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Apostle Paul explains the true meaning of unity in this text. Unity means that there is a single purpose and direction for all concerned, working towards one goal. The end result of unity is harmony with and among all individuals in a group.

If we step back a little, we will find that to reach the final goal of unity there are many things that have to be in place. In our faith we believe that there is one God who is the Creator of all the things we see in Creation. This gives us a single starting point to work from. We will also see, in faith, that God has provided for all mankind the opportunity and the means to hear and understand the reward that is available to receive salvation and everlasting life with Him in His Kingdom. That should be our ultimate united goal.

There are a number of steps and goals to reach along our journey in this life, and we must realise that our life is indeed a journey with many obstacles to overcome. Individually we should not allow our shortcomings to cause us to lose sight of our goal. If we look around us, we will see many of our family and friends who are on the same journey and, as with all things through life, difficulty can be overcome if we support and encourage each other in tough times. Firstly, however, we look to God. As the Creator, He has power and control over all His Creation including us.

We are encouraged to put off the earthly ways of the ‘Old man’, Colossians 2: 5-11 “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” We then need to put on the ‘New man’, Colossians 2:12-17 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ”, full of the spiritual gifts and understanding shown to us by Christ through His teaching.

Unity with God, unity with Christ, unity with the Holy Spirit and through that, a unified body of people as the children of God, prepared to rejoice at the return of Christ to claim His Bride