Why do we not have unity of mind and spirit?

[farouk]

On 7/22/2023 at 1:41 PM, chirpy said:

Thank you all for the encouragement.  Utopia is not going to be on this earth, we must endure and be patient.  But I do wish as Christians our life and attitudes would reflect less of the world, and as a whole, as followers of Christ, the world would see a life style in us that gives hope and envy to others.

As our lives do become more divergent from the world and we do live different from the majority... maybe we will become more united and be a positive witness and messenger of hope to others. but at the moment,  I just see us Christians as not much different in our attitudes and behavior from the world.....

and yes,  all one can do is try to stay on the path and try not to worry about the path others seem to be on.  Keep our own hearts in tune and walk as best we can. 

It does say in the latter days many will fall away, so those left will stick out like a sore thumb......   time will tell

I still think I just want to be assimilated and brought into the group mind.... is that the easy way? ... takes all the work on our part away... we just become the slave, tool of the collective brain..... oh my, I digress....

maranatha

 

Hi @chirpy We need to keep 'looking unto Jesus' (Hebrews 12.2), right?

Even in the Lord's Supper we have the Lord's coming brought before us.............(1 Cor. 11.26).

[RdJ]

Bait of satan, offense. I fell for it too. I took offense. I was full of hate, fell from my faith and came back, but you still have to do effort to forgive and bless. Love your neighbour. My neighbour whined all day that I had to shut my kids up, which is impossible and we already were outside almost all the time to not bother neighbours, but I pay rent too to live there. We live with 4 in a 1 bedroom. 3 teens now and now they're calm. I just chose to forgive, pray she gets saved, but also if I see the elevator comes from 10 I don't step in. Don't irritate me anymore because I may not get offended and I may not sin, so I stay out of the way. Once I was so fed up. I just put up a resting .. face when I saw her and didnt greet and then she was quiet for a long time and said sorry, but a few months ago she started to whine again. She has a man with money, no job, only one kid. Go live in a hut on the hey and just leave me alone.

I don't know what it is. It's always these dominant women who try to bother me. Also 2 from church. One set my ex up to divorce me. Later tried again to stab a knife in my back and I was like: you have to be kind, forgive and forget and she just did it again. I forgave her. Her mother beat her up, so I feel sorry for her, but I stay far out of the way and protect myself and my kids.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Renskedejonge

[TheBlade]

On 7/22/2023 at 7:39 AM, chirpy said:

I love the Lord, but this is an area that I just have not been able to fully understand.  As Christians, we do not have unity of mind or spirit.  We fight and chastise each other over trite issues... because some don't see things as trite.  And it's not the sprinkle or dunk baptism issue, it is  that person is so whackey I can't stand them, or I wanted to start this ministry in the church but the board said no.   It's the gossip, vitriol that takes place about the person who dresses wrong, has a sordid past, or who thinks different.   

I just keep thinking, if we are truly walking with the Spirit, why are we all still so harsh and unloving to others?

I live in a housing complex with mostly elderly and most claim to be Christians but the animosity towards others regarding lawns, car parking, noise, etc just makes me shake my head.   I see no love, compromise or unity of spirit. These people who have their bible study and pot lucks are cussing out other drivers on their way there, talking trash about other attendees and seeking harsh measures against people they don't like. 

These are not just a family, local issue, it is the same in the whole world and that is why we end up with corruption, wars, lawlessness etc.  The claim of so many to being a believer falls short because the concept of Love your Neighbors does not register with most... the idea of others being of more importance than self is not practiced nor taught.  Self is the idol of this world. 

People can not or will not put others first and I admit,  I have to constantly ask... please God, strengthen my heart and love for my neighbor so that I can love them......  it is a hard task and never fully accomplished.  I so wish once we turn our lives over to Christ, His spirit would truly take over and give us a unity of mind and love.

I suppose we were warned, many will claim to know Jesus, but He will not know them.  Maybe that was the big caveat, so many claim to love the lord, don't,  and that is why there is no unity.   But even the apostles did not see things the same and had disagreements.....

I guess I am rambling, I am just tired of people strife and wish as Christians we could be of one mind...

Maybe I really am just pro Borg... I want to be assimilated and all become of one mind.....

 

Maybe is who we put first in our life and then focus on what He wants not what we want. Christ not knowing us is about those that come out of the great tribulation. Yes some claim to know Christ.. but love believes all things. Its not how they act treat others I am no ones God. I am not here to judge them condemn them. I just focus on Him. How am I showing His love. Everything else He does. If I try to do it it will always get in His way. 

Allot of what you say is true but does not mean they do not know Christ. We all grow differently in the lord. So some are still after all these years drinking milk, weak in the faith. What good are they doing for Him.. maybe focus on that. 

[Sower]

On 7/22/2023 at 8:39 AM, chirpy said:

I just keep thinking, if we are truly walking with the Spirit, why are we all still so harsh and unloving to others?

"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen"
 

[Willa]

On 7/22/2023 at 6:39 AM, chirpy said:

I love the Lord, but this is an area that I just have not been able to fully understand.  As Christians, we do not have unity of mind or spirit.  We fight and chastise each other over trite issues... because some don't see things as trite.  And it's not the sprinkle or dunk baptism issue, it is  that person is so whackey I can't stand them, or I wanted to start this ministry in the church but the board said no.   It's the gossip, vitriol that takes place about the person who dresses wrong, has a sordid past, or who thinks different.   

I just keep thinking, if we are truly walking with the Spirit, why are we all still so harsh and unloving to others?  ---I guess I am rambling, I am just tired of people strife and wish as Christians we could be of one mind...

Usually the Lord is trying to teach me the heights and depths of God's undeserved love and forgiveness --His grace-- when I find people irritate me like this.

Eph 3:14  ESV. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  Eph 3:15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,  Eph 3:16  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  Eph 3:17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  Eph 3:18  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  Eph 3:19  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 3:20  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

God loves us even with all our petty complaints and bickering with each other.  We need His love for all His bickering kids.  Patience is a fruit of the spirit and means patient endurance in trials.  As a mom I can remember my older son complaining about his little brother and wishing he would see the good in his brother.  God must want that of us as well.  So we must see the good in the complainers as well and dwell on the good instead of their faults.  It begins with us.

[farouk]

51 minutes ago, Willa said:

Usually the Lord is trying to teach me the heights and depths of God's undeserved love and forgiveness --His grace-- when I find people irritate me like this.

Eph 3:14  ESV. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  Eph 3:15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,  Eph 3:16  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  Eph 3:17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  Eph 3:18  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  Eph 3:19  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 3:20  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

God loves us even with all our petty complaints and bickering with each other.  We need His love for all His bickering kids.  Patience is a fruit of the spirit and means patient endurance in trials.  As a mom I can remember my older son complaining about his little brother and wishing he would see the good in his brother.  God must want that of us as well.  So we must see the good in the complainers as well and dwell on the good instead of their faults.  It begins with us.

@Willa I do love Ephesians; so deep and searching............

[luigi]

On 7/22/2023 at 9:39 AM, chirpy said:

I love the Lord, but this is an area that I just have not been able to fully understand.  As Christians, we do not have unity of mind or spirit.  We fight and chastise each other over trite issues... because some don't see things as trite.  And it's not the sprinkle or dunk baptism issue, it is  that person is so whackey I can't stand them, or I wanted to start this ministry in the church but the board said no.   It's the gossip, vitriol that takes place about the person who dresses wrong, has a sordid past, or who thinks different.   

I just keep thinking, if we are truly walking with the Spirit, why are we all still so harsh and unloving to others?

I live in a housing complex with mostly elderly and most claim to be Christians but the animosity towards others regarding lawns, car parking, noise, etc just makes me shake my head.   I see no love, compromise or unity of spirit. These people who have their bible study and pot lucks are cussing out other drivers on their way there, talking trash about other attendees and seeking harsh measures against people they don't like. 

These are not just a family, local issue, it is the same in the whole world and that is why we end up with corruption, wars, lawlessness etc.  The claim of so many to being a believer falls short because the concept of Love your Neighbors does not register with most... the idea of others being of more importance than self is not practiced nor taught.  Self is the idol of this world. 

People can not or will not put others first and I admit,  I have to constantly ask... please God, strengthen my heart and love for my neighbor so that I can love them......  it is a hard task and never fully accomplished.  I so wish once we turn our lives over to Christ, His spirit would truly take over and give us a unity of mind and love.

I suppose we were warned, many will claim to know Jesus, but He will not know them.  Maybe that was the big caveat, so many claim to love the lord, don't,  and that is why there is no unity.   But even the apostles did not see things the same and had disagreements.....

I guess I am rambling, I am just tired of people strife and wish as Christians we could be of one mind...

Maybe I really am just pro Borg... I want to be assimilated and all become of one mind.....

 

I know what you mean. I believe the one mind scenario you and I wish for, comes in after the great tribulation, when the Lord gathers His people from the four corners of the earth.

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

[chirpy]

So,  back to the unity of mind and spirit thought.....   extinction vs extinction

One group of people saying they want to extinguish another group of people and complain when the group they attack claim the same goal, to extinguish the group that attacked them.

People want to eradicate Israel, but Israel is the bad guy for wanting to eradicate those who want to do the same to them.... confusing to me.

Some are making the claim -  yes, Hamas was wrong, but don't hurt them, they were just protesting their current life and blame Israel for it.

I could care less what country, religion or culture you come from.  The violation and debauchery of life is not good, it is evil and all Christians should understand that.

I understand standing ones ground, and if you attack me I will defend myself, defend family, country, etcetera.  But to mutilate, torture, profane the life of another, does not compute with me, and how some can claim another asked for it,  is not good, but evil thinking. 

I can not fathom a person who claims to love the Lord expressing excuses for any who disrespect life.   There are times when lives must be taken, but it should be done with respect and sorrow.    I actually support capital punishment.   If the penalty is known, and the person commits an act knowing the penalty is death, they made the choice to commit the act and receive the punishment.  

But debauchery, disrespecting life by mutilating, violating, torturing is by any degree a form of evil and should not be condoned or excused by any who Love the Lord.   To stamp out unrighteousness may require death, but defilement should not be tolerated.

I would guess there are many Christians who disagree.... and thus the question,  where is our unity of mind and spirit?

Maranatha!

 

 

 

[Daniel Marsh]

chirpy, I agree.   I am curious have you ever been in War while in the Military?  I have and it is not pretty or nice.