Every church family has certain characteristics, but what matters most are the core values inside of us. In our scripture, Paul talks about the unity of the church and appeals to Christians to live a life worthy of the calling you receive so that you will experience the unity of the Spirit.
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (vv. 1-4)
However, we cannot “keep the unity of the Spirit” if we do not have it. There are four stages of growing in God if we hope to have a relationship with Him: (1) exploring Christ; (2) growing in our understanding of what ‘unity in the spirit’ truly means; (3) pressing toward a deeper relationship with God; and (4) being centered in Christ, obedient to the will of God.
This walk is not easy. There is always something that gets in the way. Examples of some obstructions might include:
- Becoming complacent after experiencing a good moment, believing you have achieved unity with God
- Relying on your religious resume to demonstrate that you are a Christian
- Developing an attitude of superiority and forgetting the importance of humility and obedience
How do we know that we are growing in God and worthy of being called Christians? We know when we:
- Make sacrifices for Christ
- Act Christ-like, be humble, patient, and loving
- Carry God’s Word in our hearts
- Be prayerful every day
Are you growing in God?