Walking in the TruthSample

The truth unites the worldwide church

Believers of all ages and from all places together form the body of Christ. They are one while being “from every tribe and language and people and nation”. Christians are not united by their language, their skin color, or their hobbies. These can vary widely, and that's fine. Believers don’t have all the same spiritual gifts either; God intentionally made them diverse and complementary. But there is something that binds them together, namely the truth that abides in them and will be with them forever.

The apostle John, who portrays himself as “the elder”, writes to “the elect lady and her children”, which probably is a pseudonym for a local church. We don’t know which church this was, but actually, that’s not important. The loving relationship between John and his addressees is not based on personal preferences or shared experiences, but on them knowing and believing and living the same truth about God and His Kingdom. This is the foundation on which they build their lives, like living stones built up as a spiritual temple.

Do you experience this unity with other believers?