The Gospel of Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on May 2, 2024 at 7:57 AM by Jeff Bennett
“Peace be with you.” (John 20:19 NKJV) The Lord Jesus Christ offers peace to His disciples three times in a single passage (John 20:19-26). Before His death and resurrection, Jesus promised them peace, not the fleeting peace offered by the world—a shallow peace from easy circumstances—but a solid peace that only comes through Him. It […]
If Possible, Live at Peace with All People
Unity Insights | Posted on February 8, 2024 at 8:08 AM by Jeff Bennett
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18) Some people like to fight. No matter what we do, they won’t live at peace with us. They hate our convictions. They are alienated by our love for God. They hate our gospel and our devotion to Jesus [...]
The Hope of Our Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on January 5, 2023 at 8:17 AM by Jeff Bennett
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Revelation 21:3, NKJV) It’s difficult to find motivation for a cause that is doomed to fail. [...]
Christian Unity Glorifies God
Unity Insights | Posted on December 1, 2022 at 9:42 AM by Jeff Bennett
The ultimate aim of our unity as Christians is the glory of God. That is, to worship, honor, and exalt Him with one voice. Listen to how Paul closes his letter to the Romans: May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ [...]
Thanksgiving and Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on November 23, 2022 at 8:11 AM by Jeff Bennett
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. – Colossians 3:15 NKJV – When our faith is rooted in Christ and His grace is conforming us to His image, thanksgiving overflows in our hearts. Deep gratitude is a natural outworking of our [...]
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Unity Insights | Posted on October 6, 2022 at 8:00 AM by Jeff Bennett
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. – Matthew 5:9 – The Lord Jesus Christ begins His Sermon on the Mount by outlining the anatomy of a truly blessed soul. He defines real spiritual health. He does not speak as the world speaks, because the blessedness He offers does not [...]
One in Christ
Unity Insights | Posted on September 22, 2022 at 7:54 AM by Jeff Bennett
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28 Throughout church history we have struggled to embrace the truth of this verse. All of us are one in Christ Jesus, which means ethnicity, socioeconomic status, [...]
The Pursuit of Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on September 15, 2022 at 7:49 AM by Jeff Bennett
Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. – Romans 14:19 – Peace does not happen by accident. We must pursue the things that make for peace. Human beings naturally quarrel and manipulate to get what they want. However, it takes effort to resist our [...]
The Toll of Conflict
Unity Insights | Posted on September 8, 2022 at 8:21 AM by Jeff Bennett
But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. – Galatians 5:15 NLT Conflict takes a heavy toll on our relationships and on our churches. Every careless sentence spoken for the sake of winning an argument disrupts our fellowship with one another. Harsh words are like piranha [...]
If Possible, Live at Peace with All People
Unity Insights | Posted on July 7, 2022 at 8:16 AM by Jeff Bennett
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18) Some people like to fight. No matter what we do, they won’t live at peace with us. They hate our convictions. They are alienated by our love for God. They hate our gospel and our devotion to Jesus [...]
If Possible, Live at Peace with All People
Unity Insights | Posted on January 20, 2022 at 7:49 AM by Jeff Bennett
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18) Some people like to fight. No matter what we do, they won’t live at peace with us. They hate our convictions. They are alienated by our love for God. They hate our gospel and our devotion to Jesus [...]
Thanksgiving and Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on November 24, 2021 at 7:06 AM by Jeff Bennett
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. – Colossians 3:15 NKJV – When our faith is rooted in Christ and His grace is conforming us to His image, thanksgiving overflows in our hearts. Deep gratitude is a natural outworking of our [...]
Sharing Without Dividing
Unity Insights | Posted on November 19, 2020 at 8:43 AM by Jeff Bennett
Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. – 2 Timothy 2:23 – Beliefs about God are personal but not private. Christians are to share what we believe with nonbelievers and to talk about our faith with other believers. Yet talking about religion is notoriously divisive, so how do we share our convictions [...]
Christian Unity Glorifies God
Unity Insights | Posted on November 5, 2020 at 8:19 AM by Jeff Bennett
The ultimate aim of our unity as Christians is the glory of God. That is, to worship, honor, and exalt Him with one voice. Listen to how Paul closes his letter to the Romans: May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ [...]
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Unity Insights | Posted on September 10, 2020 at 12:22 PM by Andrew Mackay
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. – Matthew 5:9 – The Lord Jesus Christ begins His Sermon on the Mount by outlining the anatomy of a truly blessed soul. He defines real spiritual health. He does not speak as the world speaks, because the blessedness He offers does not [...]
The Pursuit of Peace
Unity Insights | Posted on August 27, 2020 at 7:49 AM by Andrew Mackay
Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. – Romans 14:19 – Peace does not happen by accident. We must pursue the things that make for peace. Human beings naturally quarrel and manipulate to get what they want. However, it takes effort to resist our [...]
One in Christ
Unity Insights | Posted on August 20, 2020 at 12:25 PM by Andrew Mackay
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28 Throughout church history we have struggled to embrace the truth of this verse. All of us are one in Christ Jesus, which means ethnicity, socioeconomic status, [...]
The Toll of Conflict
Unity Insights | Posted on August 13, 2020 at 10:59 AM by Andrew Mackay
But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. – Galatians 5:15 NLT Conflict takes a heavy toll on our relationships and on our churches. Every careless sentence spoken for the sake of winning an argument disrupts our fellowship with one another. Harsh words are like piranha [...]
The Patience of the Lord Reconciles Us
Unity Insights | Posted on July 2, 2020 at 8:43 AM by Andrew Mackay
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV) Let us be constantly thankful to the Lord for His marvelous patience toward us. If He was quick-tempered or unwilling to [...]
Reintroducing the Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry
Unity Insights | Posted on June 25, 2020 at 11:09 AM by Andrew Mackay
In case you’ve missed it, with all the hubbub of the last few months, we want to invite you to explore our website! And, since you’re here, we thought we’d take this opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to you. The Be United in Christ Outreach Ministry was created by more than fifty individuals in ten states, [...]
The Last Word
Unity Insights | Posted on May 28, 2020 at 12:40 PM by Andrew Mackay
Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out. (Proverbs 17:14 NLT) It takes courage and humility to let someone else have the last word in the midst of a disagreement. We want to get the last word in—to have the final say. We should exercise self-control and refrain [...]
The Hope of Our Unity
Unity Insights | Posted on May 21, 2020 at 11:26 AM by Andrew Mackay
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Revelation 21:3, NKJV) It’s difficult to find motivation for a cause that is doomed to fail. [...]
The Important Distinction Between Unselfishness and Love
Unity Insights | Posted on May 14, 2020 at 10:58 AM by Andrew Mackay
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 In his sermon titled the Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis observes the significant shift in the understanding of virtue during modern times. “If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the [...]