Can CHURCH BRING YOU HAPPINESS? | Unity in the Church Through Wisdom

Unity is always a fan favorite as long as the discussion never dips below the calling-out line. Everyone is on board as long as it keeps the pollyanna realm of a possible, perfect utopia. As soon as the discussion points out, calls out, or kicks out heresy and schism those who do not understand unity get uncomfortable, often resorting to defending error and sin for the sake of everyone getting along. That, my friends, is not biblical unity. Just as the human body cannot experience health while being host to pathogens, disease, or infection, neither can God’s covenant people embrace their bosom division, schism, heterodoxy, or a hypercritical attitude and expect to have unity within the body. Such self-centered deceit always breeds disunity and destroys the good that the Spirit is doing in and through the people of God. Biblical unity is achieved through faithfulness to the Word of God, godliness, humility, and an unfailing love for those who are faithful to the faith. Can being part of the covenant community of the church bring you happiness in this life? If so, how? In the section before us, we have the conclusion of the teaching we began in the latter part of the eighth chapter. Solomon, the Preacher, has been observing, with much consternation of heart, the injustice that prevails in this fallen world. He has shown us by sound reason and inspired anecdotal testimony that there is little to no difference between the righteous and the wicked when it comes to life experiences under the sun. Tragedy and abundance happen to all and both must succumb finally to the inevitability of death. Now we will consider with him the profound conclusions he has drawn from his observation and to one of the greatest comforts God has given us in this evil world - life within God’s covenant community.