Purpose

Sacrifice

Unity

There are three things that carry power. Purpose is in the Father category. The Father had a purpose to redeem humanity, bringing us into relationship and fellowship with Him. With this purpose there had to be sacrifice, in order to achieve the purpose. Sending His Son to die a human death brought about the Father’s desired result of unifying the spirits of human beings with His Spirit. This unity flows through the rest of those who embrace this truth and relationship, otherwise known as the Church.

There can be no unity without sacrifice. No one can or will sacrifice without a purpose, a reason for that sacrifice.

In leadership, one finds many people who desire unity and agreement. 'Politics' rises and falls based on the desire to bring people together with unifying ideas or purposes. But there will be no unity without the willingness of the people to sacrifice in meaningful ways to obtain those goals. If the goals are not compelling enough to warrant the sacrifice that is being required, people will withdraw their resources and there will be no unity. When, however, the goal is compelling indeed, being clearly understood and embraced by the hearers, sacrifice is increased and unity results. As Dr. E.L. Cole stated, “Agreement is the place of power.”

Jesus said that the world would know us by the love we have for one another in the Church. The greatest witnessing tool we have to a lost and self-destructing world is our ability to live in harmony and agreement, producing an atmosphere of power and restoration for their healing. Without it, we become a mere political community, driven by human ideologies or ‘peer-pressure’.

As Christians, our purpose on the earth is made clear. We must expand the Kingdom of God in the realm of the souls of people throughout the world. This purpose requires sacrifice. It is, in essence the same sacrifice God made for us. He did not have to forgive us and free us. He did not have to sacrifice for our salvation, our freedom, but He chose to do it, in spite of our waywardness, rebellion, selfishness and pride. When we did not agree with Him, He forgave us anyway. Our purpose requires us to live in the same way, making the same decision He did, and that is to forgive others, give love that is undeserved even in the midst of gross misunderstandings, failures and sin.

The only way the Church can truly be effective in its purpose is to enter into the sacrifice of our Example, which creates true unity (not just a show of unity) but unity that allows power through the agreement of those who are willing to walk in it. Without people who are willing to be wronged, and to release the wrong against them, there can be no power, and hence, no true Church.

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)