One Mind, One Mission

 

Called Together in God’s Mission 

Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10–17

That all of you agree with one another… 

and that there be no divisions among you.”

 1 Corinthians 1:10

The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian church with urgent tenderness, pleading for a community “perfectly united in mind and thought.” He knew that the Church does not belong to personalities, preferences, or parties, but to Christ alone. When believers began forming spiritual “camps,” Paul asked his searching question: “Is Christ divided?” (v.13). William Barclay wisely observed, “A church divided is a church which has lost its essential nature.” Whenever pride, rivalry, or personal agendas enter our fellowship, the light of the Gospel is dimmed. Scripture reminds us that Christ has “made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier” (Ephesians 2:14), calling us to guard the unity He has already given.

True unity, however, is not uniformity. God does not erase our differences; He redeems them. We are called to be “of the same mind, having the same love” (Philippians 2:2), grounded in a shared surrender to Jesus as Lord. E. Stanley Jones wrote, “Unity is not something we create; it is something we discover when we are united in Christ.” At the foot of the cross, status, background, and achievement fade away. We stand together as sinners saved by grace, shaped into one body through “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). When we lay down the need to be right or recognized, we become a living testimony to the reconciling power of Christ.

Our shared unity fuels our shared mission. Paul reminds us that his calling was not to impress with eloquence, but to proclaim “the cross of Christ” (v.17), for it is there that God’s power is revealed. Donald Coggan reflected that the Church is most faithful when it “keeps Christ at the center and all else in its proper place.” When believers walk in humility, forgiveness, and love, the world sees a glimpse of God’s kingdom. Jesus prayed, “That they may all be one… so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). Our unity is not only for our own health—it is for the sake of our witness. As we choose cooperation over competition and grace over grievance, Christ’s light shines more clearly through us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for calling us into one family through the cross of Jesus Christ. Forgive us for the ways pride, preference, and impatience divide us. Fill us with Your Spirit of humility and love. Teach us to walk together in grace, to honor one another, and to serve Your purposes faithfully. Make us one in heart, mind, and mission, so that the world may see Your glory through an undivided Church.

Amen.