Harmony, sweet harmony, how sweet it is when we cling to and abide in God’s peace!
Everything works out for good if we trust in God alone…He will carry out the best plans for His glory and the good of all those who believe in Him!
We can accomplish nothing on our own but EVERYTHING in Christ.
Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
Romans 15:5-6
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christian writers from the second and third centuries used the tradition of the household code to emphasize the importance of harmony and unity in the church.
The purpose and early church use of household codes is debated:
• Balch suggests that one of the functions of the codes was to help Jewish men identify Jewish cultural values within the broader Hellenistic society. This helped Jewish leaders in their apologetic presentation of Jewish traditions. For the Christian community, the household codes helped the Church to defend the faith against Roman criticism (Balch, “Household Codes,” 1988).
• Elliot emphasizes the integrative function of the codes in church as a cohesive way to promote internal harmony in the community (Elliot, A Home for the Homeless, 215–18).
• Best identifies several uses of the codes, such as preserving the good order in society, as well as apologetic and missionary purposes (Best, Ephesians, 553).
There is likely not a single purpose for household codes, but a variety of overlapping uses. The early church was probably concerned with the ethical standards of the community. As the church needed to respond faithfully to the claims of society, the household codes may have had an apologetic function. In witnessing to nonbelieving members of the household, the codes of conduct may have served a missionary purpose as examples of good behavior.
David Cortés-Fuentes. (2016). Household Codes.
Peter’s first letter tells us, “be harmonious, sympathetic, showing mutual affection, compassionate, humble, not repaying evil for evil or insult for insult, but [instead] blessing others, because for this reason you were called, so that you could inherit a blessing” (1 Pet 3:8–9). We can find the same lesson, told a different way, in 2 Sam 3:1–4:12. The violence of the war between David and Saul’s houses vividly portrays how acts of vengeance rob us of harmony and blessing.
Some passages in the Bible are beautiful, while others are barbaric. Both teach us we’re not meant to live in vengeance, like the houses of David and Saul. While we realize these individuals often acted against God’s will, we should still recognize their love for God (when it’s present) and their desire to follow Him (when it appears authentic) and live in those ways. Jesus is the only leader in the Bible we can look to as a supreme example of righteousness. Every other person in the Bible is flawed in their humanity, but that gives us hope: God can use us, like He used them—despite their mistakes.
If we could live up to Peter’s ideals of living in harmony and showing sympathy to others, the world would certainly be a better place, but we can’t do so without depending on God. In the midst of chaos, or when we give in to ego, it’s hard to live the way we should, even when we are people of faith. But when we learn to follow God in being compassionate, humble, and a blessing to people, we create opportunity for Him to bring harmony and sympathy. If David and Saul’s men had put vengeance aside to seek God, their story would certainly have been less barbaric and far more beautiful.
When we avoid community, we may develop an inflated opinion of our own character. It’s easy to think we’re kind people when we’re not held accountable to others. It’s easy to think we’re always right when no one disagrees with us. Conversely, it’s in our relationships that our true selves are often revealed. When we’re actively involved in a community, we face hundreds of instances where we need to make choices. These choices either serve others, or they serve our own desires.
When Peter states, “Above all, keep your love for one another constant, because love covers a large number of sins” (1 Pet 4:8), he’s saying that choosing to love often sets all motives in the right place. It dispels our own pride and puts issues into perspective. When we are truly loving others, it’s not about our pride or “being right.” It’s about helping others grow in faith by using our God-given gifts.
Peter goes on to show just what this looks like: “Be hospitable without complaining. Just as each one has received a gift, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, let it be as by the strength that God provides, so that in all things God will be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 4:9–11). When we love others and use our gifts for their benefit, our actions do more than serve the other. Since they find their origin in Christ’s love, they serve to honor and glorify Christ.
Living in community with others may often be difficult. We’ll meet with challenging people and situations that will require us to continually pray to the giver of gifts for renewed strength and the ability to serve. We’ll face conflict that needs to be met with wisdom and love. Through prayer and the work of God in our lives, we can love and serve others with the love of Christ.
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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