When we think about church, it’s easy to imagine it as a building, a service, or a weekly obligation. But Paul reminds us in Colossians 3 that the church is meant to be much more than that. It’s a community shaped by the Gospel: a living, breathing, messy, beautiful family of people learning to live together under the rule of Christ’s peace.
Paul writes, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:15) That’s not just a nice suggestion. It’s a bold call to action for every believer.
Peace Guides Our Unity
The word Paul uses for “rule” is powerful. It’s the same word used for an umpire calling the game. In other words, Christ’s peace is the ultimate referee in our relationships. When conflicts arise, when opinions clash, when personalities rub against each other, His peace is the final authority. It tells us when to hold our tongue, when to step forward, and when to choose reconciliation over pride.
Peace is not passive. It’s active, intentional, and Gospel-driven. It flows out of knowing we’ve been forgiven, loved, and chosen by God. And it’s what makes a body of believers more than a group of individuals—it makes us one.
Gratitude Warms the Fellowship
Paul doesn’t leave us without a tool to help keep peace in place: gratitude. “And be thankful,” he says. Gratitude is more than politeness or saying thanks. It is a posture of the heart that shapes the culture of a church.
Grateful people overlook small offenses. Grateful people encourage one another. Grateful people notice God’s work in the ordinary moments of life. A church filled with gratitude becomes a joyful place to gather, a refuge for weary souls, and a community that reflects the light of Christ to the world.
Unity Requires Effort
Here’s the catch: unity doesn’t just happen. Gospel community is cultivated. Paul assumes that effort is required. It’s like he know that talks, apologies, patience, bearing with one another’s weaknesses must be a part of our relationships. It’s choosing peace when it would be easier to withdraw. It’s acting with kindness when bitterness tempts you.
And it’s always anchored in the Gospel. Why? Because the cross reconciles us not only to God but also to one another. When we remember that Christ has torn down the walls of sin and built a bridge of peace, it becomes easier to step across to someone else.
The Result: A Visible Gospel
When a church practices peace, gratitude, and intentional unity, it doesn’t just feel good inside—it becomes a witness. A community like that points the world to the reconciling power of Christ. Strangers notice it. Members grow in faith and love. Hearts that were hardened begin to soften.
Practical Takeaways
- Start with your own heart: Are you walking in Christ’s peace personally? That’s where it begins.
- Practice gratitude daily: Thank God for His work in your life and in others. Gratitude rewires how you see conflict and community.
- Invest in relationships intentionally: Apologize, forgive, listen, and encourage. Unity is maintained brick by brick.
A Gospel-shaped church isn’t perfect. It’s a family learning to live under the authority of Christ together. And when His peace rules and gratitude fills the hearts of His people, the world sees something different…something unmistakably Kingdom-shaped.
Steven Bradshaw 