Thursday 8 January

Living in Unity with the Body of Christ

Scripture Reference:

John 13:34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Romans 15:5

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had

1 Corinthians 1:10

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

One of the most basic realities of life is that we are made to have relationships with others. From the very beginning, when God said, “It is not good for man to be alone,” the profound significance of human relationships has been evident. God’s Word describes Christian believers as “The Body of Christ.” He says that we are connected to one another and dependent on each other. We were made to be in a community and function best when our relationships are harmonious. Because relationships are so fundamental to our existence, the quality of that relationship will have a tremendous impact on the quality of our lives.

Sadly, this is an area of life where we often struggle. Most of us have broken relationships in our lives. These cause us pain, and the emotions related to these relationships affect every aspect of our lives. It is hard to enjoy even the best things if our relationships with people are broken. Efforts to “fix” our broken relationships end up on our New Year’s Resolutions lists year after year.

Our relationships can be different. We have the real possibility of new relationships because, through Christ, we have a new heart. In Jesus, we have a new life, attitude, and access to the One who can help us in our relationships. We are called to live in love with one another, and God always gives us the grace and strength to do what He has called us to do. Jesus said the Greatest Commandment was to “love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.” He then said there was a second commandment like the first: “We should love our neighbour as ourselves.” Jesus connected these two aspects of relationships: loving God with all we are and loving others with a love that places them and their needs equal to our own. This connection is crucial because the second is only possible through the first. 

It is not in our natural abilities, but in Christ, we can offer the love we have received. Make this year the best year ever. A year in which you walk in love by offering others the unconditional love you have received from Jesus!