Many Christians have heard about fights and schisms over petty issues in the church. People get upset over decisions about carpet color and music styles in the church.
However, as Thom Rainer notes in the article “25 Things Church Members Argue About,” these arguments and schisms are “all distractions from what we should be doing in our churches. In that sense, they are really great distractions from the Great Commission.”
Unity is important in the body of Christ because of this tendency to fight and quarrel. Since we are all one in Christ, a part of His church, then we should seek to get along.
When we live together in unity with other believers, we demonstrate the power of the gospel and live in a way that pleases the Lord. As Psalm 133 teaches us, it is pleasant for believers to live in harmony.
Background of Psalm 133
Psalm 133 is a short psalm in the category of pilgrim psalms, also known as a song of ascents. Pilgrim psalms were sung when the Jewish people traveled to Jerusalem for the seven festivals God commanded the Israelites to observe (Leviticus 23:4-44).
As the Jewish people or “pilgrims” traveled, they would sing the songs of ascents. Many of these psalms have themes of worshiping together as a nation.
Because Psalm 133 is a pilgrim song, it makes sense that David would emphasize unity. As the first verse in the Psalm reads, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).
The Israelites were reminded to seek peace and unity when worshiping God. He appreciates when His followers seek to live in unity with one another. An attitude of unity was especially needed when Israel worshiped God together as a nation… (More at christianity.com)
Author Sophia Bricker is a freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on biblical and theological topics. In addition to contributing articles about biblical questions as a contract writer, she has also written for Unlocked devotional. She holds a BA in Ministry, a MA in Ministry, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing to develop her writing craft. As someone who is passionate about the Bible and faith in Jesus, her mission is to help others learn about Christ and glorify Him in her writing. When she isn’t busy studying or writing, Sophia enjoys spending time with family, reading, drawing, and gardening.