“Finally, All of You Be of One Mind . . . .”

“Finally, All of You Be of One Mind . . . .”

What a gospel, beloved friends! How many have accepted it wholeheartedly, believed it, loved it, and been obedient to it?! Who has really understood it in this way? But, better late than never.

How can this be possible? Verse 11 in the same chapter reads like this: “Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.” Ordinarily, most people zealously seek an opportunity to contradict at every possible turn. This is the very opposite of pursuing peace!!!

By nature we all belonged to the sons of tumult. Num. 24:17. If we really pursue peace, that is, make an effort to keep the peace, it will become the opposite of what it was previously. Then we use the opportunity to be of one mind, as truly as it does not involve sinning. In that case, we are obviously and instantly not of the same mind.

We could just as well say that most people suffer, more or less, from contradiction syndrome. But God be praised, complete salvation from everything is available! It is of the utmost importance to avoid all unnecessary contradictions and disunity.

Denying yourself, your own desire, your own will, your own recommendation, your own opinion, and being quick to agree with the others is of particular importance in this area. The vital thing is to suffer in the flesh so you can avoid strife and disunity!

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matt. 5:9. It is one thing to be called a child of God based on your conversion and the stand you have taken, but it is something completely different to live as a child of God. Yet this is the very thing we are called to and which we will achieve if God has His way with us. Then we become thoroughly peaceable and of one mind in spirit and in truth, in harmony with John 17:21-23.

This is amazingly great and divinely glorious!!! Yet it is also completely true, just as all the rest of God’s Word.

This is also expressed in 1 Corinthians 1:10: “That you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” With man this is impossible, but all things are possible with God. And everything is possible to him who believes!!! Therefore this perfect peaceableness and perfect unity are also possible.

Paul had very good reason to write: Follow me,” and, “Be my followers, just as I also am a follower of Christ.” 1 Cor. 11:1. Humanly speaking, what he writes just previous to this verse sounds unbelievable: “Just as I also [strive to] please all men in all things . . . .” Ch. 10:33. Swedish translation: “In all things submitting to all.” Note: This was that exceedingly great and wise apostle Paul who in practice understood all kinds of things better, or much better than the others, who made an effort to please all the others, and submitted himself to them!!!

This obviously means that he denied himself indescribably and that he humbled himself to that same extent!!! When we by God’s great grace believe this and love it, and faithfully follow in these steps, we achieve this otherwise unbelievable or impossible goal of becoming one as the Father and the Son are one. Then all strife and disunity cease so that fellowship among us is perfected, irrespective of what all the others think and believe about it.

Other people’s unbelief is not stronger than our faith. On the contrary! Their unbelief makes it impossible for this divine work to occur in them, but not in those who believe.

What an extremely glorious masterwork God can accomplish in such “impossible people,” which all of us have been!

The Lord be highly praised for time and eternity!