Prayer that keeps the unity of the church

This is the gist of a sermon I preached in KL on Sunday. I was assigned the title and the text. I regard our calling to be co-workers of God in realizing his kingdom as a lens through which to view issues such as gender, political and national unity, halal and non-halal waste.

What is unity? What is its opposite? Why does unity matter?

In public life we often judge strength by unity. Political parties appear strong when leaders stand together and “sing the same song,” and appear weak when their members condemn one another.[1] Nations understand this too. Malaysia’s motto is “Unity is Strength,” while Indonesia’s is “Unity in Diversity.”

Unity protects. Animals remain in herds because there’s safety in numbers. This is why wolves love stray sheep. And why we love Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep and the sentiments in Psalm 23. The shepherd gathers the flock and keeps it together so that he can effectively guard it and lead it. We rejoice when Christians gather in worship, and we grieve when churches divide over difficult issues.[2]

From the earliest days, Christians valued unity. Our spiritual ancestors confessed the Apostles’ Creed together and spoke of the “communion of saints”: one people united in faith and practice through worship, preaching, baptism, and communion. Scripture also describes leaders as shepherds. In the Old Testament God rebukes unfaithful shepherds; in the New Testament, pastors are called shepherds of the church.

This brings us to Ephesians. Paul wrote this letter while he was a prisoner in Rome, around AD 60–63, while the Jerusalem Temple was still standing. The early church lived with tension between Jews who rejected Jesus as the Christ and those who accepted him and joined churches.[3] The apostles and earliest disciples were Jews who believed Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets and was establishing the Kingdom of God.

As churches grew, their unity threatened the old order. Christians were persecuted, excluded, jailed, and sometimes killed. Paul himself was imprisoned because of this conflict. So, he wrote Ephesians to teach that unity is not a small church matter. It belongs to God’s eternal plan. In Ephesians 1:10, Paul says God’s purpose is “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”[4]

Paul then prays. He recognises the church as Christ’s body, “the fullness of him who fills all in all.” He also reminds the church that Jesus has broken down hostility between Jews and Gentiles. In Christ, God creates one new people for good works prepared beforehand.

Our text is Ephesians 4:1–7. Paul urges believers to “walk in a manner worthy” of their calling, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” He grounds this in seven great ones: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.

We can understand the passage through three pairs of words within it.

Calling and baptism. Calling is often understood individually: businessman, driver, doctor, or politician. Such callings matter. But our principal calling is larger. Our principal calling is to be co-workers with God as he brings history to fulfilment by uniting all things under Christ. Baptism reminds us that we have died to self and risen to live for Christ. Therefore, we pray for church unity with words, thoughts, and actions shaped by death and new life.

Bearing and unity. Bearing means accepting differences that are not central to the faith. A helpful rule is: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”[5] Charity gathers Paul’s words: humility, gentleness, and patience. Some matters are green lights, where Christians may differ freely; some are orange, needing care; some are red, where Scripture forbids. Unity is not carelessness about truth. It is charity under God’s truth.[6]

This unity reflects God himself. The Trinity is unity in distinction, and human beings are made in the image of God. Therefore, our individual and joint lives must imitate God by seeking peace, charity, and faithfulness.

Eagerness and hope. Eagerness for unity is often weak. Many are eager for purity of doctrine and practice, but not equally eager to preserve peace. Churches have divided over matters such as wine or grape juice at the Lord’s Supper, while others have learned to make charitable provision for one another, even offering gluten-free wafers.

Paul points us to hope. Jesus gave his body to be broken so that we might be united with him and with one another and be his co-workers in fulfilling his vision of the Kingdom of God. A vision of his joy should pull us toward prayer, patience, and unity, to fulfil his vision.

Prayer includes expressing truth before God and others. Bold prayer teaches the church who God is, increases understanding, grows charity, and strengthens unity. So let us pray as Paul prayed, longing for the day when, as Habakkuk says, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

Peace be with you.

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[1] Our airwaves are full of such talk since Rafizi Ramli announced his new party, Bersama, on 17 May.

[2] Such as women as leaders in churches; inter-ethnic marriages; LGBTQ+ blessings/marriages.

[3] There is an echo of this in intra-Muslim division over halal and non-halal waste – a current controversy in Selangor.

[4] This text is one of the foundations of the Ecumenical Movement, which aims to unite all churches.

[5] Formulated in the 17^th century by Rupertus Meldenius.

[6] Imagine washing your face first thing in the morning every day, looking in the mirror, and saying “I reflect humility, gentleness, and patience.” And ending each day, looking in the mirror, weeping.