Being One in the Spirit in the Church of Christ

March 20, 2013 - Ephesians 2:1-2

2:1		所 以 在 基 督 裡 若 有 甚 麼 勸 勉 、 愛 心 有 甚 麼 安 慰 、 聖 靈 有 甚 麼 交 通 、 心 中 有 甚 麼 慈 悲 憐 憫 、
2:2		你 們 就 要 意 念 相 同 、 愛 心 相 同 、 有 一 樣 的 心 思 、 有 一 樣 的 意 念 、 使 我 的 喜 樂 可 以 滿 足 。

 ¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Paul exhorts Philippians believers on how to live out a church's life through mutual encouragement, comforting, and common sharing in the Spirit of God. This kind of church's life is to be realized through our "one-ness" in the Spirit who unites us with Jesus Christ, the head of the body. Paul illustrates this "one-ness" as "same love", "like-minded" and "one in Spirit". The Spirit of God comes to unite us in the one body of Christ. The Spirit comes to cultivate the love of Heavenly Father in us. The Spirit comes to illuminate our minds that we focus our eyes on the Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Christ. People are differently gifted or wired in the temperaments, but the Spirit unites us together in Christ's church. 

Dear Holy Spirit, You are the Spirit of harmony, not dissension. You are the Spirit of unity, not division. You are the Spirit of love, not hatred or hostility. You are the Spirit of life and eternity, not death or vanity. I pray that You cultivate in my heart a spirit of unity, a spirit of love, and a spirit of encouragement and compassion toward others.