Working Together

by G. Jarvie | Category: Training For Service | May 1961

Unity of heart among the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ is essential for the blessing of God. We read concerning the early disciples that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul, and that with great power the apostles gave their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and great grace was upon them all (Acts 4.82, 88). This was the high-water mark of the church in Jerusalem. Disunity weakens, but unity is strength. The servants of Christ must therefore strive for oneness of heart. The Psalmist wrote, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! " (Psalm 133. 1). It is not enough for us to meet together, we must be united in heart before we can have the blessing of God.

There is no doubt that the essential thing for unity of heart is humility of heart. The tendency to contention and disunity always has pride at its root. "By pride cometh only contention:" wrote

Solomon, "but with the well advised is wisdom" (Proverbs 13.10). The disciples of the Lord showed this tendency to pride, even on the evening when the Lord was being betrayed, when He took the basin and the towel and washed their feet. What they would never have done for each other, He did for them, and they never forgot the lesson (Luke 22.24-27; John 13.8-10). The servant of Christ must learn this lesson well; it will save him from much sorrow and disappointment "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light," says John, "we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1.7). Walking in the light will cause us to be right with others, and with God. Where there is division in heart through grudges or through bitterness, there is darkness. James writes very strongly about this: "Where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed" (James 3.16). The servant of Christ must guard against all whispering about others, and against any grudge or bitterness. Any wrong that he sees in others must be prayed about, and when he speaks, it must be in love. He must remember the vital importance of unity, and he must learn how to blend in with others, patient, yet faithful and true. This is probably one of the most difficult lessons to learn in the service of Christ, but it must be learned. There is no substitute for true unity of heart.

God has given to His servants diversity of gifts, so that they may be united in service. So we read, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit ... All these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as He will" (1 Corinthians 12. 4-11). Because this diversity is of the Spirit, the servant of Christ must learn to value the gifts and the service of others. He must learn that his own service is only a part of the whole. Serving in this way will bring unity of heart. God has given different gifts to His servants for the perfecting of the saints, so that all will grow up in all things into Him, who is the Head, even Christ (Ephesians 4. 11-15).

Unity among believers can only be maintained by a lowly mind and in love, each counting other better than himself (Philippians 2.1-5). Even if a brother is weak in faith, we must value him as the brother for whose sake Christ died (1 Corinthians 8.11, 12). We must value him as the Lord does. When we see our brethren and sisters in this way, we see them differently and we grieve over them and pray for them if they fall. Love will never fail.

There are occasions when we are offended, or when we give offence to another, and what shall we do then? Many believers allow their spiritual lives to be hindered, because of an offence against them that has never been confessed. Others who cause offence are hindered because they fail to confess their offence and obtain forgiveness. Some even seem to make shipwreck of the faith because of a disagreement with another believer. Many lives are lost in this way, and the servant of Christ must know how to save his own life, and the lives of others. Much wisdom and patient love are needed to gain a brother who has stumbled in this way

Both in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19. 16-18) and in the New (Ephesians 4.25-27), we are warned against holding a grudge in our hearts. This is a deadly thing and grieving to the Spirit of God. "Go, shew him his fault between thee and him alone," the Lord Jesus said (Matthew 18.15). If it is difficult to speak to him, then write to him, for the effect is the same, but speaking is to be preferred. Tell him in a kindly way where he has offended, and assure him of willingness to forgive for Christ's sake. Before you go, pray for him, and try to see his point of view, for this will often help. The chief thing is to save him from his sin, and yourself from the grudge. This is spiritual life-saving. The Lord will give you wisdom in this, if you will seek His glory in it.

If, on the other hand, the offence has been given by ourselves, then before we seek to serve the Lord, we must take steps to be right with our brother or sister (Matthew 5.23, 24). First things first, always, or we shall find that our service is fruitless. " Confess therefore your sins (offences) one to another, and pray one for another" (James 5. 16). Failure in this is one of the causes of fruitlessness and powerlessness in the lives of some disciples. The servant of Christ must be clear in this matter.

The great majority of believers today are not numbered with the disciples in the churches of God, and the servant of Christ must have a right attitude toward these also. For the truth's sake there must be separation from other denominations, for separation is a price we must pay for the truth. That is the price that has always been paid for each recovery of truth, from the days of the Reformation, and even before then. That is the price that must be paid by the disciples in the churches of God today, if the truth is to be held.

But the Lord's servant will remember that very many of those outside have not heard the truths of the kingdom of God, and of the house of God, as he has Then also, very many of them are living irreproachable lives, and enjoy a great measure of fellowship with Christ. Although not joined with us in churches of God, they are fellow-members of the Body of Christ; they are our brethren in Christ. Hence we should love them. Many of them have given, and many are giving, devoted service in spreading the gospel, and for that the Lord's servant will unfeignedly rejoice. Their reward is with God who alone can truly judge the motives of the heart. We should remember the Lord's words in Luke 9.49, 50: "He that is not against you is for you." When the Lord comes we shall all be like Him, and being like Him we shall be like each other. The thought of that day will help us to love each other from the heart fervently,

even now.

G. Jarvie | May 1961
Training For Service