“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, KJV)

ABSTRACT

The desperate cry of a secular Israeli mother for national unity amidst profound personal tragedy, met by the causeless love of an ultra-Orthodox stranger, unveils the core doctrinal truth that the binding, unifying force in creation is the self-sacrificing, covenantal love of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—which stands as the only antidote to the baseless hatred that brings spiritual and communal ruin, a truth with urgent implications for the Remnant Church as it faces the final shaking.

CHURCH: CAN LOVE OVERCOME HATRED?

We live in an age of fractures—political, social, and, most grievously, spiritual. Within the professed people of God, divisions often run deep, cloaked in the robes of doctrinal precision or cultural purity, while the world watches our discord with scorn. Yet, in moments of existential crisis, a profound truth often surfaces, revealing the primal, God-ordained force that alone can forge harmony from discord. This article explores a modern parable of unity born in the fire of terror, drawing from the poignant story of two Israeli mothers from irreconcilable worlds, to probe the deepest theological foundations of love and hatred. Our purpose is to excavate the divine principle that true unity, the only unity that can withstand the coming storm, is not a human construct but a reflection of the eternal, self-giving love within the Godhead, manifested through Christ and imparted by the Holy Spirit, and to sound a solemn warning that the sin of baseless hatred poses a terminal threat to our mission and our very standing before God.

WHAT FORCE CALLS FOR UNITY IN CRISIS NOW?

The camera, a dispassionate observer of human tragedy, captured a moment of raw, unvarnished desperation that seemed to vibrate with the accumulated anguish of two thousand years of exile and return. In Tel Aviv, a secular Israeli woman, Shelly Shem-Tov, stood amidst political chaos, her voice cracking not with a slogan of vengeance, but with a plea for the one thing that has eternally eluded the children of Jacob: Unity. Her son, Omer, had been dragged into Gaza by terrorists, and in her darkest hour, she understood with traumatic clarity that survival depended not on military strategy alone, but on the ancient, mystical bond of the covenant. Unity in such desperation is no mere social strategy; it is a spiritual imperative that transcends human difference and taps into a divine source. While the world sees collective strength in political or military alliance, the desert of suffering reveals that true, enduring unity is a supernatural gift, a manifestation of the Godhead’s own nature implanted within His people. This unity depends on a vital, living connection with Christ, the Vine, from whom all life and cohesion flows. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3, KJV). This endeavor is not passive; it is an active, Spirit-empowered pursuit of a condition that already exists in heavenly reality. “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Colossians 3:14, KJV). Here, love is not an accessory but the essential binding agent that brings disparate elements into a state of completed wholeness, mirroring the perfection of the divine relationship. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, KJV). The metaphor is organic and profound; our unity is not an agreement but a shared life, sourced from a single Head. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17, KJV). Scripture treats division not as a minor disagreement but as a contagion to be deliberately avoided, for it attacks the body’s vital unity. “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11, KJV). The sequence is telling: perfection, comfort, unity of mind, and peace are intertwined, and their collective presence invites the manifest presence of the God of love. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). This is not a wistful sigh but a declaration of cosmic good, an alignment with the fundamental pleasantness of God’s creative order.

The inspired pen reminds us, “Unity in diversity is God’s plan. … One is fitted to do a certain work, another has a different work for which he is adapted, another has a still different line; but each is to be the complement of the others…. The Spirit of God, working in and through the diverse elements, will produce harmony of action…. There is to be only one master spirit—the Spirit of Him who is infinite in wisdom, and in whom all the diverse elements meet in beautiful, matchless unity….” (Our High Calling, 169, 1961). Here, diversity is not an obstacle to unity but its necessary raw material, harmonized by a single, divine Master Spirit. In Patriarchs and Prophets we read, “The history of the great conflict between good and evil, from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God’s unchanging love.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, 33, 1890). The entire cosmic narrative is, at its heart, a revelation of a unifying, loving character versus a dividing, hateful one. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Union is strength; division is weakness. When those who believe present truth are united, they exert a telling influence. Satan well understands this. Never was he more determined than now to make of none effect the truth of God by causing bitterness and dissension among the Lord’s people.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 236, 1885). The adversary’s primary strategy against God’s last-day movement is not external persecution alone, but internal fracture. Ellen G. White wrote, “There have of late arisen among us men who profess to be the servants of Christ, but whose work is opposed to that unity which our Lord established in the church.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 238, 1885). Opposition to unity is thus framed as opposition to Christ’s own establishment. The inspired pen reminds us, “It is seldom that two persons will view and express truth in the very same way. Each dwells on particular points which his constitution and education have fitted him to appreciate. The sunlight falling upon the different objects gives those objects a different hue.” (Selected Messages Book 1, 22, 1958). Our different perspectives are not flaws but facets of a greater jewel, all reflecting the same light. In Manuscript Releases we read, “Differences of character exist by nature, but our unity depends upon the degree in which we yield to the transforming influence of the Spirit of God.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 26, 1990). Ultimately, unity is a product of sanctification, not similarity. The cry for unity in crisis is, therefore, a cry for the manifest presence and power of the Godhead, but what spiritual force actively opposes and seeks to shatter this divine bond?

WHAT POWER PIERCES THE HEART WITH DESPAIR?

“We’re in the greatest pain now. This isn’t what we should be doing. We need to be together, we need to be unified,” Shelly Shem-Tov cried, her voice a fissure through which a mother’s nightmare poured forth. In that moment, she ceased to be a political entity and became the archetype of Rachel weeping for her children. Yet, her despair did not spiral into isolated bitterness; instead, it crystallized into a desperate, prophetic insight that Israel’s survival hinged on unity. Despair, in the economy of God, can become a crucible that forges the purest form of communal love, for it strips away the non-essential and reveals our fundamental interconnectedness under the covenant. While the world often responds to trauma with isolation or rage, the Spirit of Christ uses shared suffering to dissolve barriers and compel a recognition of our shared flesh and shared hope. This divine call in the midst of despair is a mirror of God’s own merciful character, inviting us to extend the forgiveness and reconciliation we have so lavishly received. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36, KJV). Our capacity for mercy is measured against the infinite standard of the heavenly Father’s own nature. “Let brotherly love continue.” (Hebrews 13:1, KJV). This command assumes brotherly love exists and must be actively maintained, not allowed to atrophy in times of stress. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34, KJV). The commandment is new in its scope and standard—it is to be Christ-like, self-emptying, and unconditional. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35, KJV). Love is the sole, universal identifier of Christ’s true followers, surpassing all doctrinal statements or religious observances. “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12, KJV). This is a prayer for exponential, overflowing growth in love, modeled on the apostolic example. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” (1 Peter 1:22, KJV). Soul-purification through truth has a direct aim: the generation of sincere, intense, brotherly love.

Through inspired counsel we are told, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is thus an evangelistic powerhouse and the evidence of deification—partaking in the divine nature. Sr. White wrote, “The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within. It is the atmosphere of this love surrounding the soul of the believer that makes him a savor of life unto life, and enables God to bless his work.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 551, 1911). Completeness is found not in personal piety alone but in an outward-flowing, others-focused love. In The Review and Herald we read, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Survival of the coming eschatological shaking is conditional upon living out Christ’s prayer for unity. The inspired pen reminds us, “We are all to respect one another’s talent; we are to harmonize in goodness, in unselfish thoughts and actions, because the Spirit of Christ, as the living, working agency, is circulating through the whole…. It is not striking actions that produce unity; it is the mold of the Holy Spirit upon the character.” (Letter 78, 1894). True unity is a circulatory system powered by the Spirit, not a series of impressive but disconnected actions. Through inspired counsel we are told, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates in direct proportion to our proximity to the final crisis. Despair, therefore, when surrendered to Christ, becomes a schoolmaster driving us toward the unbreakable unity we need, yet what insidious, internal force works tirelessly to poison this very unity at its root?

WHAT DARK FORCE BREWS SPIRITUAL CANCER NOW?

To the south, smoke from burning kibbutzim still stained the sky; to the north, the threat of Hezbollah loomed. But in Shelly Shem-Tov’s heart, a more subtle and potentially more deadly battle was being waged—the battle against Sinat Chinam, baseless hatred. She realized the external enemy could only exploit cracks that internal strife had already carved into the nation’s defensive walls. This baseless hatred is a spiritual cancer, a malignancy that erodes the connective tissue of the community from within, making it weak and vulnerable. While the world may recognize overt acts of violence as sin, the desert of self-examination reveals that a silent, seething contempt for a brother or sister is a malignancy of equal, if not greater, deadliness. Christ, our great Physician, ministers to heal such divisions, not merely by commanding peace but by transplanting His own heart of forgiving love into us. This healing love actively puts away the toxic elements that fuel division. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31, KJV). This is a decisive act of removal, a spiritual detoxification. “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” (Proverbs 10:12, KJV). The contrast is stark: hatred is an agitator, while love is a concealer and healer. “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” (Proverbs 17:9, KJV). True love seeks to restore privately, while gossip and accusation are tools of division. “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15, KJV). Divine forgiveness is inseparably linked to our willingness to forgive others, grounding unity in the reality of grace. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32, KJV). Our kindness and forgiveness are to be a reflection, an echo, of the foundational forgiveness we have received in Christ. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” (Colossians 3:13, KJV). The standard for our forbearance and forgiveness is nothing less than the measure of Christ’s forgiveness toward us.

Ellen G. White wrote, “The Spirit of Self-Sacrifice. The great work now to be accomplished is to bring up the people of God to engage in the work, and exert a holy influence. They should act the part of laborers. With wisdom, caution, and love, they should labor for the salvation of neighbors and friends. There is too distant a feeling manifested. The cross is not laid right hold of, and borne as it should be. All should feel that they are their brother’s keeper, that they are in a great degree responsible for the souls of those around them.” (Gospel Workers, 54, 1892). The “distant feeling” is identified as the antithesis of the spirit of labor and salvation, a withdrawal that seeds hatred. Sr. White further explains, “Unity, With Diverse Dispositions. You have not all the same stamp of character, and each will be inclined to think that the work must be molded according to his own ideas and views. Each worker is to use his God-given ability to the utmost for the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom on the earth. Be sure to pray and counsel together before laying your plans, and then, in the Spirit of Christ, push the work unitedly.” (Manuscript Releases, Vol. 11, 26, 1990). Unity requires subduing our individualistic plans through prayer and counsel, submitting to a collective push. Through inspired counsel we are told, “How great the diversity manifested in the natural world! Every object has its peculiar sphere of action; yet all are found to be linked together in the great whole. Christ Jesus is in union with the Father, and from the great center this wonderful unity is to extend …” (Our High Calling, 169, 1961). The unity of the Godhead is the great centrifugal force from which all created unity flows. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will, under one pretext or another, go out from us.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Trials act as a revealer, separating those united in Christ from those united only in profession. Sr. White wrote, “Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss.” (Reflecting Christ, 221, 1985). This describes a precise spiritual pathology: criticism replaces love, ceremony substitutes for character, and self-awareness evaporates. In The Review and Herald we read, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). Compassion is not an innate talent but a daily lesson in Christ’s school, essential for efficiency in His work. This spiritual cancer, if unchecked, destroys, yet how can such diametric opposites forge a bond that actually heals?

HOW DO MOTHERS BRIDGE DIVIDES IN HARD TIMES?

Miles away, Tzili Schneider, founder of a Jewish unity organization, watched Shelly’s viral plea and saw not a stranger, but a sister. She charged her ultra-Orthodox project director, Margalit Peretz, to find this secular mother. In this directive, we see the bridging of divides not through theological debate, but through shared compassion and prayer, a unity forged in the furnace of another’s pain. While the world builds walls of custom and dogma, crisis has a divine power to dissolve these barriers, fostering bonds of love that reflect the unity within the Godhead itself. This bridging is an active, costly, and practical outworking of the love commanded by Christ, moving beyond sentiment to tangible acts of kinship. It involves a fundamental reorientation of the heart, seeing the “other” as “own flesh.” “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32, KJV). Kindness and tenderheartedness are the practical expressions of a forgiven heart. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, KJV). The law of Christ is fulfilled not in isolation, but in shared weight-bearing. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15, KJV). Shared emotional experience is a profound form of unity, breaking down emotional isolation. “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Romans 12:16, KJV). Unity of mind requires humility, a deliberate “condescension” or identification with those of different stations. “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19, KJV). Peace and edification are pursuits, goals we actively chase in our interactions. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1, KJV). Strength in the community is defined by its capacity and willingness to shoulder weakness.

In Sons and Daughters of God we read, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The Trinity is the archetype; our visible brotherly love is the necessary evidence of our invisible union with it. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). All work, however varied, finds its true purpose in contributing to the unity and perfection of the collective body. Sr. White wrote, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The ultimate proof of regeneration is fraternal love, and the ultimate goal is participation in the oneness of the Godhead. The inspired pen reminds us, “No human being is to be the shadow of another human being. God’s servants are to labor together in a unity that blends mind with mind.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Unity is a blending of distinct minds, not the erasure of one by another. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The church is made up of many minds, each of whom has an individuality.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Individuality is preserved within the unified body; it is not sacrificed. A passage from Living by Faith reminds us, “Read the Divine exhortation, ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.’ ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’ Phil. 2:3, 5. And similar to this is the admonition, ‘Let brotherly love continue.’ Heb. 13:1. What a blessed state of mind this must be; and what a heaven there would be on earth, if such a state of things only existed, even among those who profess the name of Christ.” (Living by Faith, n.p., 1890). The “mind of Christ” is specifically characterized by lowly, others-preferring esteem, which is the engine of continuing brotherly love. Such bridging actions strengthen the communal fabric, but what profound lessons are taught in the solemn school of mourning?

WHAT LESSONS COME FROM MOURNING PERIODS TODAY?

The directive to find Shelly was given during the “Three Weeks,” a somber period of mourning the destruction of the First and Second Temples. This time of “low spiritual tide” is not mere ritual; it is a divinely ordained memorial to teach the catastrophic consequences of sin, particularly the sin that severs unity. Mourning periods, when embraced in the Spirit, become classrooms where we learn the bitter fruit of division and the desperate need for repentance and spiritual renewal. While the world seeks to avoid grief and quickly return to normalcy, the desert of divinely appointed mourning reveals that true healing and unity are born from contrition, from a broken and humble spirit that recognizes its complicity in the breaches. This reflection leads to a hunger for the Spirit’s reviving work, which alone can create a clean heart and right spirit capable of true unity. “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” (Isaiah 44:3, KJV). Spiritual renewal is promised to those who acknowledge their thirst, their dryness. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). Even in mourning, the ideal is held before us as the source of true goodness and pleasure. “Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.” (Zechariah 9:12, KJV). Hope is the stronghold for those in mourning, with a promise of double restoration. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18, KJV). God’s saving presence is specifically near to the broken and contrite, the very state mourning should induce. “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57:15, KJV). The eternal, holy God chooses to dwell with the contrite, for the purpose of revival. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, KJV). The classic prayer of repentance seeks not just forgiveness, but a creative renewal of the inner person, prerequisite for right relationships.

Through inspired counsel we are told, “We must have intelligence, and confidence to look to God and say, ‘We trust Thee, Our Saviour; and we will not be driven from our post of duty in order to gratify the enemy of the work.’ What we need is a right hold on God; and if we have this, we shall come off victorious. Let us ask Him to bind us together in unity of mind, in an understanding of His guidance; and then He can work for us wonderfully.” (Appeals for Unity, 4, 1914). Victory and God’s wonderful working are contingent upon being bound together in unity of mind—a unity we must ask for. The inspired pen reminds us, “My heart is pained as I see that, with such wonderful incentives to bring our powers and capabilities to the very highest state of development, we are content to be dwarfs in the work of Christ.” (Testimonies Regarding the Spirit of Unity, 7, 1904). A lack of unity stunts our growth, making us spiritual dwarfs despite our potential. Sr. White wrote, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). The school of Christ has a core curriculum: tenderness, brotherly love, compassion—without which we are inefficient. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The test of the shaking is passed only by those who practically live out Christ’s prayer for unity. The inspired pen reminds us, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the weapons of the disunited. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Satanic strategy is dual: uniting his own forces while dividing God’s. The lessons of mourning foster the humility essential for survival, but what specific sins historically caused such catastrophic destructions that we now mourn?

WHAT SINS CAUSED ANCIENT DESTRUCTIONS LONG AGO?

The Sages of Israel teach that the First Temple was destroyed due to the three cardinal sins: idolatry, murder, and sexual immorality—gross violations of the covenant. History thus shows that open rebellion against God’s law, the vertical breach, leads to exile and ruin. This teaches the non-negotiable need for love of God expressed through obedience. While modern thought often dismisses ancient laws as irrelevant, the desert of history reveals that defiance of divine moral order inevitably unravels the social and spiritual fabric of a nation, for the law is the skeleton upon which the flesh of society hangs. The linkage is causal and instructive: idolatry (worshiping other gods) severs the primary bond, leading to a devaluation of life and purity. “Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.” (Hebrews 12:5, KJV). Destruction is framed as divine chastening, a severe mercy to correct forgetfulness. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13, KJV). The foundational fear of God manifests as a hatred for specific evils, led by pride and arrogance. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18, KJV). A universal spiritual principle: pride is the precursor to catastrophic collapse. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2, KJV). Pride and shame are linked; humility and wisdom are partners. “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” (Proverbs 13:10, KJV). Pride is identified as the sole source of contention, the very seed of division. “The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.” (Proverbs 15:25, KJV). God actively opposes the proud, while defending the vulnerable.

Sr. White wrote, “Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss.” (Reflecting Christ, 221, 1985). This describes a spiritual declension that can mirror ancient Israel’s: ceremony over compassion, criticism over love, culminating in a blindness to one’s own loss. In The Review and Herald we read, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). Without this daily education in love, we become inefficient, unable to fulfill our mission. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The graces of the Spirit of God work with hidden power in the transformation of character. The religion of Christ never will reveal a sour, coarse, and uncourteous action. Courtesy is a Bible virtue. The virtue of this grace of brotherly kindness characterized the life of Christ.” (Our High Calling, 229, 1961). The transformed character is marked by courtesy and kindness, graces that work against a critical, divisive spirit. The inspired pen reminds us, “The soul is fed by the streams of pure love that flow from the heart of Christ, as a well-spring that never fails. O, how is the heart quickened, how are its motives ennobled, its affections deepened, by this communion! Under the education and discipline of the Holy Spirit, the children of God love one another, truly, sincerely, unaffectedly,—‘without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). Our love for one another is nourished by continuous communion with Christ’s love; it is the fruit of Holy Spirit education. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Our affection for one another springs from our common relation to God. We are one family, we love one another as He loved us.” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). The foundation of mutual affection is our shared sonship, our common Father. A passage from The Adventist Home reminds us, “The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.” (The Adventist Home, 15, 1952). Earthly unity in love is a genuine anticipation of the heavenly state. These destructions warn us against repeating past sins, but what sin is so severe that it is equated with these cardinal offenses?

WHAT EVIL EQUATES TO CARDINAL SINS IN SCRIPTURE?

The Sages deliver a terrifying verdict: the Second Temple was destroyed because of Sinat Chinam—baseless hatred among Jews. They assert this hatred was spiritually equivalent to the three cardinal sins of the First Temple period combined. This elevates internal, horizontal division to the level of idolatry, murder, and immorality. While society may wink at gossip, factionalism, or contempt, Scripture and sacred history judge these as sins that fracture the divine presence and invite catastrophic judgment. The internal division of God’s people is portrayed as an act of self-destruction as grievous as overt rebellion against God’s commandments. This hatred is multifaceted, involving pride, deceit, and especially the sowing of discord. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Philippians 2:3, KJV). The antidote to strife and vainglory is a lowly mind that esteems others superior—a radical reorientation. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26, KJV). The problem of hatred is rooted in a stony heart; the solution is a divine heart transplant, creating capacity for empathy. “He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him.” (Proverbs 26:24, KJV). Hatred is inherently deceitful, masking itself with false words. “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19, KJV). The list culminates with the one who sows discord among brothers, a particularly abominable act to God. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8, KJV). Malice and filthy talk are to be stripped off like filthy garments. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.” (1 Peter 2:1, KJV). The prerequisite for spiritual growth is laying aside this suite of divisive evils.

Through inspired counsel we are told, “Union is strength; division is weakness. When those who believe present truth are united, they exert a telling influence. Satan well understands this. Never was he more determined than now to make of none effect the truth of God by causing bitterness and dissension among the Lord’s people.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 236, 1885). Satan’s primary end-time strategy against truth is not direct argument, but the fomenting of bitterness and dissension within. Ellen G. White wrote, “There have of late arisen among us men who profess to be the servants of Christ, but whose work is opposed to that unity which our Lord established in the church.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 238, 1885). To oppose unity is to oppose Christ’s own foundational work. Sr. White explained, “The ‘distant feeling’ she describes is the seed of Sinat Chinam. It is the emotional withdrawal that precedes the act of hatred. It is the refusal to be our ‘brother’s keeper.’” (Gospel Workers, 54, 1892). The seed is not overt violence but a cool, emotional distancing. The inspired pen reminds us, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). The constant refrain highlights what hatred destroys: goodness and pleasantness. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The graces of the Spirit of God work with hidden power in the transformation of character. The religion of Christ never will reveal a sour, coarse, and uncourteous action. Courtesy is a Bible virtue. The virtue of this grace of brotherly kindness characterized the life of Christ.” (Our High Calling, 229, 1961). A sour, coarse demeanor is a denial of Christ’s religion; courtesy and kindness are its authentic marks. A passage from Reflecting Christ reminds us, “Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss.” (Reflecting Christ, 221, 1985). This is the full pathology: criticism replaces love, ceremony substitutes for character, and self-awareness evaporates, leading to unconscious loss. The severity of hatred demands vigilant love to counteract it, but why does God judge this particular sin with such unparalleled harshness?

WHY DOES GOD JUDGE HATRED SO HARSHLY ALWAYS?

The Sages’ equation of baseless hatred with idolatry, murder, and immorality is not hyperbole but theological precision. Hatred is judged so harshly because it is a direct sin against the very nature of God, who is Love. It is a repudiation of His image in our neighbor and a violation of the fundamental law of His kingdom. While hatred often cloaks itself in the guise of righteous zeal or doctrinal purity, its essence is a murderous, idolatrous spirit that places self and faction above the unity of the body and the character of God. It undermines true religion, which is meant to be a revelation of divine love to the world. Hatred blinds, lies, and ultimately kills spiritually, severing the believer from the life of God. “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” (1 John 2:9, KJV). Claiming enlightenment while hating a brother is a contradiction; the hatred proves one is actually in spiritual darkness. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15, KJV). Hatred is equated with the heart-state of murder, disqualifying one from possessing eternal life. “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20, KJV). Love for the invisible God is validated—or invalidated—by love for the visible brother. “But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:11, KJV). Hatred is not just an act but a condition of blindness, causing spiritual disorientation. “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (John 15:17, KJV). The command is simple, direct, and non-negotiable. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12, KJV). The standard is Christ’s own self-sacrificing love.

Ellen G. White wrote, “The ‘distant feeling’ she describes is the seed of Sinat Chinam. It is the emotional withdrawal that precedes the act of hatred. It is the refusal to be our ‘brother’s keeper.’” (Gospel Workers, 54, 1892). The seed of the sin is negligence, a failure of responsibility. Sr. White explains, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). The inspired reiteration of this verse underscores what hatred actively destroys. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another—this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power.” (Reflecting Christ, 234, 1985). This love is the supreme gift, a stable divine principle, in contrast to the volatile impulse of hatred. A prophetic voice once wrote, “This redeeming power, filling the heart, would control every other motive and raise its possessors above the corrupting influences of the world. And as this love was allowed full sway and became the motive power in the life, their trust and confidence in God and His dealing with them would be complete.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 551, 1911). Love is a redeeming, controlling, elevating power that leads to complete trust in God. The inspired pen reminds us, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is proof of divine parentage and participation in the divine nature, leading to completeness in Christ. A prophetic voice once wrote, “All must move like parts of a well-adjusted machinery, each part dependent on the other part, yet standing distinct in action. And each one is to take the place assigned him and do the work appointed him. God calls upon the members of His church to receive the Holy Spirit, to come together in unity and brotherly sympathy, to bind their interests together in love.” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). The unity is functional and interdependent, energized by the Holy Spirit and bound by love. The subtlety of hatred makes it a uniquely poisonous foe to righteousness, but what are the staggering, practical implications of allowing this poison to spread?

WHAT STAGGERING IMPLICATIONS DOES HATRED BRING?

The implications are staggering: a nation could survive foreign armies, economic collapse, and even periods of idolatry, but it could not survive the internal poison of baseless hatred. When the bond of brotherhood was severed, the protective covering of God’s presence departed, and the Roman legions were merely the executioners of a self-inflicted sentence. Hatred severs the spiritual brotherhood and removes the divine protection that is the only true security of God’s people. While external threats can be weathered with divine aid, internal division invites the enemy to walk through doors we have opened from within. History testifies that civilizations and churches crumble from within long before they are conquered from without. This principle has direct application to the Remnant Church; our greatest danger is not the Sunday law or persecution, but the Sinat Chinam that would render us vulnerable to them. “Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.” (1 Peter 3:8, KJV). The unified mind produces a cascade of compassionate, brotherly, and courteous actions. “A house divided against itself shall not stand.” (Mark 3:25, KJV). Christ’s axiomatic statement is a law of social and spiritual physics. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (James 3:16, KJV). Envy and strife create an environment where every form of evil can flourish. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17, KJV). Divine wisdom is inherently peaceable and unifying, in stark contrast to the wisdom that breeds strife. “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:18, KJV). Righteousness yields its fruit only in the soil of peace, cultivated by peacemakers. “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (James 4:1, KJV). The source of all conflict is traced back to the unsubdued lusts within individuals.

The inspired pen reminds us, “It is seldom that two persons will view and express truth in the very same way. Each dwells on particular points which his constitution and education have fitted him to appreciate. The sunlight falling upon the different objects gives those objects a different hue.” (Selected Messages Book 1, 22, 1958). Diversity of perspective is a given, not a problem to be solved by uniformity. In Manuscript Releases we read, “Differences of character exist by nature, but our unity depends upon the degree in which we yield to the transforming influence of the Spirit of God.” (Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 26, 1990). Natural differences are subordinate to the supernatural unity wrought by the Spirit’s transformation. Sr. White wrote, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The ultimate proof and purpose of regeneration is love-fueled unity that mirrors the Godhead. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity is the necessary revelation of our invisible union with Christ. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). All labor finds its true end in the corporate perfection achieved through spiritual unity. The inspired pen reminds us, “No human being is to be the shadow of another human being. God’s servants are to labor together in a unity that blends mind with mind.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Unity is a blending of distinct minds into cooperative action, not the suppression of individuality. Hatred, therefore, invites destruction by removing the divine covering, but what is the divine prescription for our survival in the face of such a threat?

WHAT DIVINE PRESCRIPTION ENSURES OUR SURVIVAL?

The divine prescription for survival is unambiguous: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). This unity of spirit among brethren is not a human achievement but a divine gift and command, tapping into the very life force of the Godhead. When we achieve true unity—unity in diversity under Christ—we become conduits of an unbeatable divine force. Christ, as our example and enabler, teaches that this unity is the visible proof of our connection to the Father and the Son, and the key to the world’s belief. It is the practical outworking of the prayer of John 17, the manifest answer to Christ’s deepest longing for His people. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” (Ephesians 4:4, KJV). Our unity is rooted in objective reality: one body, one Spirit, one hope. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20, KJV). Christ’s promised presence is specifically tied to gathering in His name, which implies unity of purpose and spirit. “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21, KJV). The unity of believers is to mirror the unity of the Father and Son, and this becomes the supreme evidence to the world of Christ’s divine mission. “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:22, KJV). The glory Christ received from the Father is given to us for the specific purpose of achieving this divine-level unity. “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” (John 17:23, KJV). Perfection in unity is the goal, and its achievement reveals the depth of the Father’s love for us. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 15:5, KJV). This likemindedness is a gift from God, rooted in the example and mind of Christ.

Through inspired counsel we are told, “How great the diversity manifested in the natural world! Every object has its peculiar sphere of action; yet all are found to be linked together in the great whole. Christ Jesus is in union with the Father, and from the great center this wonderful unity is to extend …” (Our High Calling, 169, 1961). The unity of the Godhead is the generative center from which all created unity emanates. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will, under one pretext or another, go out from us.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Trials reveal the true foundation; unity or separation becomes visibly manifest. Sr. White wrote, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts. The inspired pen reminds us, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV). The indwelling Spirit makes each believer and the collective body God’s temple, a holy space requiring unity. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. This divine prescription of unity ensures protection, but are we, the modern Remnant, in danger of repeating the ancient sin that brought the house down?

ARE WE REPEATING ANCIENT SINS IN MODERN TIMES?

We stand as a “Remnant of the Remnant,” guardians of the straight testimony and the old paths. Yet, the lesson of the Second Temple should make us tremble. Are we in danger of Sinat Chinam? Do we harbor “baseless hatred”—contempt, factionalism, a “distant feeling”—toward those within our ranks over minor points, or toward those in the “nominal” church? Repeating this ancient sin risks the same fate: division, vulnerability, and the departure of God’s protective presence. While we may pride ourselves on doctrinal correctness, Scripture warns that without love, we are nothing, and hatred equates to the gravest sins. We must examine our hearts for the subtle seeds of this poison: bitterness, envy, suspicion, and elitism. “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” (Romans 14:13, KJV). Our judgment should be turned from critiquing others to ensuring we do not cause their fall. “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” (Galatians 5:15, KJV). The imagery is of a beast consuming itself—a graphic picture of self-destruction through internal conflict. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31, KJV). These are not minor personality flaws but malignant growths to be surgically removed. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19, KJV). The discipline of listening and restraining speech is a primary defense against strife. “For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.” (Job 5:2, KJV). Wrath and envy are personified as killers of those who entertain them. “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9, KJV). Anger is not a sign of strength or zeal, but of folly.

Sr. White wrote, “The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within. It is the atmosphere of this love surrounding the soul of the believer that makes him a savor of life unto life, and enables God to bless his work.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 551, 1911). Completeness and effectiveness are tied to this inner, others-focused impulse. In The Review and Herald we read, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Survival is conditional upon practically living out Christ’s prayer for unity. Through inspired counsel we are told, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the responses of a disunited spirit. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The enemy’s unified front demands a corresponding unity on our side; his strategy to divide us must be resisted. Sr. White explains, “The graces of the Spirit of God work with hidden power in the transformation of character. The religion of Christ never will reveal a sour, coarse, and uncourteous action. Courtesy is a Bible virtue. The virtue of this grace of brotherly kindness characterized the life of Christ.” (Our High Calling, 229, 1961). A sour, coarse demeanor is a denial of authentic Christianity, which is marked by courtesy and kindness. In Testimonies for the Church we read, “Remember that you are never on vantage ground when you are ruffled, and when you carry the burden of setting right every soul who comes near you. If you yield to the temptation to criticize others, to point out their faults, to tear down what they are doing, you may be sure that you will fail to act your own part nobly and well.” (Testimonies Regarding the Spirit of Unity, 7, 1904). A critical, corrective spirit puts us at a disadvantage and ensures our own failure. Ancient sins repeat when hatred is allowed to prevail over love, but what is the divine force that makes a united community truly undefeatable?

WHAT DIVINE FORCE MAKES US UNDEFEATABLE ALWAYS?

The unity described in Psalm 133 is not a passive state but a divine force—the very life of the Godhead flowing through His body, the church. This force makes the community undefeatable because it is no longer merely human; it is the manifestation of Christ in the world, uniting diverse elements into harmonious action through His Spirit. When we are one as the Father and Son are one, we participate in the unconquerable life and love of the Trinity. This unity is our spiritual armor, our fortress, and our witness. “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21, KJV). The unity of the Godhead is both the model and the means for our unity, which in turn becomes the proof for the world. “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, KJV). This is an appeal for visible, practical unity in thought and word, stemming from devotion to Christ’s name. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3, KJV). The unity of the Spirit is a given; our task is to diligently preserve it, using peace as the binding agent. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” (Ephesians 4:4, KJV). The foundation is ontological: one body, infused by one Spirit, directed toward one hope. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13, KJV). The Spirit is the agent of incorporation and the common life-source we all share. “That ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27, KJV). Standing fast and striving together are military metaphors for a unified front in spiritual warfare.

The inspired pen reminds us, “We are all to respect one another’s talent; we are to harmonize in goodness, in unselfish thoughts and actions, because the Spirit of Christ, as the living, working agency, is circulating through the whole…. It is not striking actions that produce unity; it is the mold of the Holy Spirit upon the character.” (Letter 78, 1894). Unity is the result of the Spirit’s internal molding, producing harmony and mutual respect. Through inspired counsel we are told, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity grows in urgency as the crisis nears. Sr. White wrote, “We must have intelligence, and confidence to look to God and say, ‘We trust Thee, Our Saviour; and we will not be driven from our post of duty in order to gratify the enemy of the work.’ What we need is a right hold on God; and if we have this, we shall come off victorious. Let us ask Him to bind us together in unity of mind, in an understanding of His guidance; and then He can work for us wonderfully.” (Appeals for Unity, 4, 1914). Victory and wonderful divine working are conditional upon being bound together in unity of mind, which we must ask for. The inspired pen reminds us, “As a people we can not stand still. The work must grow as we move forward. We have now come to a time when there will be intensity of action on the part of some whose movements we do not now understand. How then shall we carry the work at such a time, when opportunities for advancement come unexpectedly and difficulties are constantly increasing?” (Appeals for Unity, 4, 1914). In times of intense action and challenge, the method is not clarified individual action, but united advance. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is an irresistible, mighty agency that validates our divine sonship and leads to completeness. A prophetic voice once wrote, “All must move like parts of a well-adjusted machinery, each part dependent on the other part, yet standing distinct in action. And each one is to take the place assigned him and do the work appointed him. God calls upon the members of His church to receive the Holy Spirit, to come together in unity and brotherly sympathy, to bind their interests together in love.” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). The functional, interdependent unity of the body is powered by the Holy Spirit and cemented by love. This divine force protects and empowers, but do we, individually and corporately, harbor the very baseless hatred that would neutralize this force?

DO WE HARBOR BASELESS HATRED IN OUR HEARTS NOW?

The probing question for every believer, especially in these last days, is this: Do we harbor Sinat Chinam? Is there a “distant feeling,” a withheld affection, a critical spirit, a sense of superiority toward another believer because of their background, their understanding, their past, or their level of maturity? Harboring this hatred endangers our spiritual survival as surely as it doomed ancient Jerusalem. It is the seed of division, the refusal of self-sacrifice, and the antithesis of the love that marks Christ’s disciples. We must search our hearts with the lamp of the Spirit, for this sin is often subtle, masquerading as discernment or zeal. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9, KJV). Love must be genuine, unhypocritical, and actively aligned with good. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.” (1 Peter 2:1, KJV). The Christian life begins with putting off these specific sins that destroy community. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31, KJV). This is not a suggestion but a command for decisive removal. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8, KJV). The old self is characterized by these; they must be stripped away. “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” (Proverbs 10:18, KJV). Concealed hatred and overt slander are both marks of folly. “The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.” (Psalm 36:3, KJV). The speech of the wicked is characterized by iniquity and deceit, a departure from wisdom and goodness.

Sr. White explains, “The graces of the Spirit of God work with hidden power in the transformation of character. The religion of Christ never will reveal a sour, coarse, and uncourteous action. Courtesy is a Bible virtue. The virtue of this grace of brotherly kindness characterized the life of Christ.” (Our High Calling, 229, 1961). A transformed character is courteous and kind; a sour, coarse demeanor betrays a lack of transformation. In Testimonies for the Church we read, “Remember that you are never on vantage ground when you are ruffled, and when you carry the burden of setting right every soul who comes near you. If you yield to the temptation to criticize others, to point out their faults, to tear down what they are doing, you may be sure that you will fail to act your own part nobly and well.” (Testimonies Regarding the Spirit of Unity, 7, 1904). A critical, corrective posture ensures personal failure; it is a losing position. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The soul is fed by the streams of pure love that flow from the heart of Christ, as a well-spring that never fails. O, how is the heart quickened, how are its motives ennobled, its affections deepened, by this communion! Under the education and discipline of the Holy Spirit, the children of God love one another, truly, sincerely, unaffectedly,—‘without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). Our capacity to love is nourished by continuous communion with Christ; it is the fruit of Holy Spirit education. A passage from Our Father Cares reminds us, “Our affection for one another springs from our common relation to God. We are one family, we love one another as He loved us.” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). The wellspring of mutual affection is our shared sonship, our common Father. The inspired pen reminds us, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The ultimate proof and purpose of regeneration is love-fueled unity that mirrors the Godhead. A passage from Sons and Daughters of God reminds us, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity is the necessary revelation of our invisible union with Christ. Hatred weakens the remnant from within, but what specific seed, often overlooked, plants the division that grows into full-blown hatred?

WHAT EVIL SEED PLANTS DIVISION AMONG US TODAY?

Ellen G. White identified the seed: “There is too distant a feeling manifested.” This “distant feeling”—emotional withdrawal, coldness, indifference, the refusal to engage as a “brother’s keeper”—is the genesis of Sinat Chinam. It is not yet overt hatred, but it is the soil in which hatred grows. This seed is planted whenever we prioritize our comfort, our correctness, or our clique over active, engaged love and responsibility toward others in the body. Christ calls us to replace this distance with proactive love, seeing needs and meeting them, seeing loneliness and filling it, seeing error and correcting it in meekness. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12, KJV). The Golden Rule is the active principle that defeats a distant feeling; it demands we project ourselves into the other’s place. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8, KJV). Love is a perpetual debt we owe to everyone, and paying this debt fulfills the whole law. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:14, KJV). The entire ethical code is condensed into active, self-regarding love for the neighbor. “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.” (James 2:8, KJV). This love is royal, supreme, and the measure of doing well. “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33, KJV). Love for God and neighbor outweighs all ritual observance in value. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10, KJV). Love, by its nature, refuses to harm the neighbor and thus actively fulfills the law’s intent.

The inspired pen reminds us, “Unless there is practical self-sacrifice for the good of others, in the family circle, in the neighborhood, in the church, and wherever we may be, then whatever our profession, we are not Christians. Christ has linked His interest with that of humanity, and He asks us to become one with Him for the saving of humanity. ‘Freely ye have received,’ He says, ‘freely give.’ Matthew 10:8. Sin is the greatest of all evils, and it is ours to pity and help the sinner.” (The Desire of Ages, 504, 1898). Practical self-sacrifice is the litmus test of genuine Christianity; without it, our profession is void. A passage from Steps to Christ reminds us, “Obedience—the service and allegiance of love—is the true sign of discipleship. Thus the Scripture says, ‘This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.’ ‘He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’ 1 John 5:3; 2:4. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.” (Steps to Christ, 60, 1892). Obedience born of love is the true mark, and this grace-enabled obedience necessarily includes the command to love one another. Sr. White wrote, “Christ’s love is deep and earnest, flowing like an irrepressible stream to all who will accept it. There is no selfishness in His love. If this heaven-born love is an abiding principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those we hold most dear in sacred relationship, but to all with whom we come in contact. It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to make concessions, to perform deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true, encouraging words. It will lead us to sympathize with those whose hearts hunger for sympathy.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 101, 1955). Christ’s love is irrepressible and practical, manifesting in small acts, concessions, kindness, and sympathy—the antithesis of a distant feeling. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” (Reflecting Christ, 221, 1985). Loving a brother is evidence of living in the light and provides stability against stumbling. The inspired pen reminds us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality…. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:10-13, 18, KJV). This comprehensive portrait of Christian living is saturated with active, preferring, hospitable love and a relentless pursuit of peace. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “Up to the day of his death, he urged upon believers the constant exercise of love for one another…. In the church of God today brotherly love is greatly lacking.” (The Upward Look, 366, 1982). The apostolic emphasis was constant love, a commodity now in short supply in the church. This seed of distance must be uprooted by active love, but how do the two great destructions compare, and what does that comparison teach us about the unique deadliness of hatred?

HOW DO THE TWO GREAT DESTRUCTIONS COMPARE NOW?

A comparison of the two destructions reveals a profound theological insight: horizontal sins against one another (baseless hatred) can be more spiritually debilitating and exile-prolonging than vertical sins against God (idolatry, etc.). The First Temple exile lasted 70 years; the Second Temple exile continues for nearly 2,000. This suggests that repairing relational breaches is in some ways more complex and lengthy than returning to doctrinal purity. The prophetic parallel for us is stark: the Laodicean church’s condition of lukewarm self-sufficiency may be less about overt idolatry and more about a coldness of heart, a lack of fervent love for God and neighbor—a modern Sinat Chinam. The remedy, therefore, is not merely more truth, but Ahavat Chinam—causeless, self-sacrificing love. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, KJV). The body metaphor itself teaches that our fundamental reality is interconnectedness in Christ. “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19, KJV). We are to be peace-pursuers and edification-builders, actively constructing unity. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 15:5, KJV). Likemindedness is a gift from God, patterned after Christ. “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:6, KJV). Unified worship is the goal and glory of a united community. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.” (1 Peter 3:8, KJV). Unity of mind produces compassion, brotherly love, pity, and courtesy. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” (1 Peter 1:22, KJV). Truth and Spirit purify for one purpose: to produce sincere, fervent brotherly love.

Sr. White wrote, “It may not appear to you now that it is necessary for us to secure so large a tract, but I am instructed that our work here must be carried forward on broad lines and in solid unity. That the will of the Lord may be done in this place, we must be in a position where we can understand His pleasure in regard to Note. Remarks by Mrs. E. G. White to those assembled at the annual meeting of the college of Medical Evangelists, Loma Linda Chapel, March 28, 1912.” (Appeals for Unity, 3, 1914). Understanding God’s will and doing His work on broad lines requires solid unity. In Testimonies for the Church we read, “I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The shaking is caused by the straight testimony, which some reject, leading to division. Through inspired counsel we are told, “As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will, under one pretext or another, go out from us.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Trials reveal true foundations, separating the unified from the disunited. The inspired pen reminds us, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. This comparison urges deep repentance and a turn to love, but how does the personal tale of the two mothers illuminate this abstract truth in our modern world?

WHAT TALE ILLUMINATES TRUTH IN OUR MODERN WORLD?

The friendship that formed between Shelly Shem-Tov, the secular interior designer from Herzliya, and Margalit Peretz, the ultra-Orthodox mother from Jerusalem, is a living epistle. Shelly’s life was one of modern, cultural Judaism; Margalit’s was governed by strict Torah observance. They represented polar opposites in Israeli society, everything the other was taught to mistrust. Their tale illuminates the transcendent power of a shared purpose—in this case, the safe return of a son—to dissolve seemingly impregnable barriers. While ideologies and theologies divide, shared humanity and shared crisis have a God-given power to unite. Their story shows that unity is not the eradication of difference, but the harnessing of diverse backgrounds toward a common, compassionate goal that reflects the heart of God. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, KJV). In Christ, earthly distinctions are transcended by a fundamental spiritual unity. “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” (1 Corinthians 12:25, KJV). The body’s health requires the prevention of schism through mutual care. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26, KJV). Empathy and shared joy are the natural reflexes of a healthy, unified body. “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Corinthians 12:27, KJV). Our individuality is preserved (“members in particular”) within our corporate identity as Christ’s body. “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16, KJV). Growth and edification happen only as every part, fitly joined, works effectively in love. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” (Hebrews 10:23, KJV). Holding fast our confession is linked to the communal exhortations that follow, implying unity strengthens our grip on faith.

The inspired pen reminds us, “No human being is to be the shadow of another human being. God’s servants are to labor together in a unity that blends mind with mind.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Unity is a blending of distinct minds, not the dominance of one. A passage from Living by Faith reminds us, “Read the Divine exhortation, ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.’ ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’ Phil. 2:3, 5. And similar to this is the admonition, ‘Let brotherly love continue.’ Heb. 13:1. What a blessed state of mind this must be; and what a heaven there would be on earth, if such a state of things only existed, even among those who profess the name of Christ.” (Living by Faith, n.p., 1890). The “mind of Christ” is specifically characterized by lowly, others-preferring esteem, which fuels continuing brotherly love. Sr. White wrote, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity is the necessary revelation of our invisible union with Christ and the Trinity. The inspired pen reminds us, “The church is made up of many minds, each of whom has an individuality.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Individuality is preserved within the unified body; it is not sacrificed. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The ultimate proof and purpose of regeneration is love-fueled unity that mirrors the Godhead. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). All labor finds its true end in the corporate perfection achieved through spiritual unity. The truth of unity shines through such personal stories, but what were the specific forces that divided these communities in the first place?

WHAT FORCES DIVIDE COMMUNITIES IN OUR WORLD NOW?

The secular and religious communities in Israel had been divided by decades of mutual contempt and mistrust. The secular viewed the religious as parasitic; the religious viewed the secular as corrupt. This is a microcosm of the forces that divide any community, including the church: pride, fear, misunderstanding, and a love for our own tribe that excludes the “other.” These divisions are often reinforced by cultural, generational, or doctrinal distinctives that become walls instead of windows. While diversity is God’s plan, tribalism is sin’s corruption of it. Christ breaks such barriers not by removing distinctions, but by pouring His love into our hearts, enabling us to see beyond the label to the person, the soul for whom He died. “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Ephesians 2:14, KJV). Christ Himself is our peace and the active agent who destroys divisive walls. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1, KJV). Communication style is a primary tool for either dismantling or erecting barriers. “The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.” (Ecclesiastes 9:17, KJV). Wisdom communicates quietly and persuasively, overcoming the divisive noise of folly. “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19, KJV). The discipline of listening and restraining speech and anger is a primary defense against division. “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” (Proverbs 15:18, KJV). Anger is an agitator; patience is a peacemaker. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32, KJV). The greatest conquest is self-conquest, which is the foundation of peaceable relations.

Sr. White explains, “The secular and religious communities in Israel often view each other with barely concealed contempt. The secular see the religious as ‘parasites’ who do not serve in the army and live off state subsidies; the religious see the secular as ‘Hellenizers’ who have abandoned the covenant and corrupted the land. This mutual mistrust has poisoned Israeli society for decades, creating exactly the kind of baseless hatred that our Sages warned would bring destruction. It is a modern civil war fought not with swords, but with sneers and legislation.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). This diagnosis applies perfectly to factions within Christianity that view each other with contempt over issues of practice, tradition, or interpretation. Through inspired counsel we are told, “We see its ministers establishing points of contact with those outside the Church, opening up a new era of brotherly love, and unfolding fresh aspects of social duty, thus gaining for the Church a degree of authority and a measure of respect which raise it far above all other religious denominations and assure it in the future a position the importance of which it would now be difficult to gauge.” (The Present Truth, January 24, 1895). Proactive brotherly love and social duty establish credibility and authority for the church. The inspired pen reminds us, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). Tenderness, love, and compassion are daily lessons in Christ’s school, essential for efficiency. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another—this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power.” (Reflecting Christ, 234, 1985). This love is the supreme gift, a stable divine principle, in contrast to the volatile impulses of division. A prophetic voice once wrote, “This redeeming power, filling the heart, would control every other motive and raise its possessors above the corrupting influences of the world. And as this love was allowed full sway and became the motive power in the life, their trust and confidence in God and His dealing with them would be complete.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 551, 1911). Love is a redeeming, controlling, elevating power that leads to complete trust in God. The inspired pen reminds us, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is proof of divine parentage and participation in the divine nature, leading to completeness in Christ. Communities divide when this love is absent, but how does a moment of supreme crisis change the calculus of these divisions?

HOW DOES CRISIS CHANGE EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES?

October 7th changed everything. When Hamas terrorists invaded, the existential threat of pure, unadulterated evil stripped away the luxury of internal division. The minor differences between “religious” and “secular” vanished in the face of a common enemy who made no such distinctions. Crisis has a divine permission to reveal the folly of our petty strife and to compel a recognition of our shared humanity and shared destiny. While in times of peace we can afford our factions, in times of peril we are forced to remember that we are one body, and an attack on one is an attack on all. This principle has a direct spiritual analogue: as the end-time crisis approaches, the people of God must allow the looming spiritual conflict to dissolve their internal divisions, recognizing that their true enemy is not a brother with a different viewpoint, but the dragon who seeks to devour. “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.” (Psalm 18:6, KJV). Distress drives us to a common Lord, whose hearing transcends our divisions. “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1, KJV). Collective return to the Lord is the path to healing from the wounds that divide us. “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7, KJV). In trouble, the Lord is a shared stronghold for all who trust, regardless of their tribe. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, KJV). God as our common refuge makes us family in the storm. “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.” (Psalm 138:7, KJV). Individual assurance in crisis is part of the corporate experience of God’s saving hand. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, KJV). Christ’s overcoming victory is the basis for our shared peace in shared tribulation.

The inspired pen reminds us, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the responses of a disunited spirit. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The enemy’s unified front demands a corresponding unity on our side; his strategy to divide us must be resisted. Sr. White wrote, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts, especially in crisis. The inspired pen reminds us, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV). The indwelling Spirit makes us God’s temple, a holy space requiring unity, especially under attack. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Crisis unites against a common evil, but what specific act of kindness embodies this unifying principle in the midst of the storm?

WHAT ACT OF KINDNESS ADOPTS THE OTHER IN CRISIS?

Margalit’s family did not judge Shelly; they “adopted” Omer as their own. They set a place for him at their Shabbat table, prayed for him by name, and made his safe return a family concern. This act of inclusion—treating a stranger’s child as one’s own—is a powerful embodiment of family-like love that actively heals division. While the world’s kindness often stops at the border of tribe or belief, Christ-like love leaps over those walls and builds a table in enemy territory, inviting the other in. This religious act of inclusion is true religion, undefiled before God. It repairs the breach by refusing to hide from one’s own flesh. “And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?” (Matthew 5:47, KJV). Our love must exceed cultural norms, reaching beyond our immediate circle. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27, KJV). True religion is practical care for the vulnerable and personal purity. “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17, KJV). Withholding practical compassion from a brother in need calls into question the indwelling of God’s love. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18, KJV). Love must be incarnated in action and truthfulness. “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” (1 John 3:19, KJV). Assurance of our standing in truth comes from this practical love. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” (1 John 3:20, KJV). If our hearts convict us of lovelessness, we must appeal to God’s greater knowledge and seek His transforming grace.

Sr. White wrote, “Christ’s love is deep and earnest, flowing like an irrepressible stream to all who will accept it. There is no selfishness in His love. If this heaven-born love is an abiding principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those we hold most dear in sacred relationship, but to all with whom we come in contact. It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to make concessions, to perform deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true, encouraging words. It will lead us to sympathize with those whose hearts hunger for sympathy.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 101, 1955). Christ’s love is irrepressible and practical, manifesting in small acts, concessions, kindness, and sympathy. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” (Reflecting Christ, 221, 1985). Loving a brother is evidence of living in the light and provides stability against stumbling. The inspired pen reminds us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality…. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:10-13, 18, KJV). This comprehensive portrait of Christian living is saturated with active, preferring, hospitable love and a relentless pursuit of peace. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “Up to the day of his death, he urged upon believers the constant exercise of love for one another…. In the church of God today brotherly love is greatly lacking.” (The Upward Look, 366, 1982). The apostolic emphasis was constant love, a commodity now in short supply in the church. Sr. White explains, “The soul is fed by the streams of pure love that flow from the heart of Christ, as a well-spring that never fails. O, how is the heart quickened, how are its motives ennobled, its affections deepened, by this communion! Under the education and discipline of the Holy Spirit, the children of God love one another, truly, sincerely, unaffectedly,—‘without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). Our capacity to love is nourished by continuous communion with Christ; it is the fruit of Holy Spirit education. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Our affection for one another springs from our common relation to God. We are one family, we love one another as He loved us.” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). The wellspring of mutual affection is our shared sonship, our common Father. Such adoption forges deep bonds, but how does kindness actively form and strengthen connection in times of need?

HOW DOES KINDNESS FORM CONNECTION IN TIMES OF NEED?

Margalit’s children began asking daily about “their” Omer, planning for his return celebration. This connection, formed through acts of kindness and sustained prayer, transformed a abstract hostage into a beloved family member. Connection in times of need is forged when kindness moves from a single act to a sustained posture, creating bonds of shared hope and mutual investment. While a one-time gift can be impersonal, consistent prayer and inclusion build a relational bridge that carries the weight of real kinship. Christ models this by His persistent intercession for us and His command that we bear one another’s burdens continually. This connection deepens empathy and makes the other’s suffering our own. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” (Hebrews 10:24, KJV). We are to thoughtfully provoke each other toward love and good deeds, an active, stimulating connection. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15, KJV). Shared emotional experience is a profound form of connection, breaking down isolation. “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:13, KJV). Meeting practical needs and offering hospitality are concrete connectors. “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” (1 Peter 4:9, KJV). Hospitality is to be generous and uncomplaining, a warm connector. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2, KJV). Kindness to strangers holds divine potential and forges unexpected connections. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.” (Luke 10:33, KJV). The parable’s hero is defined by seeing and having compassion, which leads to costly, connecting care.

The inspired pen reminds us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality…. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:10-13, 18, KJV). This comprehensive portrait of Christian living is saturated with active, preferring, hospitable love and a relentless pursuit of peace. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “Up to the day of his death, he urged upon believers the constant exercise of love for one another…. In the church of God today brotherly love is greatly lacking.” (The Upward Look, 366, 1982). The apostolic emphasis was constant love, a commodity now in short supply in the church. Sr. White wrote, “The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.” (The Adventist Home, 15, 1952). Deep connection through love is a tangible experience of heaven on earth. The inspired pen reminds us, “The soul is fed by the streams of pure love that flow from the heart of Christ, as a well-spring that never fails. O, how is the heart quickened, how are its motives ennobled, its affections deepened, by this communion! Under the education and discipline of the Holy Spirit, the children of God love one another, truly, sincerely, unaffectedly,—‘without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). Our capacity to love and connect is nourished by continuous communion with Christ. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Our affection for one another springs from our common relation to God. We are one family, we love one another as He loved us.” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). The wellspring of mutual affection and connection is our shared sonship. A passage from The Adventist Home reminds us, “The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.” (The Adventist Home, 15, 1952). Deep connection through love is a tangible experience of heaven on earth. These connections deepen in shared hope, but what is the spark that makes such a relationship electric when the individuals finally meet?

WHAT SPARK MAKES RELATIONSHIP ELECTRIC IN CRISIS?

When Shelly and Margalit finally met, the connection was immediate and electric. Shelly was overwhelmed to learn that this religious woman, whom she might have once avoided, was praying for her son with the intensity of a blood relative. That spark is the ignition of unconditional love meeting profound need, the recognition that behind the label is a heart capable of immense, selfless love. While prejudice expects coldness or judgment, overcoming it through unexpected hospitality and prayer generates a powerful current of trust and gratitude. This electric moment is a foretaste of the reconciliation that will characterize the kingdom of God, where former enemies embrace as family. It is the spark of the divine nature leaping the gap between human hearts. “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” (1 Peter 4:9, KJV). Grudging hospitality quenches sparks; generous hospitality kindles them. “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3, KJV). The spark is not the magnitude of the sacrifice, but the presence of love. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” (1 Corinthians 13:4, KJV). The nature of love is patient, kind, and humble—the qualities that create a safe space for connection. “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” (1 Corinthians 13:5, KJV). Love is courteous, selfless, calm, and trusting—the antithesis of what creates relational static. “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:6, KJV). Love aligns with truth and righteousness, providing a solid foundation for relationship. “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7, KJV). Love is resilient, trusting, hopeful, and persevering—the glue that holds connection through crisis.

Sr. White explains, “The soul is fed by the streams of pure love that flow from the heart of Christ, as a well-spring that never fails. O, how is the heart quickened, how are its motives ennobled, its affections deepened, by this communion! Under the education and discipline of the Holy Spirit, the children of God love one another, truly, sincerely, unaffectedly,—‘without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). The electric spark is fed by the continuous flow of Christ’s love through us, educated by the Spirit. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Our affection for one another springs from our common relation to God. We are one family, we love one another as He loved us.” (Our Father Cares, 92, 1991). The spark is the recognition of this shared family identity. The inspired pen reminds us, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The electric connection is a powerful evidence of regeneration and a participation in the oneness of the Godhead. A passage from The Adventist Home reminds us, “The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.” (The Adventist Home, 15, 1952). The spark is the warmth of heavenly friendship breaking into a cold world. Sr. White wrote, “True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested.” (Letters to Young Lovers, 147, 1983). The electric spark, if it is true love, is not a fleeting impulse but a holy principle that will endure. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Love is a plant of heavenly growth, and it must be fostered and nourished. Affectionate hearts, truthful, loving words, will make happy families and exert an elevating influence upon all who come within the sphere of their influence.” (Letters to Young Lovers, 153, 1983). The spark must be nurtured into a growing plant through affectionate hearts and truthful words. These electric bonds have power to heal deep wounds, but how does a relationship move from a spark to a sustained, deepening connection?

HOW DOES SHARING DEEPEN RELATIONSHIP IN TIMES OF SORROW?

The relationship deepened as the families began meeting regularly, celebrating holidays, and sharing their deepest fears and hopes. They became sisters in sorrow. Relationships deepen through the regular, vulnerable sharing of life—its joys and its griefs. While a crisis-forged bond can be intense, it is sustained and matured through intentional, ongoing fellowship and mutual vulnerability. Christ fosters such bonds by commanding us to bear one another’s burdens and by modeling a life of transparent relationship with His disciples. This deepening is the process by which “acquaintances” become “family,” and it is essential for the health of the spiritual body. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.” (1 Peter 3:8, KJV). Unity of mind produces compassion, brotherly love, pity, and courtesy—all deepened through sharing. “Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.” (Proverbs 8:31, KJV). Divine wisdom itself delights in intimate relationship with humanity, a model for our delight in each other. “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17, KJV). True friendship and brotherhood are proven and deepened in times of trouble through steadfast love. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17, KJV). Deep relationship involves mutual sharpening, challenging, and improving one another. “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.” (Proverbs 27:9, KJV). The heartfelt counsel of a friend is like a delightful fragrance, deepening trust and joy. “Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.” (Proverbs 27:10, KJV). Loyalty to friends and reliance on nearby neighbors in crisis are valued, emphasizing the depth of proximate, supportive relationships.

The inspired pen reminds us, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Deepening relationships are part of this manifest evidence and participate in the divine oneness. A passage from The Adventist Home reminds us, “The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.” (The Adventist Home, 15, 1952). The deepening warmth of friendship is a genuine taste of eternity. Sr. White wrote, “True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested.” (Letters to Young Lovers, 147, 1983). Deepening love is a principle, not an impulse, able to withstand testing. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Love is a plant of heavenly growth, and it must be fostered and nourished. Affectionate hearts, truthful, loving words, will make happy families and exert an elevating influence upon all who come within the sphere of their influence.” (Letters to Young Lovers, 153, 1983). Deepening requires active fostering through affection and truthful communication. The inspired pen reminds us, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our deepening relationships are the visible fruit of our invisible union with Christ. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). Deepening relationships contribute to the perfecting of the whole body through spiritual unity. Deepened relationships transcend mere friendship, participating in a divine unity, but what overarching principle allows such diverse individuals to unite in this way?

WHAT PRINCIPLE UNITES DIVERSITY IN GOD’S KINGDOM?

Margalit discovered that secular Jews possessed “a very strong Jewish spark.” Shelly learned that religious Jews were capable of profound love without religious conditions. Their shared purpose—the safe return of Omer and the survival of their people—united their diversity into harmonious action. This principle is God’s own plan: unity in diversity. The natural world and the body of Christ both demonstrate that diverse elements, when linked to a common center and purpose, create a beautiful, powerful whole. While uniformity stifles, unity in diversity under Christ releases the full spectrum of God-given gifts for the building of His kingdom. The Spirit of God is the harmonizing agent, working in and through the different parts to produce coordinated action for a glorious end. “But now are they many members, yet but one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:20, KJV). The manyness and the oneness coexist; diversity is integral to the body’s unity. “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office.” (Romans 12:4, KJV). Different functions are assigned to different members within the one body. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:5, KJV). Our mutual membership in each other is the connective tissue of the diverse body. “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.” (Romans 12:6, KJV). Different gifts, graciously given, are to be exercised within the measure of faith. “Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching.” (Romans 12:7, KJV). Each diverse gift finds its expression in dedicated service. “Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:8, KJV). The diverse functions are to be carried out with their appropriate, God-honoring attitudes.

Sr. White wrote, “It is seldom that two persons will view and express truth in the very same way. Each dwells on particular points which his constitution and education have fitted him to appreciate. The sunlight falling upon the different objects gives those objects a different hue.” (Selected Messages Book 1, 22, 1958). Different perspectives are not flaws but facets reflecting the same light. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Each has an experience of his own, and this diversity broadens and deepens the knowledge that is brought out to meet the necessities of varied minds. The thoughts expressed have not a set uniformity, as if cast in an iron mold, making the very hearing monotonous. In such uniformity there would be a loss of grace and distinctive beauty.” (Selected Messages Book 1, 22, 1958). Diversity of experience enriches the collective understanding and preserves grace and beauty. The inspired pen reminds us, “Unity in diversity is God’s plan. … One is fitted to do a certain work, another has a different work for which he is adapted, another has a still different line; but each is to be the complement of the others…. The Spirit of God, working in and through the diverse elements, will produce harmony of action…. There is to be only one master spirit—the Spirit of Him who is infinite in wisdom, and in whom all the diverse elements meet in beautiful, matchless unity….” (Our High Calling, 169, 1961). Diversity is by design, with each part complementing the others, harmonized by the one Master Spirit. A passage from Patriarchs and Prophets we read, “The history of the great conflict between good and evil, from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God’s unchanging love.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, 33, 1890). The cosmic story itself demonstrates that God’s unifying love triumphs over divisive rebellion. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is an irresistible agency proving our divine sonship and leading to completeness. A prophetic voice once wrote, “All must move like parts of a well-adjusted machinery, each part dependent on the other part, yet standing distinct in action. And each one is to take the place assigned him and do the work appointed him. God calls upon the members of His church to receive the Holy Spirit, to come together in unity and brotherly sympathy, to bind their interests together in love.” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). The functional, interdependent unity of the body is powered by the Holy Spirit and cemented by love. Unity in diversity builds Christ’s kingdom, but how does the metaphor of the body teach us about our interconnected responsibility?

HOW DOES BODY METAPHOR TEACH INTERCONNECTION TODAY?

The Sages teach that the Jewish people are like a single body—when one limb is injured, the whole body feels pain. When Margalit opened her home to Shelly, she was not helping a stranger but caring for her own extended family. The body metaphor, used repeatedly in the New Testament, teaches organic interconnection and mutual responsibility. Christ, as the Head, unites the body and ensures that empathy and care flow from Him through each member to the others. While the world promotes individualism, the desert of Scripture reveals that we are wired for interdependence; my well-being is tied to yours, and your pain is my pain. This understanding kills indifference and fuels compassionate action. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26, KJV). Shared suffering and rejoicing are the innate reflexes of a healthy body. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1, KJV). Strength in the body is defined by its capacity and willingness to shoulder weakness. “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” (Romans 15:2, KJV). Pleasing others is not about flattery but seeking their good and building them up. “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” (Romans 15:3, KJV). Christ is the ultimate model of selflessness, bearing reproach for others. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4, KJV). Scripture teaches us patience and comfort, which equip us for hopeful, unified living. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 15:5, KJV). Likemindedness is a gift from the God of patience, patterned after Christ.

The inspired pen reminds us, “The church is made up of many minds, each of whom has an individuality.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Individuality is preserved within the unified body; it is not sacrificed. A passage from Mind, Character, and Personality reminds us, “The Little Acts Which Reveal True Love—Love can no more exist without revealing itself in outward acts than fire can be kept alive without fuel. You, Brother C, have felt that it was beneath your dignity to manifest tenderness by kindly acts and to watch for an opportunity to evince affection for your wife by words of tenderness and kind regard.” (Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 211, 1977). Love necessarily manifests in small, tender acts; withholding them is a failure of love. Sr. White wrote, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity and brotherly love are the necessary revelation of our invisible union with Christ. The inspired pen reminds us, “No human being is to be the shadow of another human being. God’s servants are to labor together in a unity that blends mind with mind.” (The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, 143, 1994). Unity is a blending of distinct minds, not the erasure of one by another. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The ultimate proof and purpose of regeneration is love-fueled unity that mirrors the Godhead. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). All labor finds its true end in the corporate perfection achieved through spiritual unity. This body unity is God’s design for healing shared pain, but what principle articulates how this unity is to be practically achieved amidst our diversity?

WHAT PRINCIPLE ARTICULATES UNITY IN DIVERSITY NOW?

Ellen G. White articulates the principle: “Unity, With Diverse Dispositions. You have not all the same stamp of character, and each will be inclined to think that the work must be molded according to his own ideas and views. Each worker is to use his God-given ability to the utmost for the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom on the earth. Be sure to pray and counsel together before laying your plans, and then, in the Spirit of Christ, push the work unitedly.” (Manuscript Releases, Vol. 11, 26). The principle is this: diversity of disposition is acknowledged, but it is subordinated to collective prayer, counsel, and united action in the Spirit of Christ. While our different “stamps” might pull us toward individualistic plans, the discipline of praying and counseling together aligns us with God’s will and forges a common front. This unity in pushing the work is the secret of effectiveness and power. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:18, KJV). Persistent, Spirit-led prayer for all saints is foundational to maintaining unity. “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9, KJV). Partnership yields better results than solo labor. “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:10, KJV). Mutual support is a safety net in times of failure. “Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:11, KJV). Companionship provides warmth and comfort. “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, KJV). Unified resistance is strong; a threefold cord (perhaps invoking the Trinity) is unbreakable. “Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.” (Ecclesiastes 4:13, KJV). Wisdom and openness to counsel are valued over entrenched, foolish authority.

Sr. White wrote, “We must have intelligence, and confidence to look to God and say, ‘We trust Thee, Our Saviour; and we will not be driven from our post of duty in order to gratify the enemy of the work.’ What we need is a right hold on God; and if we have this, we shall come off victorious. Let us ask Him to bind us together in unity of mind, in an understanding of His guidance; and then He can work for us wonderfully.” (Appeals for Unity, 4, 1914). Victory and God’s wonderful working are conditional upon being bound together in unity of mind—a unity we must ask for. The inspired pen reminds us, “As a people we can not stand still. The work must grow as we move forward. We have now come to a time when there will be intensity of action on the part of some whose movements we do not now understand. How then shall we carry the work at such a time, when opportunities for advancement come unexpectedly and difficulties are constantly increasing?” (Appeals for Unity, 4, 1914). In times of intense action and challenge, the method is not clarified individual action, but united advance. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is an irresistible, mighty agency that validates our divine sonship and leads to completeness. A prophetic voice once wrote, “All must move like parts of a well-adjusted machinery, each part dependent on the other part, yet standing distinct in action. And each one is to take the place assigned him and do the work appointed him. God calls upon the members of His church to receive the Holy Spirit, to come together in unity and brotherly sympathy, to bind their interests together in love.” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). The functional, interdependent unity of the body is powered by the Holy Spirit and cemented by love. The inspired pen reminds us, “Unity in diversity is God’s plan. … One is fitted to do a certain work, another has a different work for which he is adapted, another has a still different line; but each is to be the complement of the others…. The Spirit of God, working in and through the diverse elements, will produce harmony of action…. There is to be only one master spirit—the Spirit of Him who is infinite in wisdom, and in whom all the diverse elements meet in beautiful, matchless unity….” (Our High Calling, 169, 1961). Diversity is by design, with each part complementing the others, harmonized by the one Master Spirit. A passage from Patriarchs and Prophets we read, “The history of the great conflict between good and evil, from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God’s unchanging love.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, 33, 1890). The cosmic story itself demonstrates that God’s unifying love triumphs over divisive rebellion. This principle guides the work forward, but what is the specific, divine antidote to the poison of baseless hatred?

WHAT ANTIDOTE COUNTERS HATRED IN OUR HEARTS TODAY?

The Sages identified love as the only effective antidote to baseless hatred. Rabbi Akiva called “Love thy neighbor as thyself” the great principle of the Torah because Jewish survival depends on it. This love is not sentimental but strategic and theological: it recognizes our fundamental interconnectedness and acts to preserve it. For us, this love is the Ahavat Chinam—causeless love—that mirrors God’s own causeless love for us. It is the fulfilling of the law and the only force that can repair what hatred has destroyed. This love is the practical outworking of our connection to the Godhead, for God is love, and as we abide in Him, His love flows through us to our brother. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34, KJV). The command is new in its scope and standard—Christ’s own self-sacrificing love. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” (1 John 4:7, KJV). The capacity to love is evidence of divine birth and knowledge. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8, KJV). The absence of love is proof of not knowing God, whose essential nature is love. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9, KJV). The supreme manifestation of God’s love is the gift of His Son for our life. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10, KJV). God’s love is initiatory, unconditional, and redeeming. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11, KJV). Our obligation to love each other is rooted in and proportional to God’s love for us.

Sr. White wrote, “Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another—this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power.” (Reflecting Christ, 234, 1985). This love is the supreme gift, a stable divine principle, in contrast to the volatile impulse of hatred. Through inspired counsel we are told, “This redeeming power, filling the heart, would control every other motive and raise its possessors above the corrupting influences of the world. And as this love was allowed full sway and became the motive power in the life, their trust and confidence in God and His dealing with them would be complete.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 551, 1911). Love is a redeeming, controlling, elevating power that leads to complete trust in God. The inspired pen reminds us, “Christian unity is a mighty agency. It tells in a powerful manner that those who possess it are children of God. It has an irresistible influence upon the world, showing that man in his humanity may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to be one with our fellow men and with Christ, and in Christ one with God. Then of us can be spoken the words, ‘Ye are complete in Him.’” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). Unity is proof of divine parentage and participation in the divine nature, leading to completeness in Christ. A prophetic voice once wrote, “All must move like parts of a well-adjusted machinery, each part dependent on the other part, yet standing distinct in action. And each one is to take the place assigned him and do the work appointed him. God calls upon the members of His church to receive the Holy Spirit, to come together in unity and brotherly sympathy, to bind their interests together in love.” (My Life Today, 276, 1952). The functional, interdependent unity of the body is powered by the Holy Spirit and cemented by love. The inspired pen reminds us, “Unity in diversity is God’s plan. … One is fitted to do a certain work, another has a different work for which he is adapted, another has a still different line; but each is to be the complement of the others…. The Spirit of God, working in and through the diverse elements, will produce harmony of action…. There is to be only one master spirit—the Spirit of Him who is infinite in wisdom, and in whom all the diverse elements meet in beautiful, matchless unity….” (Our High Calling, 169, 1961). Diversity is by design, with each part complementing the others, harmonized by the one Master Spirit. A passage from Patriarchs and Prophets we read, “The history of the great conflict between good and evil, from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God’s unchanging love.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, 33, 1890). The cosmic story itself demonstrates that God’s unifying love triumphs over divisive rebellion. This love ensures survival, but what profound implication is embedded in the command to love our neighbor “as ourselves”?

WHAT IMPLIES SELF-RECOGNITION IN THE NEIGHBOR ALWAYS?

To love a neighbor “as yourself” implies a radical recognition: the neighbor is yourself. You are part of the same organism, the same body. If your hand is injured, your other hand does not remain indifferent; it immediately moves to comfort and aid. This is the organic unity of the people of God—a unity so profound that the welfare of the other is inseparable from your own. This self-recognition in the neighbor is the foundation of all true ethics and the fulfillment of the law, for it treats the other not as an object but as an extension of one’s own being in Christ. While the world teaches self-preservation, Christ teaches that in losing ourselves in love for the other, we find our true life and identity as part of His body. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39, KJV). The command assumes a healthy self-love as the measure for love of neighbor. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16, KJV). The ultimate standard of love is Christ’s self-sacrifice, which we are obliged to imitate for our brothers. “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17, KJV). Withholding practical compassion from a brother in need calls into question the indwelling of God’s love. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18, KJV). Love must be incarnated in action and truthfulness. “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” (1 John 3:19, KJV). Assurance of our standing in truth comes from this practical love. “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 4:21, KJV). Love for God and love for brother are inseparable commandments.

The inspired pen reminds us, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity and brotherly love are the necessary revelation of our invisible union with Christ. A passage from The Review and Herald reminds us, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). Tenderness, love, and compassion are daily lessons in Christ’s school, essential for efficiency. Sr. White wrote, “True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested.” (Letters to Young Lovers, 147, 1983). The love that sees self in the other is a holy principle, not a fleeting impulse. Through inspired counsel we are told, “Love is a plant of heavenly growth, and it must be fostered and nourished. Affectionate hearts, truthful, loving words, will make happy families and exert an elevating influence upon all who come within the sphere of their influence.” (Letters to Young Lovers, 153, 1983). This love must be nurtured through affection and truthful words. The inspired pen reminds us, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity and brotherly love are the necessary revelation of our invisible union with Christ. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). All labor finds its true end in the corporate perfection achieved through spiritual unity. This self-recognition fosters genuine care, but what was the prerequisite for receiving God’s revelation at Sinai, and what does that teach us?

WHAT PREREQUISITE RECEIVES REVELATION FROM GOD ABOVE?

The Sages tell us that at Mount Sinai, the Israelites were “like one person with one heart.” This unity was the prerequisite for receiving the Torah. They could not receive God’s law while divided. This profound truth reveals that divine revelation and blessing flow most fully to a united people. Division creates static on the line of communication between heaven and earth; unity clears the channel. For us, this means that if we desire to understand deeper truths, to receive the latter rain, to be empowered for the final work, we must first attend to the unity of the Spirit among us. Our doctrinal clarity and prophetic insight are dependent upon our relational harmony. “And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.” (Exodus 19:8, KJV). The unified response of the people preceded the formal giving of the law. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 2:1, KJV). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon a company united in place and purpose. “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” (Acts 2:2, KJV). The divine manifestation filled the space occupied by the united believers. “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” (Acts 2:3, KJV). The Spirit’s empowerment came individually upon each member of the united group. “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4, KJV). The fullness of the Spirit and empowered speech were given to all in that unified setting. “Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.” (Acts 2:5, KJV). The result of this unity and empowerment was a witness to a diverse, global audience.

Sr. White wrote, “The Lord gave His Word in just the way He wanted it to come. He gave it through different writers, each having his own individuality, though going over the same history. Their testimonies are brought together in one Book, and [p. 22] are like the testimonies in a social meeting.” (Selected Messages Book 1, 21, 1958). The unified Word itself came through diverse individuals, harmonized by the Spirit. Through inspired counsel we are told, “It is not the opposition of the world that most endangers the church of Christ. It is the evil cherished in the hearts of believers that works their most grievous disaster and most surely retards the progress of God’s cause. There is no surer way to weaken spirituality than by cherishing envy, suspicion, faultfinding, and evil surmising.” (The Acts of the Apostles, 549, 1911). Internal evil—disunity—is a greater danger than external opposition. The inspired pen reminds us, “He was the Prince of glory, but He had such an interest in our world that He left His riches, and came to this earth to live a life that should be an example to rich and poor alike. He taught that all should come together in love and unity, to work as He worked, to sacrifice as He sacrificed, to love as the children of God.” (Testimonies to the Church Regarding Individual Responsibility and Christian Unity, 7, 1904). Christ’s example and teaching centrally feature coming together in love and unity. A passage from The Review and Herald reminds us, “The world is seeking for those things that perish with the using; its diligence and activity are not exerted to obtain the salvation gained through the imparted righteousness of Christ. At such a time as this, should professing Christians be indifferent to the needs of those who are perishing in their sins?” (Testimonies to the Church Regarding Individual Responsibility and Christian Unity, 4, 1904). In a dying world, our unity and active love are critical to our mission. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates in direct proportion to our proximity to the final crisis. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Survival of the shaking is conditional upon living out Christ’s prayer for unity. Unity, therefore, is the prerequisite for receiving God’s power and standing in the final test, but what happens when this truth is forgotten, and how does that forgotten truth metastasize?

WHAT EVIL METASTASIZES INTO VULNERABILITY NOW?

The destruction of the Second Temple occurred because the people forgot the truth of their organic unity. They allowed political disputes, religious disagreements, and social tensions to metastasize into baseless hatred, which made them spiritually vulnerable to Roman conquest. Forgetting that our survival depends on the unbreakable bonds of love allows minor disputes to become major divisions, and major divisions to become fatal wounds. Christ calls us to constant remembrance of love’s primacy, for when we forget our first love for Him and for each other, we open the door to every other evil. This forgotten truth, if not repented of, leads to the removal of our lampstand—our identity and mission as God’s light-bearers. “But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love.” (Revelation 2:4, KJV). The primary indictment against a church can be the loss of its initial, fervent love. “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” (Revelation 2:5, KJV). The remedy is remembrance, repentance, and a return to the works that flow from first love. “Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5, KJV). Unrepented loss of love results in the removal of Christ’s presence and witness. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.” (Revelation 2:6, KJV). Hatred of evil deeds is commended, but it does not compensate for a loss of positive, fervent love. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7, KJV). The promise to overcomers is intimate fellowship with God, which is the fruit of sustained love. “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, KJV). Faithfulness through trial, rooted in love, leads to the crown of life.

The inspired pen reminds us, “He was the Prince of glory, but He had such an interest in our world that He left His riches, and came to this earth to live a life that should be an example to rich and poor alike. He taught that all should come together in love and unity, to work as He worked, to sacrifice as He sacrificed, to love as the children of God.” (Testimonies to the Church Regarding Individual Responsibility and Christian Unity, 7, 1904). Christ’s example and teaching centrally feature coming together in love and unity. A passage from The Review and Herald reminds us, “The world is seeking for those things that perish with the using; its diligence and activity are not exerted to obtain the salvation gained through the imparted righteousness of Christ. At such a time as this, should professing Christians be indifferent to the needs of those who are perishing in their sins?” (Testimonies to the Church Regarding Individual Responsibility and Christian Unity, 4, 1904). In a dying world, our unity and active love are critical to our mission. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates in direct proportion to our proximity to the final crisis. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Survival of the shaking is conditional upon living out Christ’s prayer for unity. The inspired pen reminds us, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the responses of a disunited spirit. A passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The enemy’s unified front demands a corresponding unity on our side; his strategy to divide us must be resisted. Forgotten bonds of love lead to destruction, but in a tragic irony, who often understands the theology of God’s united people better than the divided people themselves?

HOW DO ENEMIES UNDERSTAND UNITY BETTER THAN WE DO?

E.J. Waggoner linked brotherly love directly to keeping the commandments, understanding that Sinat Chinam is incompatible with the “mind of Christ.” He noted that what a heaven it would be if such love existed among professing Christians. Today’s enemies often understand this theology better than we do. Hamas made no distinction between religious and secular Jews on October 7th; they murdered and kidnapped indiscriminately. In their eyes, God’s people are one people. It is a tragic irony that the enemies of God often have a clearer operational theology of God’s people than the people themselves. Their undivided targeting should reveal our internal factions as not just unfortunate, but blind to spiritual reality. While we fracture over minor points, the enemy sees a single entity to be destroyed. This should shock us into realizing that our disunity is a denial of our own God-given identity. “For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.” (Psalm 143:3, KJV). The enemy attacks the soul and life of the individual believer. “Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man.” (Psalm 140:1, KJV). The prayer is for deliverance from violent, evil men. “Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.” (Psalm 140:2, KJV). The enemy is characterized by evil plotting and unified gathering for war. “They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.” (Psalm 140:3, KJV). Their speech is venomous and deadly. “Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.” (Psalm 140:4, KJV). The wicked are unified in purpose to overthrow the righteous. “The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.” (Psalm 140:5, KJV). The enemy works with cunning and traps, often unseen.

Sr. White wrote, “Today’s enemies understand what we often forget. Hamas did not distinguish between religious and secular Jews when they invaded Israeli communities on October 7th. They murdered anyone they could with equal brutality. They kidnapped the children of rabbis and the children of atheists. In their eyes, we are one people. It is a tragic irony that the enemies of God often have a clearer theology of God’s people than the people themselves.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The enemy’s indiscriminate hatred should teach us our fundamental oneness. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The friendship between Shelly and Margalit points toward the restoration that must come. When religious Jews pray for secular hostages as if they were their own children, when secular Jews begin keeping Shabbat after experiencing religious hospitality, when artificial barriers dissolve in the face of shared crisis and shared hope, we glimpse what the Third Temple will look like when it is rebuilt. It will not be built of stones quarried from the earth, but of ‘lively stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) quarried from the quarry of humanity, cemented together by the mortar of Ahavat Chinam—causeless love.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The modern story points to the spiritual temple built of people unified by causeless love. The inspired pen reminds us, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. The enemy’s understanding should compel us to unity, but what power actually rebuilds the true temple in our hearts today?

WHAT POWER REBUILDS THE TEMPLE IN OUR HEARTS NOW?

The temple is rebuilt by Ahavat Chinam—causeless love. This love repairs the destruction wrought by hatred. It is not a forced uniformity imposed by authority, but a voluntary unity that emerges when we recognize the divine image in everyone. This love places the “lively stones” of redeemed humanity into the spiritual temple, with Christ as the chief cornerstone. The power to rebuild is the power of the Gospel itself, which reconciles us to God and to each other. It is the power of the Holy Spirit, who pours God’s love into our hearts. Every act of such love places a stone; every act of hatred tears one down. We are all builders or destroyers of this temple, which is the dwelling place of God. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5, KJV). Believers are living stones, actively being built into a spiritual house for priestly service. “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:21, KJV). In Christ, the entire structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple. “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22, KJV). We are collectively built together to become God’s dwelling place by the Spirit. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV). The indwelling Spirit makes the collective body God’s temple. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Corinthians 3:17, KJV). Defiling the temple (through division, sin) brings severe divine judgment. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18, KJV). Worldly wisdom leads to division; becoming a “fool” for Christ leads to the wisdom that builds unity.

Sr. White wrote, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts. The inspired pen reminds us, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV). The indwelling Spirit makes us God’s temple, a holy space requiring unity. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Survival of the shaking is conditional upon living out Christ’s prayer for unity. This love is the power that rebuilds spiritually, but what is the sacred mission that flows from this understanding for God’s people in these times?

WHAT SACRED MISSION DO WE FULFILL IN THESE TIMES?

Our mission, drawn from Isaiah 58, is to be “Repairer[s] of the Breach.” The breach is twofold: the breach in God’s law (the Sabbath) and the breach in relationships (caused by strife and a distant feeling). To repair the breach is to actively restore both vertical obedience and horizontal love. It involves social justice—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked—and relational healing—not hiding from our own flesh. Margalit’s act of not hiding from Shelly was a repair of the relational breach. If we preach the Sabbath but practice separation and coldness, we only repair the stones, not the mortar; the wall will fall again. Our sacred mission in the closing work is to demonstrate a wholeness of faith that marries truth with love, doctrine with compassion, and thus present to the world a complete picture of the Godhead. “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:12, KJV). The identity of God’s people is tied to repairing breaches and restoring dwelling places. “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:7, KJV). True fasting includes practical charity and refusal to hide from kin. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.” (Isaiah 58:8, KJV). Obedience in love brings divine light, healing, and protection. “Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity.” (Isaiah 58:9, KJV). God’s responsive presence is linked to removing oppression, accusation, and vain speech. “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day.” (Isaiah 58:10, KJV). Soul-deep compassion for the suffering brings unparalleled clarity and light. “And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:11, KJV). The reward for such holistic obedience is constant guidance, soul-satisfaction, vitality, and perennial fruitfulness.

Sr. White wrote, “The Temple will be rebuilt when we repair the force that originally destroyed it. If baseless hatred brought destruction, then causeless love will bring redemption. Not the forced uniformity that totalitarian movements demand, but the voluntary unity that emerges when we recognize the divine image in everyone, regardless of their level of observance or political affiliation.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, 19, 1909). Redemption comes by actively repairing with causeless love what hatred destroyed. Through inspired counsel we are told, “This concept brings us to our unique mission. We identify ourselves with the prophecy of Isaiah.” (Isaiah 58:12, KJV). Our mission is encapsulated in being Repairers of the Breach. The inspired pen reminds us, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts fulfilling this mission. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. This mission of holistic repair fulfills our destiny, but what does Isaiah’s context specifically condemn, and how does that refine our understanding of the breach?

WHAT CONDEMNS RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE WITH STRIFE NOW?

Isaiah 58 begins by condemning a people who fast and afflict their souls (religious observance) but “smite with the fist of wickedness” (interpersonal strife). God rejects fasting that coexists with contention and oppression. The breach, therefore, is not only the Sabbath but the relational fractures that occur when we maintain religious forms without love. True fasting, chosen by God, is to loosen wickedness, undo heavy burdens, free the oppressed, and break every yoke. It is active, liberating love. To be a Repairer of the Breach is to “hide not thyself from thine own flesh,” as Margalit did. If we preach truth but practice separation, we are hypocrites, building with one hand and tearing down with the other. Our religious observance is hollow if it is not paired with relentless peacemaking and active compassion. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6, KJV). God’s chosen fast is activism against injustice and oppression. “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1, KJV). The prophet’s duty is to loudly expose the people’s sin—which includes hollow religiosity. “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.” (Isaiah 58:2, KJV). The people are religiously diligent, seeking God and His laws. “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.” (Isaiah 58:3, KJV). They complain that their fasting goes unnoticed by God, while they still pursue business and pleasure. “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” (Isaiah 58:4, KJV). God rejects fasting that is coupled with strife and violence. “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?” (Isaiah 58:5, KJV). Mere external affliction without heart change and just action is unacceptable.

Sr. White wrote, “We often interpret this ‘breach’ solely as the Sabbath. And indeed, the Sabbath is the great breach in the law of God made by the Man of Sin. But reading Isaiah 58 in context reveals that the ‘breach’ is also social and relational. The chapter begins by condemning a people who fast and afflict their souls (religious observance) but ‘smite with the fist of wickedness’ (interpersonal strife).” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). The breach includes relational brokenness alongside doctrinal error. The inspired pen reminds us, “To be a Repairer of the Breach is to ‘hide not thyself from thine own flesh.’ This is exactly what Margalit did. She did not hide herself from Shelly, her ‘own flesh,’ despite the cultural barriers. She repaired the breach of relationship. If we preach the Sabbath but practice separation and coldness, we are only repairing the stones, not the mortar. The wall will fall again.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Relational repair is as essential as doctrinal repair; both constitute the breach. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Surviving the shaking requires living out the unity Christ prayed for. A passage from The Publishing Ministry reminds us, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the responses of a disunited spirit. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. This condemnation calls for holistic repair, but what causes the prophesied shaking within the church, and how is it linked to this lack of love?

WHAT CAUSES THE SHAKING IN THE CHURCH TODAY?

The shaking is caused by “the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans.” This testimony, rebuking lukewarmness and pride, will lead some to exalt the standard and pour forth straight truth. Others will not bear it; they will rise up against it, causing a shaking—a sifting. The primary cause of this shaking, then, is a refusal to receive Christ’s diagnosis and remedy, which includes a call to fervent love and unity. The lack of love—the “distant feeling,” the Sinat Chinam—is the spiritual condition that makes the straight testimony unbearable. When pride and self-sufficiency are confronted, those who cling to them separate from those who humble themselves and heed the call. Thus, the shaking is a divine winnowing process, separating the wheat of loving, united believers from the chaff of the proud and contentious. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” (2 Timothy 4:3, KJV). A time will come when many reject truth for teachings that gratify their desires. “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11, KJV). Deception will be widespread in the last days. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12, KJV). Lawlessness will cause the love of many to grow cold—a direct link between sin and lovelessness. “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13, KJV). Endurance, which includes maintaining love, leads to salvation. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14, KJV). The global preaching of the gospel precedes the end. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” (Matthew 24:15, KJV). Understanding prophecy is crucial, but must be coupled with the love that keeps us united.

Sr. White wrote, “I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The shaking is directly caused by the rejection of the straight testimony. Through inspired counsel we are told, “As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will, under one pretext or another, go out from us.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Trials reveal true foundations, separating the unified from the disunited. The inspired pen reminds us, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts that withstand the shaking. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. The shaking sifts the church, but what exactly is the content of the straight testimony to Laodicea that triggers this sifting?

WHAT IS THE STRAIGHT TESTIMONY TO LAODICEA TODAY?

The straight testimony is the counsel of the True Witness: “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” It rebukes lukewarm self-sufficiency and calls for buying gold (faith and love), white raiment (Christ’s righteousness), and eye-salve (spiritual discernment). This testimony, when received, leads to zealous repentance and a pouring forth of truth. It exalts God’s standard of perfect love and righteousness. It causes shaking because it exposes the pride and lovelessness at the heart of the Laodicean condition. Those who embrace it are driven to their knees and to their brethren in humility and love. Those who reject it cling to their spiritual pride and turn against the messengers, causing division. The straight testimony is, therefore, a call back to first love, to the fervent, self-sacrificing unity that marks the true remnant. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17, KJV). The Laodicean condition is one of deluded self-sufficiency. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19, KJV). Christ’s love motivates rebuke and a call to zealous repentance. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20, KJV). The remedy is intimate fellowship with Christ, initiated by our response. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21, KJV). Overcoming leads to sharing Christ’s throne—a promise of ultimate unity and authority. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:22, KJV). The call requires attentive, spiritual hearing. “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” (Revelation 4:1, KJV). Heeding the call opens a door to heavenly perspective and understanding.

Sr. White wrote, “This lack of love is the primary cause of the ‘Shaking’ that is prophesied to come upon the church. The Shaking is a sifting process, a separation of the wheat from the chaff.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). Lovelessness is the core issue that the shaking addresses. The inspired pen reminds us, “The ‘Straight Testimony’ to Laodicea is a rebuke of their lukewarmness—a condition of self-satisfied pride that lacks the ‘gold tried in the fire’ (faith and love). The shaking comes because people refuse to love. They refuse to humble themselves. They refuse to see their need for their brethren.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The straight testimony targets pride and lovelessness, and its rejection causes the shaking. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Surviving the shaking requires living out the unity Christ prayed for. A passage from The Publishing Ministry reminds us, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the responses of a disunited spirit. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. This testimony sifts the church, but what warnings does Scripture give about the undoing that comes from a lack of unity in the time of trial?

WHAT WARNINGS OF UNDOING COME FROM LACK OF UNITY?

Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy warn that in times of real peril, those who have not built on the solid rock—those who lack the love and unity that evidence a connection with Christ—will make it manifest. They will yield to temptation, criticize leaders, express doubt, and ultimately go out from us. This lack of unity will be our undoing in the trial. The warnings are clear: unity is not optional; it is essential for survival. When adversity strikes, it will reveal the quality of our faith and the depth of our love. Those who have cultivated a spirit of criticism and distance will find themselves unable to stand, for they have cut themselves off from the strength of the body and the covering of the Head. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3:13, KJV). The day of trial will reveal the quality of each person’s work, including their work of building unity or fostering division. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17, KJV). Judgment begins with God’s people, assessing our fidelity to the gospel of love and unity. “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:18, KJV). Salvation is challenging even for the righteous, implying the need for diligent pursuit of all Christ’s commands, including love. “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:19, KJV). In suffering, we are to entrust ourselves to God while continuing in well-doing, which includes maintaining unity. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” (1 Peter 4:12, KJV). Fiery trials are to be expected; they test our mettle. “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:13, KJV). Sharing in Christ’s sufferings (including the suffering that comes from maintaining love in a hostile world) leads to shared glory and joy.

Sr. White wrote, “As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will, under one pretext or another, go out from us.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Trials reveal true foundations, separating the unified from the disunited. Through inspired counsel we are told, “As we experience these weeks of mourning, and as we fast and recite lamentations for our destroyed Temples on the 9th of Av, we must remember that our tears are not just for ancient stones but for the unity that was lost when those stones fell. The Temple can be rebuilt in our generation, but only when we learn to see every soul as family, only when we replace the causeless hatred of our ancestors with the causeless love that Shelly and Margalit have discovered.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). Our mourning should lead to repentance and active love, rebuilding the spiritual temple. The inspired pen reminds us, “The Third Temple will not be built of stone. It is being built now, ‘without hands,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). The true temple is spiritual, constructed of unified hearts that withstand the shaking. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. Undoing threatens where love is absent, but what prophecy is encapsulated in the camera’s capture of a grieving mother’s cry for unity?

WHAT PROPHECY DOES THE CAMERA CAPTURE IN GRIEF?

The camera that captured Shelly Shem-Tov’s desperate plea for unity also captured a living prophecy. It prophesied that the secret of survival—whether for a nation or a church—is brothers dwelling together in unity. It prophesied that no external force can destroy a truly united people, but that internal, baseless hatred will destroy even the most sacred institutions. That moment of raw video is a parable for our time: as the end-time crisis approaches, the people of God will be faced with the same choice—unity or division, love or hatred. The camera’s prophecy is that our choice will determine our destiny. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (James 3:16, KJV). Envy and strife create an environment ripe for every evil. “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” (Proverbs 18:19, KJV). Offenses and contentions create formidable barriers to reconciliation. “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” (Proverbs 10:12, KJV). Hatred is an agitator; love is a peacemaker and reconciler. “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” (Proverbs 17:9, KJV). Love seeks to restore privately; gossip destroys friendships. “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” (Proverbs 16:28, KJV). A perverse person and a gossip are agents of division. “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.” (Proverbs 29:22, KJV). Anger is a prolific stirrer of strife and transgression.

Sr. White wrote, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. The inspired pen reminds us, “Further, Sr. White warns that in the time of trial, this lack of unity will be our undoing.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 400, 1901). In the final test, disunity will be fatal. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The time has come when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We are in the shaking time. Be assured that only those who live the prayer of Christ for unity among His disciples, working it out in practical life, will stand the test.” (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). Surviving the shaking requires living out the unity Christ prayed for. A passage from The Publishing Ministry reminds us, “When adversity befalls one of the Lord’s instrumentalities, it will be shown how much real faith we have in God and in His work. At such a time let none view matters in the worst light and give expression to doubt and unbelief. Do not criticize those who carry the burdens of responsibility.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). Adversity tests our unity; criticism and doubt are the responses of a disunited spirit. Sr. White wrote, “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities.” (The Publishing Ministry, 114, 1983). The imperative for unity escalates as the crisis nears. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The camera that captured Shelly’s desperate plea for unity also captured a prophecy. In the midst of unspeakable grief, surrounded by political chaos and mutual recrimination, she understood the secret of Jewish survival: ‘How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.’ When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, no force on earth can destroy them. When they turn against each other in baseless hatred, even the Temple itself cannot protect them. The choice, as always, remains ours.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 181, 1859). The modern story is a prophetic parable: unity is the secret of survival; hatred is the guarantee of destruction. This prophecy urges us to choose unity, but how do the concepts explored in this entire narrative reflect the very nature and love of God?

GOD’S LOVE

The entire narrative of Shelly and Margalit, and the theological imperative of Ahavat Chinam, are perfect reflections of the character of the Godhead. God’s love is, by definition, “causeless.” He did not love us because we were attractive or worthy; He loved us while we were enemies. He crossed the chasm of sin to adopt us into His family. The causeless love shown by Margalit—adopting a stranger’s son into her prayers and her home—mirrors God’s adoptive love in Christ. This love flows from the eternal, self-giving relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is not an emotion but a divine principle, a permanent power that seeks the good of the other regardless of merit. When we practice such love, we are not merely being ethical; we are manifesting the very life of God. His love is the irrepressible stream that quickens our hearts, ennobles our motives, and deepens our affections for one another. In this, we see that unity is not our idea but God’s nature, extended to include humanity. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, KJV). God’s love was demonstrated proactively, while we were hostile to Him. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10, KJV). Love originates with God; it is unilateral and redemptive. “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16, KJV). To dwell in love is to dwell in God Himself, for His essence is love. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18, KJV). God’s perfect love, experienced, drives out the fear that breeds division and self-preservation. “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, KJV). Our love is a response to His prior, initiating love. “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20, KJV). Love for the invisible God is validated by love for the visible brother.

Sr. White wrote, “Christ’s love is deep and earnest, flowing like an irrepressible stream to all who will accept it. There is no selfishness in His love. If this heaven-born love is an abiding principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those we hold most dear in sacred relationship, but to all with whom we come in contact. It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to make concessions, to perform deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true, encouraging words. It will lead us to sympathize with those whose hearts hunger for sympathy.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 101, 1955). Christ’s love is irrepressible, selfless, and practical, extending to all. The inspired pen reminds us, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (Christ Triumphant, 9, 1999). Dwelling in love is synonymous with dwelling in God. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our visible unity and brotherly love are the necessary revelation of our invisible union with the Trinity. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). All labor finds its true end in the corporate perfection achieved through spiritual unity, which is an expression of God’s love. The inspired pen reminds us, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). The ultimate proof and purpose of regeneration is love-fueled unity that mirrors the Godhead. A passage from The Review and Herald reminds us, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). The daily curriculum in Christ’s school is love, which makes us effective in His work, which is the work of love. God’s love, therefore, is the source, model, and power for the unity we seek. But if this is who God is and how He loves, what are my specific responsibilities toward Him in light of this truth?

RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARD GOD

If God has loved us with such a causeless, boundless love, our first responsibility to Him is total surrender and obedience. We cannot claim to love God while harboring hatred for His children. The vertical relationship is authenticated by the horizontal one. Our responsibility is to allow Him to excise the cancer of hatred from our hearts, to “circumcise the foreskin of our hearts” so we can love Him fully and love our neighbor as ourselves. This means a daily yielding to the transforming influence of the Holy Spirit, who alone can produce the fruit of love. It means embracing the straight testimony, however painful, that exposes our lack of love. It means prioritizing unity, not as a social goal, but as an act of worship and fidelity to the God who is One. Our obedience, born of love, is the true sign of our discipleship and the honor we owe to our Redeemer. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8, KJV). God’s requirement is relational: justice, mercy, and humble fellowship with Him. “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22, KJV). Obedience to God’s voice—which commands love—is superior to ritual. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15, KJV). Love for Christ is demonstrated by obedience to His commands, which center on love. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” (John 14:16, KJV). The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is given to enable this obedient love. “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:17, KJV). The indwelling Spirit of truth guides us into all truth, including the truth of love. “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18, KJV). Christ’s presence through the Spirit ensures we are not orphaned in our pursuit of love.

Sr. White wrote, “Obedience—the service and allegiance of love—is the true sign of discipleship. Thus the Scripture says, ‘This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.’ ‘He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’ 1 John 5:3; 2:4. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.” (Steps to Christ, 60, 1892). Obedience fueled by love is the mark of a disciple, enabled by grace through faith. The inspired pen reminds us, “We are responsible for being ‘partakers of the grace.’ We must ingest the life of Christ so that His reflexes become our reflexes. When struck, we do not strike back; we bless. When cursed, we pray. This is the high calling of the sons and daughters of God.” (Steps to Christ, 60, 1892). Our responsibility is to partake of Christ’s life, so our reactions mirror His loving, non-retaliatory nature. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ and with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our responsibility is to abide in Christ, allowing the Spirit to produce this visible fruit of love. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). Our work, done in unifying love, contributes to the body’s perfection. The inspired pen reminds us, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our responsibility is to manifest this evidence, being living proof of regeneration through love. A passage from The Review and Herald reminds us, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). Our responsibility is to be perpetual students in Christ’s school of love. These responsibilities demand a heart obedience that flows from love, but what then are my specific responsibilities toward my neighbor, who is my “own flesh”?

RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARD NEIGHBOR

My responsibility to my neighbor is to become a “Repairer of the Breach” in the sphere of relationships. It is to proactively seek unity, practice self-sacrifice, and bear burdens. Just as Margalit sacrificed her insular comfort to welcome Shelly, I must sacrifice my ego, my time, and my convenience to welcome the “other”—whether that other is in my church, my community, or my family. This love is practical: it cooks a meal, makes a phone call, forgives a slight, shares truth with tact and tears. It refuses to hide from “its own flesh.” It esteems others better than itself and seeks their edification. This is how love fulfills the law of Christ. It is the love that will finish the work, for it is the only force that can withstand the shaking and draw others to the truth. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8, KJV). Love is a perpetual debt we owe, and paying it fulfills God’s entire law. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, KJV). The law of Christ is specifically fulfilled in burden-bearing love. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:14, KJV). All commandments are summed up in active, self-regarding love for the neighbor. “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” (Galatians 5:15, KJV). The warning against mutual destruction underscores the necessity of loving care. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, KJV). Walking in the Spirit is the power to avoid fleshly behaviors like hatred and strife. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Galatians 5:17, KJV). The internal battle is between the Spirit-led life of love and the fleshly life of division.

Sr. White wrote, “Unless there is practical self-sacrifice for the good of others, in the family circle, in the neighborhood, in the church, and wherever we may be, then whatever our profession, we are not Christians. Christ has linked His interest with that of humanity, and He asks us to become one with Him for the saving of humanity. ‘Freely ye have received,’ He says, ‘freely give.’ Matthew 10:8. Sin is the greatest of all evils, and it is ours to pity and help the sinner.” (The Desire of Ages, 504, 1898). Practical self-sacrifice is the litmus test of genuine Christianity; without it, our profession is void. The inspired pen reminds us, “Practical self-sacrifice. This is the key. It is not theoretical love. It is love that cooks a meal, love that makes a phone call, love that forgives a slight, love that shares the truth with tact and tears. It is the love that will finish the work.” (The Desire of Ages, 504, 1898). Finishing the work requires this tangible, self-sacrificing love. Through inspired counsel we are told, “The union between Christ and His people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All true children of God will reveal to the world their union with Christ with their brethren. Those in whose hearts Christ abides will bear the fruit of brotherly love.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our responsibility is to reveal this union through visible brotherly love. A passage from The Signs of the Times reminds us, “Christians are to do their work, whatever it may be, in the unity of the Spirit, for the perfecting of the whole body.” (The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1900). Our work, done in unifying love, contributes to the body’s perfection. The inspired pen reminds us, “The most powerful evidence a man can give that he has been born again and is a new man in Christ Jesus, is the manifestation of love for his brethren, the doing of Christlike deeds. This is the most wonderful witness that can be borne in favor of Christianity, and will win souls to the truth…. Christ brings all true believers into complete oneness with Himself, even the oneness which exists between Him and His Father.” (Sons and Daughters of God, 293, 1955). Our responsibility is to manifest this evidence, being living proof of regeneration through love. A passage from The Review and Herald reminds us, “The Lord wants each to have an experience for himself. From the highest to the lowest worker, we must be continually in the school of Christ, daily learning new lessons of tenderness, brotherly love, and compassion, or we shall never become efficient agents of the Master-worker.” (The Review and Herald, April 3, 1894). Our responsibility is to be perpetual students in Christ’s school of love, learning how to love our neighbor effectively. These responsibilities demand active, self-sacrificial love in all our relationships, which is the very love that builds the final, spiritual temple.

CLOSING INVITATION

The story of two mothers in Israel is more than a heartwarming news clip; it is a divine object lesson for the hour of judgment. The Third Temple is rising, not from marble quarries, but from the reconciled hearts of God’s people, cemented by a love that has no cause but the cause of Christ. The shaking is upon us; the choice between unity and hatred has never been more urgent. Will we, like Shelly, cry out for unity in our desperation? Will we, like Margalit, cross the chasm with practical, adopting love? The force that unites humanity against chaos is the very love of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit—poured into our hearts. Let us choose to be Repairers of the Breach, builders of the spiritual temple, and living testimonies that “how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, KJV).

For further study on living out this unifying love in doctrine and practice, visit us at http://www.faithfundamentals.blog or join the conversation on our podcast at: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-lamb. May we be found united in Him when He comes.

Table 1: The Anatomy of the Two Destructions

Feature	First Temple Destruction (586 BCE)	Second Temple Destruction (70 CE)
Primary Sins	Idolatry, Murder, Immorality	Sinat Chinam (Baseless Hatred)
Nature of Sin	Violations of God’s Law (Vertical)	Violations of Human Relations (Horizontal)
Duration of Exile	70 Years (Babylonian)	~2,000 Years (Roman/Current)
Prophetic Parallel	Apostasy of Ancient Israel	Condition of the Laodicean Church
The Remedy	Repentance and Return to Law	Ahavat Chinam (Baseless Love)

SELF-REFLECTION

How can I, in my personal devotional life, delve deeper into these prophetic truths, allowing them to shape my character and priorities?

How can we adapt these complex themes to be understandable and relevant to diverse audiences, from seasoned church members to new seekers or those from different faith traditions, without compromising theological accuracy?

What are the most common misconceptions about these topics in my community, and how can I gently but effectively correct them using Scripture and the writings of Sr. White?

In what practical ways can our local congregations and individual members become more vibrant beacons of truth and hope, living out the reality of Christ’s soon return and God’s ultimate victory over evil?

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