On Sunday, the Hungarian Reformed Unity Day was celebrated on the occasion that on May 22, 2009, the constitutional unity of the Hungarian Reformed churches in the Carpathian Basin was declared. Since then, believers have been remembering this every year on the Sunday closest to the date. In connection with this, we publish the article of János Bogdán Szabolcs, bishop of the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District: The Day of Reformed Unity.
We have words and concepts that originally had a positive content, but today they have become empty and faded for many, and although we often voice them, they still ring weakly. Unity is also such a concept. What this word means is absolutely important for the living of the community, despite this, there are those who shake their heads in disbelief when they hear the unity and say: "Sure, let's leave it..." I am thinking about the reason for this. After all, God's gifts truly unfold in unity and community. Why are many people afraid of unity? Why don't they ask for it? Why do they think like this: "I'd rather go my own way!"
We know and experience that it is not possible to live a full life without unity or striving for unity. History provides many examples that testify that people of different ages have come to this conclusion again and again: the path of unity must be sought. Many people have already put this slogan on their flags, but we can also see by examining the events of the past that a lot of human sins were conceived and became destructive and destructive as a result of the wrongly interpreted unity. Where only human effort and effort wants to create this, there will always be victims whose wounds will never heal, and many will not be interested in this at all.
Reformed Unity Day in Debrecen/Source/
reformatus.hu
If we desire true unity, our human intentions and attempts are few. I remember, as a young pastor, I once also pondered the question of unity, and in the meantime our sons (they were three and eight years old) started to solve a puzzle. They started the game by spilling all the pieces from the box onto the floor of the room. In front of them was a large pile of different-shaped, multi-colored pieces of paper. As my eyes wandered towards them, I didn't give them much of a chance: I thought that this task was beyond them. But the little heads started thinking, the little hands started turning the pieces of the puzzle, and the elements that had been lying in a mess until then fit together. Slowly, but clearly, the picture came together, order and unity emerged from the chaos.
It suddenly became clear to me, watching my children's play, that we humans cannot unite and become a community by ourselves. We need help. We need God to take our lives in his hands and for him to fit us together. According to the Bible, the secret of unity and brotherhood is rooted in God's love for us. Those who accept Jesus Christ are formed into one by his Spirit. We must surrender ourselves completely to him.
The apostle Paul also uses the human body as an illustrative example (1 Cor 12:12–13): there will be a true community where the members are first connected to Christ and through him to each other. This connection is not created by us, but by the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that everyone in this unit will be the same after a while. Our uniqueness and individuality will remain, but this will not separate us from others, but will enrich my brothers and sisters living in community with me. We can also hurt each other within the community worked by the Spirit, because while we live on this earth, we will not be perfect as converted and born again people, but through the grace of God, the way to reconciliation and healing can always be found.
On the day of Hungarian Reformed unity, let our hearts be filled with joy and gratitude, as we can enjoy the countless fruits of being able to express and live our belonging to Him and to each other as children of God's Reformed faith. We have not become and will become one against someone or others, but "fused together in love", as "members of a common body", we want to shine the glory of God and proclaim the gospel of salvation! There is no greater honor and gift in this world!
Christ is the future, let's follow him together!
Source and image: reformatus.hu
