Unity is not between believers.
Unity is never possible in human relationships of earthly cords,
but only in divine connections by the bonds of heaven.

"I pray . . . that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may believe . . ."
John 17

Unity is oneness with God and from that,
Body unity "happens" naturally
between brothers and sisters.

One who is linked to God can bond with another who is linked to God.
The bond, the glue, the connection . . . is God!
Not sacrifice for others, not commitment,
not effort, not desire for camaraderie.
Not the same beliefs . . .
not even love.

The unity of the 120 in the upper room (Acts 1) was not
agreement fashioned among themselves,
but absolute union with the mind of God
in the secret sphere of the individual.

Now you are Christ's body and individually members of it.
I Cor. 12:27 NAS
(emphasis mine) 

Each individual had connected to Him and by that bond,
they were together in spirit.
"One accord" together by being at-one with God. 

Humanity cannot make unity.
Even the best of believers cannot establish unity, nor work for it.
To call for unity with each other is to initiate disillusionment.
Forgiveness, yes. Unity, (for its own sake) no.

Unity happens.
It appears
through individual aloneness with the Trinity.

If Christ is your "only," you will stumble into harmony with those
for whom He also is ALL.
There is no other unity. 

God alone is the Source of Unity. He is the Solar Center
around which the Church revolves
and from which it evolves.

Oneness must issue from Him
as a miracle of His transcendence
by the surrender of His children to
let Him be the only Love.

You can make peace.
That is possible even if it is one sided.

But unity of believers is another matter,
out of our hands . . . and in God's. 

Even the orchestra plays to the conductor.
It would be a noise of mayhem
without that
focus of all . . . upon one.

The violinists tune to the lead violin,
The football team plays to the plan of the coach.

We are an orchestra, we are a team
only when we - together - play to the Leader.

Compromise is not God's way to establish harmony.
Compromise is the pathway of
making men into despots
and dethroning God.

Jesus never lowered His standard for the
sake of any liaison.
He even seemed to drive people away.

Yes, He ate with sinners.
Yes, He was friend of the dregs.

But He would not court anyone and
He never made Himself agreeable.

In the midst of wild acclaim,
He would decimate His fans
and destroy His own popularity.

When sought out by the mockers,
He was up to the most biting insult.

Concession was not in His character.
Graciousness, mercy.
Unfailing kindness, yes!

But compromise with Truth,
agreement with delusion . . .
of these the Son of God was incapable.

The first priority of Jesus was
obedience, not unity.

Unity was a matter of prayer because it lies - solely -
in the hands of the Father of the Family.
Jesus asked for unity.
He never attempted to create it.

Neither should we.

Copyright ©  Martha Blaney Kilpatrick