The Difficult Sacrifice of Like-Mindedness

There are few things that all people across the political and social spectrum can agree on. But these days, we all agree that we cannot agree. We all suffer from ‘outrage fatigue’ and the divisions in our world seem more immovable than ever before. Civil discourse is neither civil nor discourse.

Agreement in the Church?

It seems that even in the church we can lose the ability to speak to each other in ways that promote unity. Of course, disunity and discontentment are not new in the church. In the first century, Paul wrote to the church in the city of Corinth, saying, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree” (1 Cor 1.10). Talk about radical! Paul thought that agreement in the church was possible. He thought Christians could be ‘like-minded.’ I guess he hadn’t seen too many Baptist business meetings or Presbyterian policy committees.

Or had he? Paul knew that sinners have problems trying to do anything together. But he could call the Corinthians to something better, namely, “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (v.10). At least we can agree (!) with that sentiment. It would be great if there were ‘no divisions’ in the church.

A Key Aspiration

But there is a key here that we cannot miss. It is this aspiration that Paul calls us to. It is to be “united in the same mind and the same judgement.” For all our laments about divisions, outrage, tribes, and factions, few of us are serious about being ‘united’ with others in these ways. We are not serious about it because it is not easy to do. In fact, it requires sacrifice.

Every Change is a Sacrifice

To be united means we must relinquish certain priorities and limit them to secondaries. To be united means we must elevate to higher significance specific things that have not been important to us. We must change for the sake of unity. And every change is a small, but intentional death for a higher purpose. Every change is a sacrifice.

Christians ought to possess the same mind and the same judgement; we need to be prepared to offer our lives to Christ as living sacrifices (Rom 12.1). That means sacrificing our preferences and priorities, as well as our non-priorities and abdications. We will have to sacrifice things that are cherished opinions and sacrifice other things that are habitual responses.

A Captivating Contrast

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see churches that are consciously self-sacrificing in their pursuit of like-mindedness? Wouldn’t the combination of humility and resolve in that type of unity present a captivating contrast to the wider culture?

I think it would. But the only way this captivating contrast is possible, is through Jesus Christ. As Christians seek their identity in the person and work of Jesus, God the Son, they will sacrifice all other competing identities in favour of that union with him. Christians can be united, both with Christ and with each other.

Like-mindedness is possible. So let us be eager to pursue this unity-- even sacrificing ourselves for it.