God has called us to play on His team, the Body of Christ! We have a playbook, God’s Word; we have teammates, other born-again believers; we have a goal, to win in the spiritual competition; and we have determination. We are ready to play. We just need to know how to play together as a team. The how is “in unity.” As we play on God’s team, we must be diligent to work together in unity.
As born-again believers, we are members of the one Body of Christ. We do not all have the same function, but we all need each other. Each born-again believer’s long suits in the Body of Christ contribute to victory after victory in the spiritual competition.
I Corinthians 12:12:
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
Each member is necessary. In teamwork, each position is vitally important to the success of the team. One person cannot fill every position. That is what makes it a team.
Romans 12:4,5:
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office [function]:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
An important key to working in unity in the one Body and contributing to the victories we enjoy is to recognize that each member is equally important. That is why God placed each member where He has!
I Corinthians 12:18:
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
Each believer has a function, a way to serve, that is uniquely his or hers. Understanding this surely makes it easier to be thankful for each other. We can have greater appreciation for each of our teammates. But how do we get all of our teammates to the point that we can play together to win?
As members of the Body of Christ, we work together in unity. We strive to be like-minded. We determine to have no schisms, no division or dissension. We all speak the same thing according to our playbook, God’s Word.
Ephesians 4:2,3:
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
I Corinthians 1:10:
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Philippians 2:2:
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” requires effort. To be like-minded, to speak the same thing, to keep the unity, we focus our efforts in the same direction. Our hearts and minds are to be fixed on the same standard. On God’s team, His Word is that standard. As we put His Word on in our minds, we will be thinking the same thing. As we seek the same standard—God’s Word and will—and agree together on its truth, we will be like-minded! We will be of one accord.
We have great joy working together in unity, knowing that each of us is a member in particular in the Body of Christ. As we study the playbook, God’s Word, and train together, being like-minded, of one accord, we will enjoy victory after victory in the spiritual competition as players on God’s team.