Conflict & Unity

Content

Core Learning - Unity is our responsibility.

When you think about all the things that would qualify a person to be called a son/daughter of God what would be the first things that come to mind?

Maybe the most Godly, the most evangelistic, the kindest, the most loving...

Jesus tells us that its those that make Peace that are the children of God.

Matthew 18:15-20 NIV

1. If your Brother sins against YOU, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.

Brother = Fellow believer

YOU.. If its between other people its initially not your responsibility to fix or be offended about.

Don’t get involved in someone else’s issue with someone unless they have tried to resolve it between the two of them.

Getting involved with someone's issue when they haven’t made the effort to fix it makes you a gossip and unkind people.

1. If he will not listen, take on or two others along so that every matter may be established by them.

If it can’t be resolved between the two on their own, get a NEUTRAL person involved. Not a friend to gang up on them. 

This brings perspective and puts our own side of things under the light to be checked, we may be in the wrong and not even know it.

1. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

This isn’t from the pulpit, this is to ask those who give spiritual guidance to your life to help guide this same process too.

Your Pastor will have or should have everyone's best interest at heart, or elders etc...

1. If he refuses to listen to the Church treat him as you would a pagan or tax collector.

Basically you agree to disagree but you yourself let go of the issue knowing you did everything you could to salvage the relationship.

Love them anyway.

1. I tell you if two of you on earth agree about anything….

The reason we need to resolve conflict is because of the power we have when in agreement.

Where there is Unity God commands blessing

John 17 Jesus prays for us the believers to come to be in unity like God is in unity.

Exercise or Practice