Unity is hard, and yet it is essential to a healthy and growing church. When Jesus prayed for His disciples, just before He was betrayed and sent to the cross, He explicitly prayed for unity amongst His disciples.
In John 17 (ESV), Jesus says, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
In these verses, we see a picture of discipleship—Jesus taking the glory He has received from the Father and passing it on to His disciples, who will in turn introduce the world to God’s glory through their love and unity.
And yet, unity can be hard for people today, even believers. When we forget about what is most important, we can easily become divided over things like politics, theology, sports teams, news sources, and so much more. The ease with which our culture tends to divide creates an amazing opportunity to act as salt and light.
When, as Jesus prayed, we live in unity and love despite our differences, the world cannot help but see God’s love and work in our lives.
In this article, we will explore 24 essential Scriptures that help us understand the meaning of church unity. All verses sourced from the ESV.
The Example of Unity: God
One of the main themes of Scripture is that God is one. Although it is a mystery to us, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons, and yet They are one. Ligonier Ministries explains it this way: “The one true and living God eternally exists in three distinct yet inseparable persons.”
God created us in His own image; He designed us to be unified. Sin actively works against this, but through His work and grace, we can begin to imitate Him and live as one with other believers.
Here are a few verses that speak to the oneness of God:
Deuteronomy 6:4 — Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Malachi 2:10 — Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Ephesians 4:4-6 — There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
God’s Design: Strength in Togetherness
The Old Testament frequently speaks to the benefits of people working together, supporting each other, and loving each other well. We can help each other, hold each other accountable, and strengthen each other. Friendship and unity are good things, and they help us accomplish our goals far faster than if we worked alone.
Genesis 2:18 — Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 — Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Psalm 133:1 — Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
Proverbs 17:17 — A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Nehemiah 4:6 — So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Scriptures that Call Us to Live in Unity
The letters of the New Testament are filled with Bible verses on church unity. Paul frequently encourages and appeals to the different churches to be unified. He knew the importance of unity, and he also knew the reason we can unite.
No matter your nationality, race, gender, politics, job situation, or skillset, we can all unify around one central truth: our love for Jesus. When you worship the same God, when you love Him above all others, then none of the things that divide matter as much. Humans have always sought friendship from people who share the same interest, and as believers, our greatest interest should be Jesus Himself.
1 Corinthians 1:10 — I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
Ephesians 4:1-3 — I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Philippians 2:1-2 — So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Romans 12:4-5 — For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Romans 12:16 — Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Romans 15:5-6 — May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:28 — There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 — For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.]
Unity Through Love and Humility
One of the greatest barriers to unity is personal pride and self-righteousness. When we care too much about being right or getting our needs met, we can frequently come into conflict with others.
When we find our identity in Christ, however, we don’t need to be right to feel good about ourselves. When we trust God to provide, we do not need to ensure our interests are met, even at the cost of others. God calls us to humility and service, putting the needs of others first.
When we serve one another, we reduce conflict and help ensure everyone’s needs are met.
Proverbs 27:17 — Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
John 13:34-35 — A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
Philippians 2:3-4 — Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Colossians 3:13-14 — … bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
1 Peter 3:8 — Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
How Our Identity in Christ Shapes our Living
Our identity is a core factor in shaping our behavior. If you were an apple tree, then you would produce apples. If you are unified with Christ, then you should produce the fruits of the Spirit.
It is important to remember the order here—we do not act like a member of God’s kingdom to earn an invitation into His kingdom. Rather, God invites us into His kingdom so that we can start living like His people. He paid the price for our salvation. We cannot earn it ourselves, but we can live in the freedom He has earned for us.
Therefore, we are called to represent Him to the world. We are called to live as lights in dark places. We are called to spread the good news and invite people to be reconciled with God. We are called to do good works, for He has made us for a special purpose. We are called to encourage one another, meeting together frequently to remind ourselves of the truth and live as the family of God.
Matthew 7:16–18 – “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Peter 2:9-10 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
2 Corinthians 5:20 – “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Hebrews 10:22-25 – “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Conclusion
The church is, unfortunately, not always known for its unity and love for each other today. We believe discipleship can help–by investing in the lives of others, you can develop spiritually mature believers who prioritize Christ and love one another.
Discipleship itself provides a picture of unity: a group of believers from different walks of life comes together to achieve a common goal. The life-on-life model prioritizes authentic relationships, accountability, encouragement, and prayer for one another. As you love each other, it becomes easier to live as Christ and imitate God’s unity in a world that is desperate for peace.
Learn more about how you can train disciples in our free video series.