Continuing: (4) Live in harmony by keeping “the Gospel” (The history of the birth, life, actions, death, resurrection, ascension and doctrines of Jesus Christ; or a revelation of the grace of God to fallen man through a mediator, including the character, actions, and doctrines of Christ, with the whole scheme of salvation, as revealed by Christ) the goal. The Gospel is the “Good News” that Jesus is the promised Messiah, who came from heaven to earth to die on the Cross for your sins, rose from the grave conquering death, so that we could have eternal life to all those who accept it. John 3:16-17 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
There are five major issues that the Apostle Paul addresses in his letter to the Corinth and in every one of them, he brings it back to the Gospel; For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. The problem of the Corinthian church and the Christian church today is that they removed their focus off of the Gospel and they made secondary issues (preferences, opinions and expectations) the primary issue and the Gospel became secondary and beneath. This tore and continues to tear the church apart. Division have happened and continue to happen today over secondary issues. Nothing is in a greater place of priority than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Many people are making any one of secondary topics, causes or issues to make a stand and the “hill that they will die on” (their top priority in life). If this is you then you need to repent and change your hill, because there is a hill that your Savior died on for you, called Calvary and nothing should be greater than that. Turn from divisive and destructive mindset and behavior. Make the goal of your life the Gospel.
Are secondary issues important? Absolutely. Are they vital? Absolutely. Are they more important than the Gospel? Absolutely not! The Christian church need to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose, the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is our unifying banner. Philippians 1:27-28 instructs us, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.” Despite our disagreements, disputes, and disappointments, we need to reaffirm and unify over the Gospel. The Gospel is the goal.
(5) Live in harmony by understanding that unity does not mean uniformity. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that you need to be a “cookie-cutter” replica. You do not need to agree with every item that everybody else agrees with. We need to agree on the core doctrinal issues. Later, in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 the Apostle Paul explains that, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” We come from different family backgrounds, races, political bias, personalities, and life experiences. Jesus prayed for us in John 17:11 “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” This prayer was fulfilled in the early church, all coming together. They probably disagreed on a lot of issues but they agreed on one central issue ... the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:28 tells us that, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” They were able to live in harmony with each other despite their differences because they unified around the Gospel.
Harmony is defined as: (1) The just adaptation of parts to each other, in any system or composition of things, intended to form a connected whole. (2) Concord; agreement; accordance in facts; as the harmony of the gospels. (3) Just proportion of sound; consonance; musical concord; the accordance of two or more intervals or sounds, or that union of different sounds which pleases the ear. (4) A combination of different people in concordance or agreement in views, sentiments or manners, interests, & good correspondence; peace and friendship. The Gospel is the main thing that unifies to bring us together and living in harmony is what we are supposed to do. We are supposed to be a beautiful harmony for the watching world to hear and adding color to life so that when they see us and hear us, they experience something lovely from different people coming together as one in Christ; unified in harmony because of Jesus and His Gospel. Live in harmony with one another.
In Christ, Brian
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