Romans 15:6-7
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I'd like to begin by defining a few words from the scriptures above.
In the New Testament and in particular in the scripture above, the word patience means the following: the characteristic of a person who is not swerved from their deliberate purpose and their loyalty to faith and virtue by even the greatest trials and sufferings. It also means: steadfastness, constancy, endurance.
The word consolation means: a calling near, summons, (especially for help); importation, supplication, entreaty; exhortation, admonition, encouragement.
The word grants means: to give something to someone or to bestow a gift; to give or commit to someone something to be religiously observed.
The phrase one mind means: with one accord, with one passion, unanimously.
Finally the word glorify means: to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate; to honor, do honor to, hold in honor; to make glorious, adorn with luster, clothe with splendour; to impart glory to something, render it excellent; to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged.
If we re-read the above scriptures bearing these definitions in mind we find that the God of patience means that our God will never cease to want us to be in unity with one another. God is so committed to unity amongst His people. Why is this? Its because when and where there is unity God commands a blessing and the Father loves to bless His people. In the same way when we read the God of consolation we know that it means our God is encouraging us and exhorting us along the way. He is urging us to move in unity. He knows what we need before we have the need and is importing it us. Through His Spirit it is being imparted to us!
So our God of patience and consolation grants us to be like minded. From the definition above we know that this means that God has bestowed a gift to us. A gift is something that is freely given. (It can either be accepted or rejected. Sadly there are many Christians who reject the gifts of God.) So of God's own accord and without any help He has given the 'gift of likemindedness' to those who are called by His name.
I believe many people mistake peace for unity. Of course it is very important to have peace. God promises us perfect peace if we keep our minds stayed on Him. The Apostle Paul instructs us to Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11). However peace and unity are not the same. People who don't believe the same thing can have peace between them. As we know in war there can be a peace treaty. It doesn't mean that one side changes their mind or position and agrees with the other side. They still believe they are right but they decide to stop fighting. Each side is still proclaiming their way even if only in their mind. Families can live in peace and under the surface there can exist strife and turmoil that is being held down for the sake of peace. There can be peace between people and yet each individual can be without peace within themselves.
Unity is completely different. When there is unity there is no dissension, there is no strife. Unity involves the minds being alike - one mind. The mind influences the heart. And as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7) Let's stop for a minute and think about what the Body of Christ would be like if we moved with one mind to further the Kingdom of God. The freedom and liberty we would possess! The joy everlasting! The blessings that would flow! The anointing that would be poured out!
Going back to the scripture; God has given us this 'gift of likemindedness' so that we can glorify Him in unity. I like the last part of the definition above. To cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged. When we worship God in spirit and in truth this is what we do. We are instrumental in everything that is good about God being made manifest in our lives, those around us and throughout the earth. This of course is our ultimate purpose. We are to reconcile others to God through Christ as we were reconciled. And the only way that work can begin is through unity.
Until next time I pray that you worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and that His favor rests firmly on your life. God Bless!
Check back this Thursday for another post about worship.
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