Unity of the Faith
The Church of Jesus Christ will experience two kinds of unity, and the first is foundational and must precede the second, or it can lead to divisions. First, God desires there to be a unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3). This is the kind of unity that is created in each member of the body of Christ the moment he is born into that body. Yet it must be pointed out that it is also a relationship that must be cultivated and maintained, for Paul tells us that we are “to endeavor, to make an effort, to labor, to be diligent, to be prompted to: “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The only way we can give ourselves to this goal of unity is to keep before us a picture of the Body of Christ as God sees it. God is calling His body to unity in these days so that His glorious purpose might be fulfilled through it. If any church body is going to be effective, it is going to have to be unified.
Second, God desires to establish a unity of the faith. Paul tells us that Christ gives ministries in the Church to help adjust the saints to do the work of serving, but also to establish the unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:13). Paul writes as if he firmly believed that the day would come when there would be a unity of faith. This involves a doctrinal unity. This was somewhat of a lofty dream for Paul because it was not the reality even in his own day that we sometimes think. Paul knew that he differed doctrinally from others (Galatians 2:6-12; Acts 15:7; 2 Peter 3:15-16). Yet Paul knew that as they gave themselves to maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, that the day would come when they would experience the unity of the faith.
A beautiful demonstration of this principle is found in Acts 15. Here many were gathered with various doctrinal viewpoints. Many of the viewpoints were very strong and yet because they were all committed to each other in the Spirit of God they were submitted to the Word of God. Before that day was over, as they endeavored to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, they all came to the unity of the faith.
The Church can only become one as it follows after the one Head, Christ (Ephesians 4:13). The foundation of this unity in the church is in its relationship to God. The Church is one because its God and Father is one, because its loyalty is to one Lord, because it is indwelt by one Holy Spirit.
Jesus prayed that the church might be one. If ever anyone prayed according to the will of God it was Jesus. If anyone’s prayer will ever be answered it will be the prayer of the only begotten Son of God. He prayed that the People of God would be one even as He was one with the Father (John 17:11,21). The Father and the Son had a two-fold unity. There is the unity of the Spirit in that in essence, nature, and substance, they are one. This we experience when we are born of one Spirit and become partakers of the divine nature. There was also a unity of doctrine (John 7:16; 8:26; 12:49-50), in purpose (Matthew 26:39; John 4:34; 5:30; 5:38; 16:10; 17:4), in love (John 3:35; 5:20; 15:9-10; 17:23-24, 26), and in work (John 4:34; 5:19; 8:29; 14:10-11). God desires this kind of unity in the Church as well.
Paul prayed often for the unity of the Church. He desired to see unity in many areas. He wanted unity:
1. of mind (Romans 15:5-6; Philippians 1:27; 2:2; 4:2),
2. of fellowship (Romans 15:7; 1 Corinthians 1:10-15; 3:3-8),
3. of love (Philippians 2:2),
4. of doctrine (1 Corinthians 16:17; Ephesians 4:13-14, Galatians 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:5-9),
5. of witness (Romans 15:6; Philippians 1:27) and
6. of Spirit (Ephesians 4:3)
7. The Church will be a Victorious Church.
Many times we think of the church as an anemic force in society. But that was not the type of church that Jesus said He would build. In Matthew 16:18-19 He tells us of a church that would march against the very gates of hell and be successful. Satan would like to keep us believing that we are powerless against the forces of darkness, for in believing this Satan secures his seat of authority. But the church that Jesus is building is a church that has been commissioned by God, empowered by God and is operating with divine authority. The church that Jesus is building will not be overthrown by Satan’s wisdom or power. This church is on the move as the army of the Lord. The church not Satan, is the most powerful force in the world today. This church is the instrument of God’s kingdom -- a light at work destroying the works of darkness. The Church does not only have a system of defense, but it has a powerful offense that God expects to be in full operation.
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