Many Reflections, One Christ

"I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord." Philippians 6:2

The Apostle Paul does not ask that these women agree. He asks that they be of the same mind in the Lord. In the things of this world, single-mindedness is not attainable and would be dreadfully dull. A Euodias and a Syntyche can have different opinions on art, culture, cuisine, or politics. (Gasp!) 

One may prefer Raphael to Angelo, or Bach to Brahms. 

One may prefer the gentle breeze, the other the bold storm. 

The valley's beauty may rivet the one, 

as the mountaintop's glory captures the other. 

Both are beautiful. 

But in spiritual things, there’s no wiggle room. There is one Person on whom there must be absolute unity: Jesus Christ. In Him, the tender and the bold meet. The valleys depth meet the mountain's height. All distinctions find singularity in Him. 

Peter's fire and John's gentleness, 

Mary's mysticism, and Martha's practically, 

Paul's complexity and John's simplicity—they all meet in Christ. 

No one can make a congregation of the "same mind in the Lord," but Jesus.

In other words, the sun has one light but many reflections. The river, the lake, the creek, the ocean; the same light dances on each differently. Granted, we may argue which reflection's best. But when we raise our eyes to heaven, they all meet in one. His Light is the union of them all—the river, the brook, the sea, the valley, and the mountain. There is, after all, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. 

May the Spirit unite our little systems. 

May they cease to be. 

Not by obliteration but by incorporation. 

May they fade, not into darkness, but into united Light in Christ. 

May He take away all separating pride. 

May He remove from us, "I am of Apollos, I am of Paul, I am of Cephas, I am of Christ."

"Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor 1:12) No.

Psalm 36 says, "In thy light, we shall see light." (v.9) 

That Light, Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Heb. 13:8)

We shall all be of the same mind when we look to Him.¹

1. See, The Cross: A Call to the Fundamentals of Religion - by Bishop J.C. Ryle