He loves all colors, all languages, all cultures, both genders, the different ways we eat, think, talk, act, worship and love. God loves diversity. For years, we required everyone to learn exactly the same way: by listening to a teacher explain how to do this or that. Now, we know that everybody learns differently [Think of that! Some people have to hear it, or see it, while others have to touch it and experience it.
Our personalities are Sanguine, Melancholy, Phlegmatic, Choleric and all kinds of combinations. So are we surprised that we do things differently, believe differently, and love differently?
So what does all this mean when it comes to Adventism — the way we as Adventists operate and do church? Our problem is that we start with Adventism and decide who Jesus is by looking at what we as Adventists already believe or practice, instead of starting with Jesus and allowing Him to change our life, church, denomination, teachings and practices. Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives, not Adventism. Our doctrines, and policies, and history, and traditions are not the cornerstone — Jesus alone must be our chief Cornerstone.
Everything has got to match up with Him. We must carefully compare each stone we lay in our lives, businesses, churches, and denominations with Jesus the chief Cornerstone.
We must not do it backwards by starting with our church, or using our denomination to explain who Jesus was. Jesus accepted people exactly as they were. He had perfect trust in the power of His heavenly Father to either change them or neutralize them without force or coercion. We all, leaders and laity alike, must do the same thing. This has radical implications: We must trust God and His way of doing things: That His love, grace, and power will either cause change or neutralize those people who we may think are wrong in their belief or practices.
Certainly, I believe there are times that wicked, hurtful, ungodly sinners and religious, self-righteous Pharisees who wound and condemn the broken need to be driven from the temple and their power neutralized, because they keep others from experiencing forgiveness and salvation. Jesus constantly included people, brought them into the unity of loving acceptance, the soil of His unconditional love, and in that soil, the seed of His truth grew.
They started loving Him. He did not bind them to an institution, a set of proof texts, or distinctive denominational doctrines, but to Himself and a real, intimate, nothing hidden, relationship with His Father. The Truth was a Person. He wanted everyone He met to know the radical love and acceptance of His Father.
It was that Truth lived out by Jesus that got Him killed. There is no doubt; we would still kill Him today. The Divine Trinity calls us to join them in loving people like Jesus did.
He persistently taught people the Truth about Himself and His Father but never forced them to look at His teachings the same way He looked at them — and He was God. He simply kept healing and loving and repeating His stories and lessons of unconditional love for sinners.
Then He allowed the Holy Spirit to do His work of conviction and conversion. We simply think the Holy Spirit cannot do His job without our pressure and intimidation. We are all too often more interested in being distinctive than following Jesus.
Differences are seen as bad, so why share them? True unity allows for differences. Criticism is openly accepted. It may not always be helpful or constructive, but when it is, it can help shore up weaknesses by cutting off blind spots. Differences of opinion can also help generate unity. When it comes to church life, this can be scary. Remember, being like-minded means that you share the same goal. But how you get there is open to debate. What time your services start, what day of the week is best, how loud the music is, or whether you serve coffee are all secondary to the main cause of your church.
Instead, it can enhance it by strengthening your strategy through constant reevaluation. To stand up for unity means we must fight against something. The enemy of unity is disunity. It involves any behavior or actions meant to harm the one-mindedness that a common goal requires. Disunity can show up in words, like gossiping or bad-mouthing those in charge. Disunity can appear in our actions, deliberate missteps meant to undermine the mission of the church.
Disunity can even be negligence, refusing to follow the advice or concerns of those in charge. Unity is when people of diverse backgrounds, opinions and gifts come together for a common good. We are stronger because we are unique. Uniformity attempts to eliminate that strength. We can only accomplish so much on our own, but together we can create a movement that brings tangible change and creates a future of hope.
There will be economic development foreign investment. It will promote social, economic and political development. A united nation would have adequate security for its citizens there will be protection of lives and property. Lesson Summary Keep each paragraph focused on one topic by having a clear topic sentence and strong supporting details that focus on one topic. Keep all paragraphs focused on one thesis that is included in the introductory paragraph. Use a similar structure for the sentences in each paragraph.
God commands a blessing where there is unity. And when God gives a blessing, the world can't take it away. Greatest bond of unity is God's love invisible. Visible characteristics of the Church: the profession of one faith, the common celebration of divine worship, and the recognition of the ordained leaders of the Church. The Three Forms of Unity is a collective name for the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism , which reflect the doctrinal concerns of continental Calvinism and are accepted as official statements of doctrine by many Calvinist churches.
Sanctification Increases Throughout Life. Sanctification is Never Completed in This Life. Our Intellect. Our Emotions. Our Will. Genuine unity is based on democratic values, open mindedness and the concept of multiculturalism. Unity is a nurturing environment where all live side by side harmoniously based on the principles of equality and mutual respect. It is natural that we easily bond with people from similar backgrounds.
Often we are reluctant to associate or work with people from very different backgrounds to our own. This can lead to a situation where we even become unaware of what is happening in other communities and regions of the country. As a result, we grow suspicious of those people or groups, fostering misunderstanding, hatred and conflict.
Unity cannot be achieved unless we discard our old tendency to seek or enforce uniformity. This applies to family units, communities, organisations and the country as a whole. Some may suggest that if we all have the same values, culture and ethnic background there will be no conflict. This may in some cases be true. However, we cannot ignore the reality that in our country we do not all share the same values, we do not follow a single religion and we are descended from various races and ethnic groups.
To enjoy peace, prosperity and democracy, we must first acknowledge that we are not all the same. We can then strive to develop unity through mutual respect and tolerance for our differences.
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