably, no one will ever have the perfect theology, but that doesn't mean it's not important... And after knowing the basis of unity, dare we even say that it's not important?

Sometimes it's just so sad to see the scenario above...

LORD, please remind us of our identity and lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil...

I don't wanna be a Corinthian!!!

O LORD, why are we so useless? why are we so dull? why are we so foolish? why are we so sinful? gah... I don't want to be like the Corinthians who often forget their identity in Christ and to add on to that, they don't even know they are doing it... Sounds so impossible to happen, but that's the reality of it... That's how 'powerful' God sees us as...

1Cor 3:1-4
But I, brothers,1 could not address you as aspiritual people, but as bpeople of the flesh, as cinfants in Christ. 2 dI fed you with milk, not solid food, for eyou were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there isfjealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For gwhen one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” hare you not being merely human?

This kinda tells a lot about them, that they already are a new creation in Christ but yet they are behaving as though nothing has happened... Continue to be in synergy with the world and moreover, adopt the worldly wisdom to do things as seen in 1Cor 6:1-11:

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous rinstead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that sthe saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, twhy do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 uI say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. vWhy not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even wyour own brothers!1

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous2 will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: xneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,310 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And ysuch were some of you. But zyou were washed, ayou were sanctified, byou were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This is just so saddening but yet relieving in a sense that this pushes us to keep trusting God and His revealed Word... Perhaps, that's why in Isaiah, he kept telling Israel that there will be a Great Redeemer and kept reminding them that they are indeed the redeemed...

May God continue to renew our minds and help us to not do things for our own sake and also to judge everything as we have been given the mind of Christ to do so...