The Reformation Herald Online Edition

October-November

Children’s Corner
Living in Unity
Barbara Montrose

Nobody likes to hear an argument—or at least they shouldn’t like to hear one! Arguments start wars and wars kill people. How much better it is to get along peacefully with others and to work and play together in harmony!

Jesus really wants His people to be able to work together. He knows this is the only way for them to be happy.

The Bible says: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). It’s good and it’s pleasant when we are in unity—which means being as one. The apostle Paul taught the believers in the city of Corinth: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

That means when we go to church in one place, what is taught and preached there will not be the opposite of what is taught and preached in another church. We will all agree about what is truth.

But how can we know what is truth? You have your ideas and I have mine. So what is the only way we can find out who is right?

It doesn’t really matter who is right. What matters is WHAT is right. Then if you were right first or I was right first, we can forget about that part to just focus on what is right once we find out the truth really is. But how can we know the truth?

Jesus prayed to His Father that His children might be sanctified—set aside, purified, made right, made holy. How only does this happen? It happens through the Word of God, the Bible. So Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

The words of Jesus are the Word of God, so that is why He explains, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Therefore, for people to know the way to eternal life, we need to know the truth, we need to know Jesus. And as we all learn more of the Lord and His ways, we will agree with each other more and more.

That’s why the church has General Conference meetings. It’s to come together to pray and ask God for His true will and His real way, instead of our own. Then we are able to come closer to God, closer to each other, and we are able to help still others become closer to Him, too. And this sweet harmony makes greater happiness!

References
1 Early Writings, pp. 64, 65.
2 Early Writings, pp. 66, 67.
3 Early Writings, pp. 118-120.
4 Early Writings, pp. 120, 121.
5 Early Writings, p. 71.
6 The Great Controversy, pp. 625-627.
7 Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 337.
8 The Review and Herald, August 18, 1885.
9 Maranatha, p. 174.
10 Maranatha, p. 185.
11 Maranatha, p. 185.
12 Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 650.
13 The Desire of Ages, p. 36.
14 The Desire of Ages, p. 38.
15 The Desire of Ages, p. 294.
16 The Desire of Ages, p. 568.
17 Child Guidance, p. 401.
18 Testimonies to Ministers, p. 421.
19 Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 52.
20 Selected Messages, bk. 3, p. 391.
10 Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, p. 273.
21 Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, p. 262.
22 Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, p. 261.
23 Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, pp. 266, 267.
24 Prophets and Kings, p. 725.
25 The Great Controversy, pp. 627, 628.
26 The Great Controversy, p. 490.