Unity in Diversity

We serve a Triune God. Three in one. The essence of Unity in Diversity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — same Almighty God, yet uniquely different.

This past Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Dr. Joe Green continued his sermon series on unity as he contrasted the story of the Tower of Babel found in Genesis 11 with the story of Pentecost found in Acts 2.

In both stories, unity was being sought.

In Genesis, they were seeking a prideful unity that resulted in disobedience to God and was fueled by wanting to control unity by their own means. They had one language, but instead of trusting God with their unity, they wanted to “make a name from themselves.” The result: God confused their language and scattered them.

In Acts 2:1-8, this is what we read, “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”

The Acts account of unity is still unity in diversity, but it’s God ordained, given by the Father, sealed by the Son, manifested by the Holy Spirit. The people were all together in one place, but this time, they did not try to control the unity. They trusted God’s plan that was ushered in by a mighty rushing wind. Just like in Genesis, they began to speak in other languages. This time, however, it did not confuse or divide them, it brought them together and unified them. Verse 5 tells us that devout men from every nation under heaven heard it and came together because of it. They were amazed and astonished because each one was hearing his own language.

Unity in Diversity.

What may seem chaotic or counter cultural, when initiated by God the Father, propitiated by Jesus the Son, and facilitated by the Holy Spirit, will bring about Unity that truly unifies and no longer divides.

Unity in Diversity.

Only in Him can we be truly unified, because only through Him can we be truly sanctified. Unity without the Triune God falls short. We can never reach His standard by our own efforts. That’s why He came to us — to dwell with us, to die for us, to live in us — so that we can now live for Him.

Unity in Diversity.

If we want to unify, we must deny ourselves. Our part is surrender — giving up what we want in order to pursue what He wants.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 6:10

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” ~ Matthew 6:33

He is the only one who can restore that which was lost. And he not only restores, He makes it better than before!

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” ~ Matthew 10:39

Unity in Diversity.

And in the end, He will do it again. All tribes and tongues come together as one.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...” Revelation 7:9

Unity in Diversity. The way God intended it to be. All for His Glory.