Guard the Oneness: Making Unity a Priority

By Gary Krehbiel

Unity: God’s Order in the Midst of Conflict  

It’s hard to know whether we live in the most divisive time in history or whether that feeling comes from pervasive hyperbole. What is clear is that the information age makes us acutely aware of nearly every struggle people face today, and conflict is everywhere. Chaos, confusion, and disarray are signs of Satan’s activity, not God’s work. The church and believers should be set apart from the animosity that drives content and division. 

From the start, God’s work was to bring order out of chaos. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” At creation, when the earth was formless and void, God established structure and harmony that govern both the physical world and the lives of believers. 

That ordering carries into the life of the church through the Holy Spirit. As followers of Jesus, we are indwelt by God’s Spirit, which transforms us into the image of Christ. Paul describes this relationally: we have been crucified with Christ so that it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us (Galatians 2:20); we are also new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Because believers bear Christ’s mark, the church should reflect the unity and harmony God has already brought to creation and to individual lives. This is how believers can be salt in the world. 

​Unity is therefore a central concern for God’s people. Psalm 133:1 declares, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Unity is not merely an aspirational goal for the church. Unity is one of the ways we identify with Christ and demonstrate His presence among us. In other words, unity is the church’s reality as well as its calling.

Biblical foundations for unity 

1. God’s nature is unified—even in three persons, God is one (the Shema: Deuteronomy 6:4). 
2. God created in unity: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26) 
3. God’s original creation reflected unity—before sin, every living thing fulfilled its God‑given purpose. 
4. God’s ordinance of marriage models unity: the two shall become one flesh. 
5. The Church itself is a unified body. 

Paul develops this theme explicitly in Ephesians. After explaining the mystery of the church, he turns (beginning in chapter 4) to practical instructions for how believers should live together. He does not start with church structures or theological distinctives; instead, he insists that unity is the church’s present reality because Christ removed the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. Galatians 3:28 emphasizes this inclusion: “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Because Christ’s work and the Spirit’s sealing have restored oneness, Paul exhorts believers to preserve what God has already accomplished.
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Ephesians 4:1–3 lists the personal qualities necessary to sustain that unity. These qualities shape relationships and guide behavior within the body of Christ: ​​

• Humility — not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. 
• Meekness / Gentleness — power under control. 
• Patience / Long‑suffering — endurance that does not surrender to circumstances. 
• Tolerance / Forbearance — continually offering grace to allow God to work in another’s life. 
• Diligence — actively preserving the unity God has given; making it a priority.

Consider how each of these would contribute to unity within our churches. Then ask yourself if you are acting with these qualities in your relationships with other believers. ​

​Humility — "not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less." ​​

• When did I recently choose my comfort, reputation, or agenda over serving someone else in the congregation? 
• What ministry or task do I avoid because it might make me look vulnerable or imperfect? 
• Do I trust God enough to let someone else be right in an area of preference? 
• How do I respond internally when others receive praise I wanted—do I celebrate, resent, or stay silent? 

Meekness / Gentleness — "power under control." 

• When someone challenges or hurts me in ministry, what is my immediate impulse—defend, dominate, withdraw, or listen? 
• How have I handled past conflicts: did I escalate, quietly undermine, or seek a gentle resolution? 
• What concrete signs will show me I’m practicing gentleness (tone, timing, words chosen)? ​

Patience / Long‑suffering — "endurance that does not surrender to circumstances." 

• In long-term ministries or difficult relationships, where have I been tempted to give up, and why? 

• How do I maintain hope and faith when plans stall, people fail, or results are slow? 

• Which person in the church most tests my patience, and what might God be asking me to learn from them? ​

Tolerance / Forbearance — "continually offering grace to allow God to work in another’s life." 

• Where am I quick to judge others’ mistakes instead of offering space for growth? 

• Who needs my repeated patience and encouragement right now, and what small, concrete acts of grace can I show them? 

• How will I remind myself to pray for someone before reacting to their shortcomings? ​

Diligence — "actively preserving the unity God has given; making it a priority" 

•  What steps have I taken this month to protect or restore unity in my small group, ministry team, or congregation? 

•  Where am I unintentionally contributing to division (gossip, favoritism, silence about issues)?  

• Which relationships or conversations need my intentional time and care to prevent drifts or conflict? 

• What specific priority will I set this quarter to invest in unity (regular check‑ins, mediation, shared service project)?  ​

Taken together, these foundations and virtues show that unity is both a gift we have received and a responsibility we must assume. As believers, we are called to embody the harmony God brought to creation so that the church visibly reflects Christ’s reconciling work in the world.