Monday: The Source of Unity
Daily Lesson for Monday 19th of January 2026
Think more about Paul’s emphasis on unity in Philippians 2:2, saying essentially the same thing in four different ways. Note also his focus on the mind, thoughts, and feelings. While the religious leaders tended to emphasize outward behavior, Jesus focused on our thoughts and feelings. For instance, the rich young ruler claimed to have always kept the law. Yet, by telling him to sell all he had, give to the poor, and follow Him, Jesus tested his attachment to worldly things. He also said it’s what comes from the heart (or mind) that defiles a person: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19, NKJV), and “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34, NKJV).
Read Philippians 2:3-4. What practical steps does Paul urge to have unity in the church?
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Paul’s words provide a picture of humility: lowliness of mind, esteeming others better than ourselves, looking out for the interests of others and not merely our own. Easier said than done, right? But these are principles important to keep in mind in all our interactions. Often in conversation there is the tendency to concentrate on our reply to whatever is being said, rather than focused on listening in order to understand what the other person is saying and trying to see the issue from their point of view. Often strife arises from simple misunderstandings that could be avoided simply by active listening. We may not agree, but listening and seeking to understand the other person’s viewpoint is the first step for fostering healthy communication and trust.
Paul speaks of the unity “[produced by] the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3, AMPC), which creates “the peace that joins us together” (Ephesians 4:3, EXB). If there is strife in the church, the Holy Spirit can calm the waters and bring us into unity, creating harmony. In the same chapter, Paul speaks of “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:13, NKJV). The two are related. Having the same faith, the same understanding of Scripture that springs from knowing Christ and His teachings, is vital for unity to prevail among us.
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What kind of death to self would lead us to where we, indeed, esteem others better than ourselves? How can we learn to do that? How different would our relationships be if we all lived like that? |
This is the heart of the Gospel; practical commonsense. No nonsense humble service toward others. Our world is built on the idea of competition and clinbing to the top. We give accolades to the winner and forget who came second, third and so on. There is no list for those who tried hard and won the wooden spoon. Business’s put other businesses down so they can climb to the top of the pile.
We had this little song we sang as children in Sabbath School:
The Gospel is not about who is the most eloquent, or about perfection of doctrine, or about who can predict is going to take on the mantle of The Beast. It is simply honouring Jesus by loving others the way he loved us.
We should make a list of the number of times that theme is expressed in the Bible.
Maurice – yes, the heart of the Gospel appears to us as commonsense – ‘love God and do right by your fellow man’. But the spirit of the world considers it foolishness:
1 Cor. 2:13-16
”And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgement.
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
To have the ‘mind of Christ’, doing the things prompted by His Spirit, marks the difference between those who ‘do good’ on their own terms, and those who do them to the Honor and Glory of God.
‘Good Works’ aim God’s Love [not born/generated by the individual because there is no good within man] to reach/awaken/resonate with His Own, yet dormant, Spirit within man. God aims for us to understand His Spirit to eminate from His Grace, not from our flesh.
Let the holy spirit leads us in the right path of salvation
Unity does not come by chance but by making deliberate and difficult choices. It is an outcome of a determined and willing heart to sacrifice self for the common good. The Book of Philippians 2:3-4, NLT, provides a catalogue of the essentials needs for unity:
1. Don’t be selfish
2. Don’t try to impress others
3. Be humble
4. Thinking of others as better than yourselves
5. Don’t look out only for your own interest
6. Take an interest in others
From the list above, it is absolutely clear that unity is very “costly” but affordable. Christianity unity has already been availed to us. Our role is to make every effort to keep it.
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” (Ephesians 4:3, NLT).
It is essential to note that Paul does not say create unity, but “keep” it. Christian unity is not manufactured human beings, but it is generated by the Holy Spirit. It is critical that we cherish and make every effort to maintain unity but let us remember that the Holy Spirit is the only source of true Christian unity. Our union with Christ, provide our unity a common purpose. Unity flows not from shared opinions, backgrounds, or preferences, but from shared life in Christ. “He Himself is our peace.” (Ephesians 2:14). True Christian unity happens where willing hearts cooperate with the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, grounded in the humility and example of Christ.
Amen. Thank you Omwenga, for your profound comment that, “….Christian unity is not manufactured (by) human beings, but it is generated by the Holy Spirit. It is critical that we cherish and make every effort to maintain unity but let us remember that the Holy Spirit is the only source of true Christian unity.”
Thanks again.
Amen
“By putting our trust in God, He has given us His loving-favor and has received us. We are happy for the hope we have of sharing the shining-greatness of God. We are glad for our troubles also. We know that troubles help us learn not to give up. When we have learned not to give up, it shows we have stood the test. When we have stood the test, it gives us hope. Rom. 5:2-4, NLV”
In order to be patient, we must persevere; and in order to persevere, we must be persistent.
To practice patience, we bear without complaint; we suppress restlessness; and we endure long-suffering. Being patient consists of being content and at peace. No matter what is going on around us, we have God’s promise that He is with us, He is behind us, He is along side us, and He has gone before us. While waiting, imagine God holding our hand, comforting us, encouraging us to wait, to wait on Him, to trust Him, and to endure with a smile.
As followers of Christ, we must be alive to the fact that what unites us is more than common educational qualifications, the same race, shared income levels, political philosophy, nationality, similar accents, shared employer, or anything of the sort. We are united by Jesus Christ, and we owe Him a common allegiance at all costs. Our unity and allegiance lie in the fact that Jesus loves us unconditionally, and thus we are committed to doing what He says—and what He commands—and that is loving one another as He loved us.
As Christians, we share “one faith.” Our lives are shaped by the same salvation story, which anchors us in unity and ultimate trust in what the Lord has done for us. We share “one hope.” Our confidence comes from what Jesus did for us and what He will do when He comes again. We are not moved by the level of our uncertainty about tomorrow; the real or imagined threats of a future in this broken world do not scare us. Indeed, even when facing life-threatening diseases, even when deprived of our livelihoods, not even death scares us, as Jesus has overcome it. Our unity is based on and informed by “one baptism,” which means we share a unique cleansing that only the blood of Jesus can provide to wash away our sins. Above all, we share “one Father,” and that means we can affectionately and in unity address one another as brothers and sisters.
Paul wanted christians to know that unity is a Christian priority. He addresses this by urging the Ephesian Christians to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (v. 1). Unity is central to our Christian journey and calling; it is vital to our growth. In John 17:11, Jesus prayed for His followers, saying, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” What a wonderful and powerful prayer on the eve of the crucifixion. He was about to die, and of all the things Jesus could have prayed for on behalf of His disciples, He prayed for unity. Clearly, it was no coincidence that Christ died to unite us. This implies that unity is not optional for Christ’s followers but a clear priority.
Clearly, unity is a mark of maturity in the journey of faith. In verses 12–14, as the church is built up in the unity of the faith, it will attain full-grown maturity. It will no longer be “children, tossed to and fro.” This means a divided church is an immature and vulnerable church—one that can be tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching, by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Friends, the Lord’s desire is that we mature spiritually by being united in Him, our clear source of unity.
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3
Unity at the expense of truth?
“Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. John 18:38
This is a question the Christian church has been wrestling with since it’s beginning. We should all compromise our personal interests for the sake of unity but should we compromise our beliefs for the sake of unity and how do we know the difference between our personal interests and our beliefs.
The church has divided numerous times over differences of belief when they could have overlooked those differences for the sake of unity. If unity had prevailed there would be one church today and it would be catholic.
Others are better than ourselves! But we don’t want to lose anything, our gain is our goal! Poor us! By gaining, we are losing, and by losing, we are gaining! God’s math is surprisingly crazy to our eyes!
When sin overcame this world,humans and their selves became affected by greed and selfishness.The tendency to think of and care for one another that Paul encourages is no longer natural.But, God still has the power to give us a heart and a mind that thinks of and cares for others if we supplicate Him and the Holly Spirit.
Hello, my SDA friends. Well, I wanted to comment not sure if this falls under the topic. However, I wanted to mention something that deals with unity. Through reading and studying here at this site and learning the following items I have found to be so eye-opening!
1. The Sabbath is by G-ds design Saturday.
2. The Lords’ Day is Sunday (by order of the Catholic Church).
3.Death is by Biblical definition a sleep. The teaching that at our time of passing a “soul” apparition,energy flying up to Heaven is in error. I got to dwelling on this after reading more in depth of Lazarus and Jesus. Here is my “epiphany” for lack of a better term. Lazarus-or any of those risen for that matter never questioned Jesus. It stands to reason if “Heaven” is this majestical amazing place-not one of them nor is it recorded that they asked Jesus-“Why did you take me from such a beautiful place-where we are with your Father?” I am not saying Heaven does not exist-I am referring to the fact that they were in death “asleep” Jesus said as much about Lazarus.”Lazarus is dead”. Wow-Thank you my SDA brothers for staying the Biblical path. I readily read all the online booklets and the study with the Sabbath School. I am so eager to see what other exciting truths await me as I am slowly making my Spiritual and Denominational studies! Thank you!
Welcome to our blog, and thank you for sharing your journey, John!
I believe that learning the factual truth contained in the Bible brings us closer to Jesus who IS the Truth. And then, the closer we come to Jesus who IS the Truth, the closer we come to each other in unity.
That the lesson author also referenced humility in the discussion of unity is important. Humility is demonstrated in the respect we have for each other, with the willingness to acknowledge that maybe “we don’t have all the truth” or “maybe my interpretation isn’t the only way.” (Otherwise our confidence that we “have the truth” can make us arrogant and judgmental, the polar opposite of the spirit Christ wants us to exhibit, and also destructive of unity.)
Yes, indeed, die to self. But after that, rise to live in love, through the power of God’s love.
We focus so much on the dying part, but anytime we are focused on our own part, we are likely to fail.
Hi Christina, you observed that “anytime we are focused on our own part, we are likely to fail.” And I believe that is so true! That’s because focusing “on our own part” is focusing on self. By His example, Christ taught that our focus should be on service to God and humanity. In all His actions, self did not appear.
The “dying part” is accomplished by submitting to the Holy Spirit. Recognizing that any thoughts of self-preservation, self-advantage, self-promotion, self-consciousness, feelings of pride, offense at someone’s words, etc. are evidence that self is still alive, moves us to go back and surrender self to the Holy Spirit again. This is not only a daily matter, but it may need to happen several times a day.”
Thank you Inge!
A willing heart is one that desires to follow God, to serve him, to know him more deeply, and to be used for his glory. It’s the kind of heart that doesn’t need to be pushed or forced, but chooses to obey out of love. When you think about it, our hearts are often crowded with desires, plans, ambitions, worries, and distractions. How much of our heart is willing to seek him above everything else? Many times, people blame the enemy for their lack of progress. Yet the real issue lies within our own hearts. They were never truly willing to obey God’s word or yield to his direction. And that unwillingness left them vulnerable. In the book of Proverbs 4 23, we are reminded above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it. The heart determines the direction of our life. When it’s surrendered to God, his will becomes our desire. But when it’s stubborn or self-centered, it resists his guidance. A heart that isn’t willing to be led by the good shepherd will always struggle to find peace. Too often we shift the blame to our circumstances or our past or even to other people. But deep down most spiritual problems are heart problems. It’s not that God is unwilling to move. It’s that we are unwilling to follow. The Bible warns us in Hebrews 3:15, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” A hardened heart resists the voice of God. But a willing heart listens even when it doesn’t fully understand. We can never grow in an area we are unwilling to pursue. We cannot experience the fullness of God if we’re not willing to seek him. Spiritual growth begins with a willing heart that says, “Lord, teach me, change me, lead me.” Jesus spoke very directly about this in Matthew 15: 8 and 9. These people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. It’s possible to say all the right things while the heart remains distant. It’s possible to pray beautifully yet live without true surrender. God is not impressed by our words if they do not reflect the condition of our hearts. So how can we cultivate a willing heart? We look at examples in scripture and one of the greatest is David. The Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart. David wasn’t perfect. He stumbled. He sinned. He failed. But what made him different was his willingness to repent and to return to God again and again. He longed for God more than he longed for perfection. Listen to David’s words in Psalm 51:10. Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. That’s the prayer of someone who understands that the heart must stay soft before God. In Psalm 26:2, he says, “Examine me, O Lord, and test me, try my mind and my heart.” David invited God to search him, to correct him, to shape him. And in Psalm 19:14, he prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” Those are the prayers of a willing heart
The Purpose and Importance of Unity is spiritual maturity and witnesses to the world.John 17:21–MSG)“The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—just as you, Father, are in me and I in you—so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.”
”Ephesians 4:13–MSG)“Until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”
Jesus directly connects thoughts, feelings, and actions.Actions reveal inner realities; they do not create them.Disunity begins in the mind and heart before it appears in words or actions.Unity must also begin there.
Many conflicts arise not from doctrine or deep disagreement, butfrom:Assumptions,miscommunication and unheard concerns.Proverbs 18:13 – The Message (MSG)
“Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.”We often listen to reply, not to understand.When people feel heard:Defensiveness decreases,openness increases and relationships deepen.