What Unites Us Is Different from What Unites the Rest

Adherents of almost all beliefs and religions speak about unity, but in practice that unity ends up either in disintegration, with destructive fall-out among its own members, or it ends up in a long-lasting and constructive relationship.

All those beliefs that promote the theory of evolution and also the religion of Islam speak about an ultimate global unity, but all believe that they cannot reach unity unless their group strive against other groups and prevails over them.

All other beliefs that see the solution in the power of man and crown him as a god believe that they will reach unity by empowering individualism and self-centeredness, whereas self-centeredness is the major obstacle to unity.

There can be no hope of unification among individuals, groups or people or nations for a long-lasting relationship unless they are under a head whose belief is designed to unite people together from the beginning to the end. He combats the threat of conflict among them but establishes them in a path where they are able to unite their hearts, minds, feelings, plans, purposes and acts in such a way as if they belong to one another as the members of a healthy body. He not only unites them in all conduct of life but strengthens their zeal to love one another as their own body and further become the voice of this unity to others. This amazing unity is taught in the Gospel of Jesus Christ only:

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 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. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:2-5, ESV)

People need to follow Jesus Christ who is able to take the human race as a whole, bring people together from various national backgrounds, renew their minds and hearts so that they can walk together delightfully in His Path. Life which ensues from the message of the gospel practically and consistently nurtures unity despite differences in cultures, habits and laws. Cultural and habitual differences naturally force people into alienation and dominance. However a true belief enlarges people’s understanding of and commitment to taking personal responsibility for establishing unity. It enriches cultures so that people can unite their whole strength, wills, practices, cares and judgments together for following the best role model and thereby protect themselves from the forces of alienation.

In a truly unified group, people do not reject each other, but have unceasing peace which enables advancement in every aspect of life. This is because in peace the advancement of one also represents the advancement and benefit of others. There is no sense of competitiveness or personal gain at the expense of others.

The greatness of Jesus Christ is seen in His ability to establish such a unity among people of all colors, races, nationalities and ranks. For this unique task He deserves to be the commander in all things and among all nations and generations. The Prophet Isaiah defines the role of Jesus Christ very well:

…. the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There is no end of the increase of His government and peace …. (Read Isaiah 9:6-7, MKJV)

Because He is the Prince of Peace, there is no end of His unity, and because He has the heart of an everlasting and loving Father, He does not allow war and hostility to run the lives of His followers. That’s why nothing is more important than the love and harmony in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel says:

Through Him having made peace through the blood of His cross, it pleased the Father to reconcile all things to Himself through Him, whether the things on earth or the things in Heaven. (Colossians 1:20, MKJV)

By virtue of the reconciliation through Jesus Christ, we are established for eternal unity and peace. Our friendship in Christ is not divided but perfect to the extent that not only do we share the joy of reconciliation here on earth but also hereafter.

We, as the followers of Christ, are called to be the messengers of this unity to the world. Let us exercise our role in this New Year faithfully, embrace His plan for unity with the full purpose of our hearts and thereby prove to others by our lives that He is the only One to unite people in eternal truth, love and peace. The practice of our unity on earth will make the unity plan of Jesus Christ relevant to all nations and will pave the way for us all for an amazing song of unity in the future (Revelation 7:9-12).

Jesus Came to Reconcile the World to God

Two persons or parties cannot truly unite with one another if they are not of the same mind and heart. Also a true unity does not take place unless priority is given to the values that guarantee a long-lasting relationship. Unity with God also is not exempt from this principle. It is impossible for a person who is spiritually chained to the kingdom of sin, to unite with God, who is absolutely against sin by nature, unless that person allows his/her spiritual citizenship to become godly. This is what the true meaning and mission of Christmas should be since it is predominantly regarded as a season of celebration for the Birth of Jesus Christ. The revelation of Jesus Christ is to release people from the kingdom of Satan and establish them in the Kingdom of God. When we understand the way this transition takes place and when we allow this Redeemer to unite us with God, then we are with God and part of His community and plan, as the Gospel says:

But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name. (John 1:12, MKJV)

Those who receive Christ and allow Him to set their minds and hearts in heaven are enabled to grasp the true meaning of Christmas, the Birth of Christ. This is because they have accepted the revelation of God in Christ and are thereby honored by God who declares them members of His own kingdom and household; His co-workers and children. (Ephesians 2) They now carry the citizenship of God’s Kingdom with God’s extraordinary reverence and have the right to be the spokesmen and women of God. They are authorized to represent God as His ambassadors and reveal His Kingdom values to those who do not know Him and haven’t received Him yet.

Therefore, the object of Christmas, in its true meaning, is to reveal that God stepped into life on earth in order to carry out His plan for long-lasting reconciliation and unity. Man’s mind and heart function conditionally and as a result produce conditional and relative reconciliation which can be breached anytime conditions necessitate. But God’s mind and heart are based on unconditional love which makes the harmony enduring from the beginning to the end. 

The unconditional love of God is His greatest Christmas gift to humanity. It is the greatest because while people were in bondage to Satan, God’s enemy, and did not deserve His love and forgiveness, He took a sacrificial step, paid an astonishing price in order to redeem people from the bondage of Satan and reconcile them to Himself. As the Gospel says:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

With this sacrifice, God gives His eternal love and compassion as free gifts to His own enemies (Romans 5:8) in order to open their eyes to the truth, redeem them from spiritual death and hopelessness and establish them in eternal life, peace and joy. Through this sacrificial initiative, God also reveals the doctrinal differences between His concept and the worldly concepts so that people can understand the object of His revelation in Jesus Christ and avoid blind obedience. As the Gospel says:

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32, MKJV)

No matter who started the Christmas celebration, whether or not they were authorized by God to start such a celebration for the Birth of Christ or whether the day of Christmas matches the actual Birthday of Jesus Christ or not, the majority have accepted that Christmas is about the Birth of Jesus Christ. If this is the case now, it then should be a time of receiving and representing Jesus Christ and a season of experiencing the eternal joy of reconciliation with God.

God is not against people’s gifts to one another and their generosity towards needy people at Christmas time. But more than anything else, He loves the true message of Christmas being revealed to people through our gifts and through every other thing we do. For this reason, we need to allow our presents and happiness to function inside the frame-work of God’s plan for the salvation of the world. 

God revealed Himself in Jesus Christ to change us so that we can adapt ourselves to His way of life in order to have enduring peace in ourselves, in our relationships with one another and with God. God did not give His only begotten Son for the sake of our worldly and short-lived pleasures. The world’s pleasure is a self or a group oriented pleasure which can become the cause of misery for many. Aren’t thousands of wandering refugees in the Middle East the result of a self-oriented pleasure and preference? God’s pleasure is different from this worldly pleasure. Worldly pleasure is without Christ, alienated from the heart of God and does not focus on the purposes of life. This is because it is not from God and therefore cannot be the object of true life. God’s pleasure instead is to save and shield people from extremists and to give purpose to their lives. God is like the shepherd who attends his flocks sacrificially and delights in them. God rejoices over preparing His followers to become like Him and be blessings to one another.

Let us therefore please the heart of our God and practically prove to people that Christmas is about the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. He revealed Himself in Jesus to give us a heavenly identity so that we could put Jesus at the center of our lives and make His expectations our priorities. He expects us to be functional with our new heavenly identity on earth and proclaim to our children, grandchildren, surroundings and to the world that His Birth declares the everlasting love of the God of the universe to His creatures so that they can have long-lasting fellowship with God, rejoice in peace and unity with Him and one another eternally.