How can a church full of different people, from different backgrounds, different generations, with different opinions all get along? With all these differences, a church can sometimes seem like an orchestra before the concert: all the various instruments tuning without much regard to the others. But just as with a symphony, the church can bring their “sounds together” as they all get on the same Page and follow the great Director.
Paul the Apostle lays out three fundamental keys for harmony in Romans 15:1-6: 1) Love Your Neighbor (vv. 1-2), “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Disunity disappears when believers seek what is best for their brother instead of demanding their own rights;
2) Learn from Christ (vv. 3-4), “For Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’” Christ could have called 10,000 angels, but He did not please Himself. Considering all that Christ suffered for us, can we not defer to another believer’s preference once in a while? Notice, “as it is written,” because the way to a healthy, loving church is through Christ as He is revealed in the Scriptures;
3) Lift Up Praise with One Voice (vv. 5-6), “that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This harmony of purpose is in tune as it is “according to Christ Jesus,” whose mind was set to please others for their good at enormous cost to Himself (vv. 2-3).
When believers share this Christlike mindset, their praise from one voice will thunder with a volume no single voice could match! A church united in love, in Christ, and in praise will give God glory and give His people joy.
