We have responsibilities towards one another in protecting the unity of the church, in accordance with the admonition of Paul to the church in Rome.
Text: Romans 14:13
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
We are told that, “God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part." We should therefore not look down on ourselves irrespective of our physical conditions. Paul told Timothy: ifI am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
We are admonished to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Eph. 4:3-5 makes us to realize that if we are united in Spirit, we will unite at all levels. It is important to have unity in the body of Christ if we want the blessings of God. We are supposed to take care of one another. A family that does not cater for its component members is bound to become scattered.
Christ knows the importance of unity, hence he passionately prayed for unity: I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father; art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me (John. 17:20-23).
1 Timothy 3:15
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
It is necessary to protect the unity of the Church and the responsibilities lie in our hands. We are being challenged to protect and promote the unity of the congregation where we worship, no matter what it takes us. Romans 14: 19 says, “Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up-building.” We need to look at what we have in common not our differences. Congregations that emphasize what the members have in common have unity, peace, and progress in their midst.
We need to put ourselves in the other person's shoes and live according to the golden rule: Do unto others as you want them to do to you. One of the things that cause division in the church is gossip; to overcome this bad habit, avoid gossipers. The person who gossips to you will gossip about you. Solomon admonishes that, “An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue” (Proverbs. 17:4). Gossip divides the Church into groups due to selfishness: It is these who set up divisions, worldly peooie, devoid of the Spirit (Jude 1:19). Avoid giving room to gossipers; they always see one thing or the other to criticize. Furthermore, to protect the unity of the church, we have to take heed of the sermon of Paul by giving honour to the leaders. He said, “Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Hebrew. 13: 17)
Romans 12: 3-5
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Nobody is perfect; but with the support of one another, everyone will excel. The will of God is for His children to be united in the same spirit as Paul commanded the Corinthians; I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the some judgment. To the Romans, in the above text, he said, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."
To protect the unity of the church, we must aspire to grow and get matured. Only those who are not matured create challenges in the church because they are only interested in what they can get, not what they can give. Since they cannot talk when they are uncomfortable for one reason or the other, the only way babies show they need something is by crying; and mothers give them breast, whether that is what they actually needed or not. This is also the condition of babies in Christ; they cannot cope with challenges in the church but prefer to cry wolf every time. “For, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God's word. You need milk, not solid food" (Hebrew 5:12). We are admonished further to “leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” Those who are really interested in the kingdom of God do not have time for things that divide the church, but the responsibilities they have to discharge.