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Unity in Redemption
All humanity is related through our common ancestry (Acts 17:26). We’re related, too, through the love that God has for all of us. Everyone may be redeemed by Christ’s precious blood, because God wants no one to be lost (2 Pet. 3:9).
The Bible is clear that through redemption in Jesus, all barriers between us should be brought down, because we are the same before the Lord: sinners in need of God’s grace.
How does Paul describe the people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus? Eph. 4:1–16. What does this mean in terms of how we should relate to one another?
No one hates his or her own body (Eph. 5:29, 30). All parts of the body interact to function effectively. If one part of the body suffers, all functions are affected. The closer we are to others, the more readily and powerfully we feel the impact of their problems.
When we interact socially and helpfully with others, it improves health. Two hundred and seventy-six healthy volunteers were exposed to the common cold virus. The effect of a variety of interpersonal relationships was explored. Those reporting the fewest types of relationships had more than four times the risk of developing a cold than those reporting greater numbers of relationships. These differences were not explicable by factors such as immunity, smoking, exercise, amount of sleep, alcohol intake, and so forth. It was shown that the diversity of relationships was more important than the total number of people with whom the individuals interacted. Mutually supportive, diverse relationships increased resistance to infection, at least according to this study.
All this points to what we have been talking about all this quarter: our emotional, mental, and spiritual health can have a powerful impact on our physical health. Central to our emotional and spiritual health are the kinds of interpersonal relationships we share with others.
Sure, there are times when most everyone wants to be alone, but that is not the same as being part of a larger community that can act as a support group, especially in times of need.
How can you better involve yourself in the life of your church community? How much death to self will it take to be more involved? What gifts do you have that can benefit others?
| TUESDAY | June 22 |
All humanity is related through our common ancestry (Acts 17:26). We’re related, too, through the love that God has for all of us. Everyone may be redeemed by Christ’s precious blood, because God wants no one to be lost (2 Pet. 3:9).
The Bible is clear that through redemption in Jesus, all barriers between us should be brought down, because we are the same before the Lord: sinners in need of God’s grace.
How does Paul describe the people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus? Eph. 4:1–16. What does this mean in terms of how we should relate to one another?
No one hates his or her own body (Eph. 5:29, 30). All parts of the body interact to function effectively. If one part of the body suffers, all functions are affected. The closer we are to others, the more readily and powerfully we feel the impact of their problems.
When we interact socially and helpfully with others, it improves health. Two hundred and seventy-six healthy volunteers were exposed to the common cold virus. The effect of a variety of interpersonal relationships was explored. Those reporting the fewest types of relationships had more than four times the risk of developing a cold than those reporting greater numbers of relationships. These differences were not explicable by factors such as immunity, smoking, exercise, amount of sleep, alcohol intake, and so forth. It was shown that the diversity of relationships was more important than the total number of people with whom the individuals interacted. Mutually supportive, diverse relationships increased resistance to infection, at least according to this study.
All this points to what we have been talking about all this quarter: our emotional, mental, and spiritual health can have a powerful impact on our physical health. Central to our emotional and spiritual health are the kinds of interpersonal relationships we share with others.
Sure, there are times when most everyone wants to be alone, but that is not the same as being part of a larger community that can act as a support group, especially in times of need.
How can you better involve yourself in the life of your church community? How much death to self will it take to be more involved? What gifts do you have that can benefit others?
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