Gò0dNews for Everyone
The Power of Love And Unity
J
by Theodore Young Jr.
esus spoke to the church in John 17:21-22 before the
receive a spiritual checkup, what would be the results of
birth of the church. He spoke to the characteristic
that assessment?
of being one as Jesus was with God and as the
Do the unsaved see one church in many locations, or do
disciples were with Jesus. Jesus knew in order for the Body
they see different churches? Does the world see the church
to complete His mission, there would need to be unity in
of Jesus Christ, or do they see White, Black, Latino, or
the Body. Jesus gave the greatest commandment of loving
Asian churches? Do they hear the church sharing the same
Father God with everything within us and also loving our
message with different voices? Does the world hear the
neighbor as ourselves. However, a needed element would
Gospel message or a worldly influenced political message
also be unity in the Body of Christ. Jesus knew the Gospel
coming from the church? Are we as Christians sharing how Jesus impacted our lives? Even deeper, is the church continuing to allow politics to pollute our God-given messages? Do Christians define their beliefs based on their political views? Are we focusing in more on numbers than people? These are difficult questions to answer and even more difficult to ask. However, as Christians, we must examine ourselves and our motives. We are prone to stray from the path that God has laid out before us. God’s word states, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jerimiah 17:9). In our current times, we no longer have the option to navigate in this world as small businesses
would be at its most effective where His Body would be in
or large corporations. We do not have the luxury of ministering
unity: first with God, and then with one another.
as Lone Rangers. We cannot look at the nonbeliever and
Jesus commanded the disciples to love one another.
describe them as “those people” anymore. One-third of the
He shared with them that their love would prove to the
New Testament commands and speaks to unity in the Body
world that they were His disciples (John 13:34-35). God sent
of Christ. Love is another one-third of the New Testament’s
His Son into a lost and sinful world to reconcile us with
commands for the Body of Christ. These are not suggestions.
Him. Jesus came for the hopeless, the marginalized, and
These are characteristics we practice in obedience to God.
the disconnected of this world. That love is the key to the
These are our God’s methods of operation and practice. Unity
good news message. It is the draw to those with no hope
and love is not just a good sermon but a way of life for the
and the overlooked of this world. God wanted us to draw
believer. It has to be demonstrated by pastors, leaders, and the
the lost to Christ so that they would share in a relationship
congregation in harmony with one another.
have received the “Great Commission” to teach and make disciples. If the Protestant church here in America were to
40 // April 2021
About The Author
with the Heavenly Father. With these divine commands, we Theodore Young was born and lived in Bronx, NY, for 42 years. Married 21 years and father of two teenage daughters. He Accepted Christ in his life over 32 years ago. and works as a licensed social worker in the state of TN.
