The blessed Head loves all His members, and if we are drinking in His Spirit, if we are learning of Him, we shall love all likewise. But this is a totally different thing from loving people because they adopt our line of truth, or our peculiar views. It is Christ, and not self; and this is what we want, if we are to “dwell together in unity.” Be assured of it, this is the grand secret of getting on together. If brethren are to dwell together in unity, they must have the “precious oil” and the “dew” dropping continually upon them. They must live close to Christ, and be occupied with Him, so that they may show forth His virtues, and reflect His blessed image. He delights to see His children walking in love. It is He who says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Surely this ought to stir our hearts to seek in every possible way to promote this lovely unity. The Holy Spirit exhorts us to “use diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). Let us remember this. It is the unity of the Spirit, not the unity of the body, that we are to keep in the uniting bond of peace. This will cost us something. The phrase, “use diligence,” shows that it cannot be done without sacrifice. But the One who so graciously exhorts us to this service will supply the needed grace. The precious oil and the dew will flow down from Him in refreshing power, knitting our hearts together in holy love, and enabling us to deny ourselves, and surrender everything that might tend to hinder that true unity which we are imperatively called upon to maintain.