James & Tess Arendt
A. The Lord wants us to have unity:
Psa.133:1 - How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity
1Cor.1:10 - I beseech you...that there be no divisions among you, but...be perfectly joined together in the same mind
2Cor.13:11 - Be ye of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you
Phi.1:27 - Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together
B. What He thinks of dis unity:
Pro.6:16,19 - These...doth the Lord hate: (they) are an abomination unto Him: he that soweth discord among brethren
Jam.3:14,15 - But if ye have...strife in your hearts, glory not....This descendeth not from above, but is devilish
Eph.4:3 - Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit
A. Have the Word as a unifying standard:
1Cor.14:37 - Let him acknowledge that the things I write are the commandments of the Lord
Phi.3:16 - Let us walk by the same rule...mind the same thing
1Thes.2:13,14 - Ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye...became followers
B. Be agreeable and likeminded:
Rom.15:5,6 - God...grant you to be likeminded one toward another... that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God
Rom.12:16 - Be of the same mind one toward another...condescend to men of low estate
1Cor.1:10 - I beseech you...that ye all speak the same thing
Phi.2:2 - Be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind
(See also Acts 2:46; Phi.4:2.)
C. Be at peace with fellow-workers:
Rom.14:19 - Let us follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another
Col.3:15 - Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body
1Thes.5:13 - Be at peace among yourselves
D. Have love and concern for one another:
Pro.10:12 - Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins
Rom.12:10 - Be kindly affectioned with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another (See also 1Thes.2:7,8)
1Cor.12:25,26 - There should be no schism in the body; but the members should have the same care one for another
Eph.4:16 - The whole body fitly joined together...maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love
E. Be kind, gentle and courteous to one another:
Eph.4:32 - Be ye kind...tenderhearted, forgiving one another
2Tim.2:24 - Not strive...be gentle unto all men, patient
1Pet.3:8 - Be ye all of one mind, having compassion...love as brethren, be pitiful (sympathetic), be courteous
1Cor.11:33 - When ye come together to eat, tarry one for another
(See also Pro.18:24)
F. Take people where they're at:
Rom.14:1 - Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations (See also Rom.14:2-21)
G. Avoid offending people:
1Cor.10:32,33 - Give none offence, neither...to the church of God.... I please all men in all things
Pro.18:19 - Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city
H. Be careful what you say:
Pro.17:9b - He that repeateth a matter separateth very friends
2Tim.2:23 - Foolish questions avoid...they do gender strifes
Tit.3:2 - Speak evil of no man...gentle...meekness unto all men
(See also Jam.3:16,17; Eccl.5:2.)
I. Control your temper; be slow to speak:
Pro.14:29 - He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding
Pro.15:1 - A soft answer turneth away wrath
Pro.15:18 - He that is slow to anger appeaseth strife
Pro.25:8 - Go not forth hastily to strive [with thy neighbour]
Phi.2:3 - Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory
Jam.1:19 - Let every man be...slow to speak, slow to wrath
(See also Pro.3:30; 26:17.)
J. Humbly discuss disagreements with elders:
1Tim.5:1 - Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father
K. Sort out "oughts" before doing anything else:
Mat.5:23,24 - First be reconciled to thy brother, then...offer gift
Mk.11:25 - When...praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any
Jam.5:9 - Grudge not one against another, lest ye be condemned
L. Avoid being partial or playing favourites:
1Tim.5:21 - (Not) preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality (See also Jam.3:17)
Jam.2:1 - Have not the faith of Jesus...with respect of persons
M. Value peace above selfish interests:
Rom.14:19-21 - Let us follow after the things which make for peace
Rom.12:18 - As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men
(See also 1Cor.6:7; Phi.2:4.)
N. Share unselfishly with others:
Acts 4:32 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul...they had all things common
(See also 1Cor.10:33; 2Cor.8:9.)
O. Return good for evil:
Mat.5:44 - Love your enemies, bless them that curse you
Rom.12:21 - Overcome evil with good
1Thes.5:15 - See that none render evil for evil...among yourselves
P. Retaliation forbidden:
(See Lev.19:18; Pro.20:22; 24:29; Rom.12:17,19; 1Pet.3:9.)
A. Working together for a common goal:
2Ki.10:15 - Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thine heart? If it be, give me thine hand
Amos 3:3 - Can two walk [or work] together, except they be agreed?
Mat.18:19,20 - Where two or three are gathered in My name (Jesus), there am I in the midst of them
Acts 2:14 - Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
Phi.1:27 - With one mind, striving together for...the gospel
B. There is strength in unity:
Eccl.4:9,10 - Two are better than one...for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow
Eccl.4:12 - If one [a foe] prevail against him, two shall withstand [the foe], and a three-fold cord is not...broken
Judg.20:11 - The men [army] were gathered against the city, knit together as one man
1Sam.14:6,7 - Jonathan said, Let us go over. His armourbearer said, Behold, I am with thee according to thy heart
(See also Neh.4:16,17)
C. Good fruit of united outreach:
Acts 2:1,2,41 - [Believers] all with one accord in one place [were filled with the Spirit, witnessed, and 3,000 souls were saved]
A. Jesus' prayer that we be united as one:
Jn.17:11,21 - That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us
Jn.17:22,23 - That they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one
B. We should be one body, working together unitedly:
Rom.12:5 - We, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another
1Cor.12:12,13 - All the members of one body, being many, are one body (See also 1Cor.10:17)
1Cor.12:27 - Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular
Eph.2:22 - Ye are builded together...through the Spirit
(See also Eph.1:10; 2:19-21; 4:11,12; 1Cor.12:4-16.)
Col.1:17,18 - (Jesus) is head of our body (See also Eph.4:15,16)
(See also 1Cor.3:9; 2Cor.6:1.)
C. Jesus' Spirit gives us peace with one another:
1Cor.14:33 - God is the author...of peace, as in all the churches
2Cor.13:11 - Brethren...live in peace; God of peace shall be with you
Gal.5:22 - The fruit of the Spirit is...peace
Eph.2:14 - He is our peace...hath broken down the wall between
Col.2:2 - Your hearts comforted, being knit together in love
D. There should be no divisions because of race or sex:
1Cor.12:13 - Whether Jews or Gentiles...(we) have been all made to drink into one Spirit
Gal.3:26,28 - Neither Jew nor Greek...male or female: for ye are all one in Jesus
E. Or social or financial status:
1Cor.12:13 - Whether...bond or free, (we) all have been made...one
Gal.3:28 - Neither bond nor free...for ye are all one in Jesus
A. Pride and lust:
Pro.13:10 - Only by pride cometh contention
Pro.28:25 - He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife
Jam.4:1-3 - Whence come fightings among you? From your lusts
B. Not walking in the Spirit:
1Cor.3:3 - Ye are carnal: there is among you strife and divisions
Gal.5:19-21 - Works of the flesh: Hatred, wrath, strifes
C. Ill feelings and hatred:
Pro.10:12 - Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins
Pro.16:28 - A froward man soweth strife, and a whisperer separateth
Pro.26:24 - He that hateth dissembleth with his lips
D. Envy and jealousy:
Rom.13:13 - Let us walk honestly...not in...strife and envying
1Cor.13:4 - Love...envieth not; Love vaunteth not itself
Gal.5:26 - Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another
Jam.3:14,16 - If ye have bitter envying...in your hearts, glory not. For where envying...is, there is...every evil work
(See also Pro.14:30; 27:4; Gal.5:19-21; Tit.3:3.)
E. Favouritism and partiality:
Acts 6:1 - There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected
F. Self-exaltation and desire for leadership:
Num.12:1-15 - [Miriam and Aaron rebel against Moses, desiring power]
Num.16:1-35 - [Korah rebels against Moses, desiring leadership]
Lk.22:24 - There was a strife among them, (who) should be greatest
Acts 20:30 - Of your own selves shall men arise...to draw away dis ciples after them
Gal.5:26 - Let us not desire vain glory, provoking...one another
3Jn.9-11 - Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them receiveth us not
G. Arguing over minor doctrines and theorising:
1Tim.6:3-5a - Knowing nothing, doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh...strife
H. Bitterness:
Heb.12:15 - Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
I. Anger and a quick temper:
Pro.15:18 - A wrathful man stirreth up strife
Pro.29:22 - An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man
J. Repeating things we know we shouldn't:
Pro.17:9 - He that repeateth a matter separateth very friends
Pro.26:20 - Where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth (See also Jam.1:26)
K. Inability to stop arguing:
Pro.20:3 - It is an honour to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling
Pro.17:14 - The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water...leave off contention
A. Not being able to work together:
Amos 3:3 - Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Acts 15:36-40 - Contention so sharp [between Paul and Barnabus] that they departed asunder [and went separate ways]
B. It destroys God's work:
Mat.12:25 - Every house divided against itself...shall not stand
Mk.3:24 - If kingdom be divided against itself...cannot stand
(See also Num.32:1-7)
C. Longstanding divisions:
Pro.18:19 - A brother offended harder to be won than strong city
D. Creates sectarian divisions and man-worship:
1Cor.3:3,4 - There (are) divisions...For one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos
(See also 1Cor.11:18; 3:21-23.)
E. Backbiting and rumours:
Pro.16:28 - A whisperer separateth chief friends
2Cor.12:20 - I fear...lest there be backbitings, whisperings
F. Opens the door to every kind of evil:
Jam.3:16 - For where...strife (is), there is confusion and every evil work
1Thes.5:14 - Warn them that are unruly
A. When it's just between us and a fellow worker:
Pro.25:9 - Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another
Mat.18:15 - Tell him his fault between thee and him alone
Lk.17:4 - If he trespass 7 times in a day, and 7 times a day turn again, saying, I repent...forgive
1Pet.4:8 - Charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins
(See Mat.18:21,22)
B. When there is a division in the work, let pastors and elders settle the disputes:
Acts 15:2 - When (they) had no small dissension, they determined (to) go to the elders about this question
Acts 15:7,12 - When there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and (spoke). Then all the multitude kept silence
Gal.6:1 - If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one
C. Let it pass if it's not an important disagreement:
Rom.14:2,3 - One believeth that he may eat all things: another... eateth [only] herbs
Rom.14:4-6 - One esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike
A. Excommunication of those who cause division:
Pro.22:10 - Cast out the scorner, and...strife shall cease
Mat.18:15-17 - If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen
Rom.16:17 - Mark them which cause divisions and offences...and avoid
1Cor.5:11-13 - With such an one no, not to eat...put away wicked
2Thes.3:6 - We command you...that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly
1Tim.6:3,5b - If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to...the doctrine...from such withdraw thyself
Tit.3:10 - An heretick after first and second admonition, reject
2Jn.10,11 - If any...bring not this doctrine, receive him not
(See also 1Tim.6:3-5; Jude 12a.)
B. Partial excommunication:
2Thes.3:14,15 - If any obey not...have no company with him...yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish as a brother
Gal.6:1 - If a man be overtaken in a fault...restore [him]
2Tim.2:25,26 - In meekness instructing those...that they may recover
Jam.5:19,20 - If any of you err from the truth, and one convert him
(See also Lk.15:11-24 - re: return of the prodigal son)
To refute false doctrine or serious wrong behaviour:
Jude 3 - Ye should earnestly contend for the faith
Jn.7:43 - There was a division among people because of (Jesus)
Acts 15:1,2 - "Except ye be circumcised, ye cannot be saved." Paul...had no small dissension and disputation with them
Gal.2:11-14 - When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face...I (rebuked) Peter before them all
1Tim.5:20. Them that sin, rebuke before all that others may fear
Important chapters on unity: Psa.133; Jn.17; 1Cor.12; Eph.4; Rom.12.
(Back to top)My name is James Arendt. I was raised in the Hegewisch neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, served in the USAF from 1970 to 1974, and became a full-time missionary for Christ living 40 years in Japan, 3.5 years in Russia, and a few months in other countries such as Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China where I also served the King of Kings, Jesus, as an Ambassador for His Kingdom. My full bio.
If you like this website, you can show your appreciation by sending me a gift toward my support. My wife Tess and I moved from the island of Guam USA in June 2023 to the city of Allen in the province of Northern Samar, one of the poorer provinces in the Philippines. My only work is maintaining my websites, Deep Truths, and James Japan which costs me $300 per year now. And Tess is ministering to the local people giving them regular Bible Studies in three groups, children, teenagers and adults.
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