Unity Among Brethren
Introduction. While some portions of Israel are desolate lands where very little life can grow, others are green with vegetation and filled with life. The difference between a desert and a fertile field, meadow, or forest is striking. We move from death to life, desolation to beauty, and misery to joy and peace. Moving from the desert into well-watered lands brings the colors of flowers, the melody of birds, the smells of life and the taste of foods.
The main difference between the brown and barren land of a desert and green and fertile lands is water in the form of rain and dew. With water there is life and beauty. Without it is only desolation.
Unity Illustrated. The Holy Spirit used this truth as an important illustration of unity among brethren. First, He expressed the great beauty and value of unity among brethren. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Then to illustrate this value, He used the illustration of dew. “Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: for there Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Ps. 133:1-3)
The dew that comes down from Mt. Hermon adds to the waters that make the mountains of Israel lush and green, and bring the blessings of Jehovah. With this dew, the land becomes a home for animals, fish, birds and insects. It makes the wild flowers and trees possible, and brings the crops. It creates the striking contrast to the dry desolation of the lands nearby.
Just as the children of Israel were the brethren spoken of in this Psalm, so also are all Christians today. We were all baptized into Christ and become Abraham's seed like Isaac. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.” (Gal. 3:27-29; 4:28).
In Local Congregations. Every local church where we are members can be blessed by our efforts toward unity to become a lush and fertile place for spiritual growth. This is the wonderful affect that love and unity have.
Because of the power of unity to produce good, God hates those who do anything to disrupt it. “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him. . . one who sows discord among brethren” (Pr. 6:16,19). Anything that sows discord among brethren can lead to drought and desolation among them. A church can be moved from fertile beauty to a desert’s desolation through discord. We need to do all within our power to keep that from happening.
As we travel, we sometimes visit another congregation of God’s people. Some are as fertile as the mountains of Israel watered by the dews of Hermon. The brethren are friendly and seek to be kind and concerned for all visitors. We are truly welcomed, and their worship comes from hearts overflowing with love, gratitude and joy. We want to stay and visit and hope to return in the future. We leave such a church refreshed and strengthened.
Other congregations are like entering a spiritual desert. They are dry, cold, and reserved. There is no love, joy or thanksgiving. No one says hello and the people only focus on the small group they are friendly with, ignoring everyone else. If we have visited such a church, we hurried away with relief with plans to never return. At some point in the past discord was sown, unity was destroyed, and the drought it created continues.
Conclusion. Every time we become angry or frustrated with a brother we need to remember the dew of Hermon. If we turn the other cheek, go the second mile and take wrong we keep the dew coming. When we allow ourselves to be defrauded and become all things to all men, we are strengthening the unity of the brethren. When we are angry and lash out, then tell everyone about it, we are creating the potential of a drought. “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Pr. 11:13). “The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts” (Pr. 17:14)
There is so much to gain with love and forbearance and so much to lose by sowing discord. It is an abomination to God when such unity is disrupted.
The main difference between the brown and barren land of a desert and green and fertile lands is water in the form of rain and dew. With water there is life and beauty. Without it is only desolation.
Unity Illustrated. The Holy Spirit used this truth as an important illustration of unity among brethren. First, He expressed the great beauty and value of unity among brethren. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Then to illustrate this value, He used the illustration of dew. “Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: for there Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Ps. 133:1-3)
The dew that comes down from Mt. Hermon adds to the waters that make the mountains of Israel lush and green, and bring the blessings of Jehovah. With this dew, the land becomes a home for animals, fish, birds and insects. It makes the wild flowers and trees possible, and brings the crops. It creates the striking contrast to the dry desolation of the lands nearby.
Just as the children of Israel were the brethren spoken of in this Psalm, so also are all Christians today. We were all baptized into Christ and become Abraham's seed like Isaac. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.” (Gal. 3:27-29; 4:28).
In Local Congregations. Every local church where we are members can be blessed by our efforts toward unity to become a lush and fertile place for spiritual growth. This is the wonderful affect that love and unity have.
Because of the power of unity to produce good, God hates those who do anything to disrupt it. “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him. . . one who sows discord among brethren” (Pr. 6:16,19). Anything that sows discord among brethren can lead to drought and desolation among them. A church can be moved from fertile beauty to a desert’s desolation through discord. We need to do all within our power to keep that from happening.
As we travel, we sometimes visit another congregation of God’s people. Some are as fertile as the mountains of Israel watered by the dews of Hermon. The brethren are friendly and seek to be kind and concerned for all visitors. We are truly welcomed, and their worship comes from hearts overflowing with love, gratitude and joy. We want to stay and visit and hope to return in the future. We leave such a church refreshed and strengthened.
Other congregations are like entering a spiritual desert. They are dry, cold, and reserved. There is no love, joy or thanksgiving. No one says hello and the people only focus on the small group they are friendly with, ignoring everyone else. If we have visited such a church, we hurried away with relief with plans to never return. At some point in the past discord was sown, unity was destroyed, and the drought it created continues.
Conclusion. Every time we become angry or frustrated with a brother we need to remember the dew of Hermon. If we turn the other cheek, go the second mile and take wrong we keep the dew coming. When we allow ourselves to be defrauded and become all things to all men, we are strengthening the unity of the brethren. When we are angry and lash out, then tell everyone about it, we are creating the potential of a drought. “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Pr. 11:13). “The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts” (Pr. 17:14)
There is so much to gain with love and forbearance and so much to lose by sowing discord. It is an abomination to God when such unity is disrupted.