Is Your Faith Homogenous or Heterogeneous?

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one" - John 17:20-22

Do you remember the definition of homogeneous and heterogeneous?  Simply.  Homogeneous is the same. Heterogeneous is different.  When Jesus was praying to the Father about His disciples and future Believers - Christians - being One it meant although they were distinctly different - like the Father and the Son - they were One. Although we are distinctly different - we should be One.

What makes us different? Well things like, our ethnicity, our culture, our language, our citizenship or nationality, our musical preferences, economics, geography, our age, our worship preferences, the translation of the Bible we abide by. These are all things natural - common to every human being.

So, what makes us the same in spite of those differences? Our faith, our citizenship in heaven, being born again and adopted as children of our heavenly Father, the Spirit of God who dwells in us, our eternal destiny.

The question is what is it that defines how we engage the world and other Christians? Our differences or our commonality? All too often our differences, the natural, are what keeps us from embracing one another in our oneness. Someone one said that the most segregated hour in the week is Sunday morning worship. How we congregate inside the church is not the measure of our oneness. It is how we live our lives outside of the church building that is the true testimony of our faith. Are we willing to cross the road to help a person in need - even if they are not like us. Like the good Samaritan. That what a disciple of Jesus would and will do. 

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:34-35

There is it. The world will know we are Jesus' followers by the love we have for one another, in spite of our differences. In the world, differences separate - segregate - isolate people and people groups. Our faith overcomes all of those obstacles or should. Very often Christians let their natural differences make being one with other Christians who are naturally different the reason they are not one. Sending a very different message to a lost and dying world.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone