SUNDAY PSALMS PART 41 OF 48 - PSALM 133:1

Lewis & Clark statue, Falls of the Ohio State Park, Jeffersonville, IN

    "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
    For brethren to dwell together in unity!"
            Psalm 133:1, New King James Version

I've always loved this verse. How about you?

Unfortunately and predictably, living out this verse is easier said than done. That's because of how we interpret "brethren" and "unity." In other words, Goldilocks found some have a view that's too large and others have a view that's too small.

The large view is the "brotherhood of all men" position. Note - yes, the Bible does teach that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free (Galatians 3:28). But did you notice the qualifer? That is if we're in Christ. God has children from all nations (Revelation 7:7-9), but nowhere in the Bible does it teach the whole world - believer and unbeliever, righteous and wicked - are God's children. Rather, John - known as the apostle of love - points out both through Jesus and in his letter that some people are God's children and some are children of the devil (John 8:41-44; 1 John 3:7-10). 

But for some people, that leaves too many people in the family of God. So they spell unity u-n-i-f-o-r-m-i-t-y. Some do so by racial/national divisions, and others do so by pet doctrines. (Can you say "Calvinism vs. Arminianism?" How about "Covenant Theology vs. Dispensationalism?" I knew you could!)

Look at a sports team. No, there's not uniformity in their roles and positions. But they are unified in working together for victory. We should do the same as believers. 

I believe there is a soon-coming time we'll realize that we've met the enemy and it isn't us! The devil and those who oppose Christianity couldn't care less about election and free will - their anger is at those who of their free will submit themselves to the Sovereign God. They have no interest in arguments about if the Chruch is Spiritual Israel or when the rapture will occur - their hatred is for those who believe there's a time when Christ will return and defeat them. In those days, we'll find ourselves in prison with other believers we had been debating with on-line, and in those days, we need to encourage each other!

Isn't it a blessing for brothers to dwell together in unity?