The Ultimate Purpose

With one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:6

Sporting events give rise to crowds cheering for their favorite team – sometimes with shouts of encouragement and sometimes with voices of discontent or dissatisfaction. Demonstrators can have voices that are strident and sometimes their malicious verbiage may have damaging results. A musical concert may feature a group that sings in multiple harmonies seemingly with one voice. The instances of encouragement or harmony are generally more pleasing.

God is pleased with those who seek the transforming power that comes with accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives. There is a unity with other like-minded people that comes through Christ being the center of your life. Like-mindedness is a gift from God and develops as believers internalize and confess the truths of God.

In his commentary on Romans 15, John MacArthur lays out six spiritual characteristics from the first six verses that should lead the Christian believer to please the Lord and become more unified with others in thought and deed. They include 1) having regard for others, bearing up those who are weak, 2) promoting the good of others, thinking less of self 3) being willing to please God even in trials, 4) submitting to the words of Scripture, encouraged to persevere because of the hope that is in Christ, 5) depending on His divine power, and, lastly, 6) giving glory to God – the ultimate purpose of Christian unity.

Let Christ’s example of selflessness and unending love for the Father and for the lost humble you today. Be bold as you serve Him by serving others. Then pray that like-minded people in this nation will rise up and glorify God with one voice.