*Unity in the body of Christ*

*Unity* is being together or to be joined together. It's the opposite of being divided. This is a word for togetherness or oneness. unity does not mean conformity. The world wants us to be all the same. We should all have the same body type, the same skin, the same education, the same type of clothes, etc. However, in the church (and the world for that matter) God made everybody different with different roles, and these differences make the body of Christ beautiful. The eye needs the hand, and the hand needs the feet. We give honor to the hidden parts like the heart and liver (1 Cor 12:23 ). Unity does not mean that everybody is the same but that we honor our differences and work together despite our differences. Jesus prayed that we might be one John 17: 21-22 *That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. [22] And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:* We are many members of the same body
Romans 12:4-8 KJV
*For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: [5] So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. [6] Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; [7] Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; [8] Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness* We are all one in Christ Jesus 1 Cor 12:13 KJV
*For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit* So why do we have so many differences today, why are we not united, what are the factors causing divisions? These are things that we are going to discuss. We all know the things causing division in the Church today include:-Tribalism, Positions, Class,
Pride, Nepotism, Denominationalism, Miss Understanding and Lack of understanding God's vision, Unforgiven spirit, Not encountering Christ personally, Poor leadership/ followership, Differences in Spiritual gifts, and Spiritual understanding can courses disagreement some times, carnality, Lack of trust, love, etc James 4:1-4 says
*What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it because there is a whole army of evil desires within you? You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies—the evil pleasures of this world—makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God* Lack of unity limit God's move in our lifes. It's provides a limitation to the unlimitable Holy Spirit. Now that we know the factors behind disunity what should we Christians do to be united. Firstly we must Love one another for God is love.
Change begin with an individual I hope You know until someone is united to himself he can't be united with another man, have you ever seen someone sitting inside church with his body but his mindand spirit are somewhere. Until our body, soul and spirit are in tandem it can't be possible to walk in unity with another person, what am saying is unity within comes before unity without
How can one sustain or have that unity within? Romans 12:1-2
*And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you* Romans 8:14
*For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God*
Psalm 119:11
*I have thought much about your words and stored them in my heart so that they would hold me back from sin* Looking at the Christianity most christians preach by lifestyle, can we say Holy living is one of the most difficult to live? It's clear Sir the unity we are thinking begins with individual, With grace it becomes easier Grace makes Holiness possible. Only grace. By renewal of mind through offering your body as a living sacrifice. If we carry the presence of God in us _At All times_ then it's easier

the body of Christ is ever united Spiritually but not among us physically. Do you people know that if Christians were united as one by now almost all the nations of the earth would have been Christians nations? Is only the love of God that can help us to be truly united, we only hate, keep malice, abuse, etc because we still have an unrenewed mind. Though as a young believers we struggle with some things but we don't sit on them and rejoice, we hate them , we fight and overcome them. If we love one another, that means we know God, and as children of God we will always strife to be united against all odd.
When we have the love of Christ in us we can do all things, unrenewed mind disunited person and a disunited person bring about disunited Church, to be renew we need to offer our body a living sacrifice to God and not conform to world pattern, we have to be united because the world will know we are Jesus disciples and it's Jesus desire and prayer for us to be united.

BENEFITS OF UNITY IN BODY OF CHRIST.
One basic thing that disrupt the unity in the Body of Christ is sin.
We discussed two major types of unity; which are unity within and unity without. We shall discuss the benefits into this perspective.
Benefits of the unity within (between you and the Holy Spirit)
1. Unlimited access into God's knowledge: John 14:25-36.
2. It Reveal to us The Father: John 16:12-14.
3. Victory over sin: Gal 5:16-25
Benefits of Unity without (between us and others)
Acts Chapter 2.
1. Move of the Holy Spirit : vs 2
2. Manifestation of divers of gifts: vs17
3. Signs and wonders: vs 19
4. Salvation of souls: vs 21.
And many more other benefits as God will help us discuss. Amen. Unity without can only come when we are United within. One of the benefit is we can do all things

Do you all remember the story of the *Tower of Babel* when God look at how ppl were united. God said in Genesis 11:6
*And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do* see nothing Will be impossible to us if we were united, but our unity should not be that of rebellion. The bible says if one member suffers all the members suffers with it , if one member is honoured all the members rejoice with it, unity in the body of Christ help to build the body of Christ Eph 4:11-13. when we were United ,we will be able to fight the enemies that are against the body of Christ, It help us to enjoy our fellowship with God, It also help us to be victorious over sin and temptations.
One of the Reason why people don't pray is because there is no unity with God and men. Can you fellowship with someone you don't agree? If we are holding grudges, we need to settle the issue first Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
_Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him. If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break_ Being united with Christ will help us to follow his footsteps, I.e not to compromise our standard as believers.
In the body of Christ there should be no competition, there is serious competition this days and it's certainly not God. Unity help us to do away with tribalism, position, status, pride, denominationalism etc in the body of Christ and make us all equal... Romans 12.4-8 says  
_for as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness_ There will be salvation of many souls, because there will be unity in evangelism. John 13:35
_If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples_ It makes us to love one another sincerely without pretense, and when we are united in prayers we will get fast results. Can two walk together? except they agree Amos 3:3, when there is unity it means there is agreement and when there is agreement there will be a great explore in God's kingdom. There will be Massive outbreak of sign and wonders. When we are united, there will be an outpouring of the presence of God. When we are in unity, whatever is our goal we shall achieve it. The advantages of unity in the body of Christ is to support one another. The church in Nigeria is not winning the war or is winning slowly because we the body of Christ are not united. How many believe that the church is capable of producing a righteous president if we are united. Unity will make us see one another as members of one big family and that will cause true growth in the church. If we step back and see that Christ is the head of the body. If there is unity, sectionalism will not be heard in the body of Christ. Do you know why Muslim are ruling? and will continue if care is not taking? Let us look at other religions, what make them have the power and right today is because they are United as one whether they are from kano, kastina or sokoto, they see themselves as one, that's what we need as the body of Christ. Let's all go back and make amends. What a shame to the church, and to anyone holding grudge Settle every long grudge or quarrel. Let's all go back and unite our families, schools and work place. Do you see what is happening now on social media how we condemned each other. The earlier we know this the better for us and the Church. Together we shall overcome God helping us. Today Great men of God attacked each other, shame to the Church. heaven weep when the family is divided

Psalm 133:1-2
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! [2] It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Living together in unity is good for us

MORAL CONDUCT To your Creator - Devotion To your Parent - Obedient To your Leader - Co-operation To your Senior - Respect To your Junior - Good example To your Spouse - Love To your Employer - Hard work To your Friends - Sincerity To your College - Regards To your Opponent - Tolerance To your Customers - Politeness To the Stranger - Hospitality To your Child - Discipline To your Enemy - Forgiveness To the Needy - Charity To the Ignorant - Knowledge To your Self - Commitment To the work of God - Heart of service To Everybody - kindness.