Exhortations to a Church: Be United

We live in a society in which there is growing division—in families, political factions, and institutions, including churches. Division is the air we breathe and, if we are not on guard, is a vice that can destroy churches. As people wonder where they can find unity, the Bible reminds us that, for Christians, true unity is found in Christ alone. Romans 12:9–13 outlines three fundamental principles for maintaining unity in the church: love one another, strive together, and care sacrificially for each other.

Paul begins his argument in Romans with the foundational truth of justification by faith. Romans 3:23–24 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Whether Jew or Gentile, believers are justified by faith alone. This sets the stage for unity—one body, many members, all in Christ (Romans 12:5).

Paul’s appeal for unity is not based on human effort or shared background but on our common identity in Christ. Christian unity isn’t superficial but deeply rooted in justification and transformation through the gospel. Without Christ, unity is artificial; with Christ, it is genuine and powerful.

Paul exhorts: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour” (Romans 12:9–10). Love, says Paul, must be sincere, not hypocritical. This means hating what is evil and clinging to what is good.

It is helpful to understand the historical context in which Paul wrote. The church in Rome was a blend of Jew and Gentile, two groups with long-standing tensions. Jews viewed Gentiles as unclean, while Gentiles looked down on Jewish customs. Paul calls these historically divided groups to love one another like family: with brotherly affection.

This kind of love isn’t theoretical. It is familial, natural, and enduring. Paul is echoing the love a mother has for her child (Isaiah 49:15), reminding believers that we are now one family in Christ. Loving one another isn’t optional—it is a debt we owe: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8).

Furthermore, Paul challenges believers to “outdo one another in showing honour.” Human nature desires to be honoured and respected, but Paul flips this attitude. Don’t wait to receive love or respect—take the lead in giving it. A Christlike church is full of people racing to serve, not to be served.

Unity also requires active participation and shared perseverance. Paul says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (vv. 11–12). He calls every believer to be actively engaged in serving the Lord and serving others with enthusiasm and consistency.

To be “fervent in spirit” (v.11) is to burn with zeal. Christians are not called to be passive spectators but active servants. This zeal is especially vital in difficult times. Rome was a dangerous place for Christians. Their refusal to offer incense to the emperor branded them as disloyal and invited persecution. Paul encourages patience in tribulation and steadfastness in prayer.

Hope is the anchor for Christian perseverance. Hebrews 6:19 calls it “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” Because of Christ’s resurrection and promises, believers can endure, suffering with joy. We do not serve God to earn his favour, but because we already belong to him.

Crucially, Paul links this striving together to prayer. The church doesn’t draw strength from itself but from Christ. As Jesus prayed for Peter when Satan sought to sift him like wheat (Luke 22:31–32), we must pray for one another. Prayer is not a last resort; it is our lifeline. Charles Spurgeon said, “No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me.” Unity is forged and sustained on our knees.

Paul’s final exhortation in this section is deeply practical: “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (v. 13). Spiritual unity must result in tangible care. Paul is not merely promoting charity—he’s advocating for sacrificial generosity.

At the time of writing, Paul was preparing to deliver an offering from Macedonia and Achaia to suffering believers in Jerusalem (see 2 Corinthians 8:1–4). The Macedonian churches, despite their poverty, gave beyond their means, even begging Paul for the privilege to help. Inspired by their example, Paul urges the Roman church to do the same.

Paul doesn’t simply say “show hospitality,” but “seek to show hospitality.” He wanted them to look for opportunities to show hospitality. True hospitality isn’t limited to convenient opportunities—it’s intentional and pursued. In the early church, this meant housing travelling believers, many of whom were strangers. Today, it means opening our hearts and homes to those in need, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.

One second-century Roman observer remarked of Christians, “They love one another. If they see a stranger, they take him into their homes and rejoice over him as a true brother.” This is Christian unity in action—visible, sacrificial, and radical.

All these exhortations—love, zeal, service, hope, patience, generosity—are possible only through Christ. Without him, attempts at unity fall flat. As one writer observed, “Unity without the gospel is a worthless unity—it is the very unity of hell.” But in Christ, we are reconciled to God and to one another. As John urged, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:11–12).

To remain united as the church, we must love genuinely, strive together fervently, and care sacrificially. This is not merely a moral ideal but a gospel imperative. In Christ, we are one body. Let us walk in a unity that displays his love to the world.

This article is based on a sermon preached in early 2022 to the core group that Living Hope Church would send out to plant Pretoria West Bible Church.