For He is our peace

who made the two one

and the middle wall of partition destroyed

the enmity

in His flesh

the law of commandments

in dogmas

He abolished

so that he might make the two

in Him

into one new man

making peace

and he reconciled the two

in one body

by God

through the cross

having put to death the enmity

in it.

And as He comes

He proclaims peace to you

to those far away

and to those who are near

because

through Him

both have the way

in one Spirit

to the Father.

Ephesians 2:14-18.

In the stark face of the historical fact of the Cross of Jesus Christ all divisions should cease.

God the almighty, the creator of heaven and earth came to earth as a dot, grew into a perfect, wonderful, lovely, righteous, holy man and then we crucified Him.

What are we fighting about that His death for us on the Cross does not reconcile? How can we, in the face of that deplorable fact lift our voices to do anything other than praise Him?

Jesus Christ the Son of God so loved that person you disagree with – and so loves you – that He endured agonies, abuse, shame, ridicule and failure to open up the way so you can enter heaven and spend it in peace with Him and your adversary.

Because of this I bow my knees

before the Father

out of Whom each family

in heavens

and upon earth

are named,

that he would give to you

according to the riches of His glory

with power

to be strengthened

through His Spirit

into the inner man

that the Christ might dwell

through faith

in your hearts

in love

rooted and grounded

so that you might be strengthened

to grasp

with all the saints

what is the breadth and length and height and depth

to know the overthrowing-of-knowledge-love of Christ

so that you might be filled

into all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3: 14-19

Paul says elsewhere (1 Cor. 8:1-3) that if you think you know anything you are missing the point. Being convinced about anything other than the overwhelming love of God for your fellow man is going to mean you will be divisive. If, in all your dealings with others, there is not a consciousness that God knows better about whatever you are talking about than you or any other man does then you can miss what He might want to say to that person you disagree with. Whatever you think about anything, God knows better than you do what needs to be said at that time to that person. We have to let His love overthrow our opinions.

Paul’s prayer is not prayed enough by the church. If it were things might be different.