Unity is a vital issue for society as well as for the Church. For the Church, though, it is an issue we must solve or else the Gospel message falls into disrepute.
1. Definition
If you start studying any subject, it’s always a good idea to look at the meaning of the word. The dictionary definition of ‘unity’ is ‘the state, property, or product of being united physically, socially, or morally; oneness; opposed to division; harmony; agreement; singleness of purpose or action’. No mention is made, however, of a ‘spiritual’ component in this definition of unity!
However, it’s not ‘unity’ we need to understand. That’s the normal character of God; unity is God’s natural order. We need to understand what ‘disunity’ is, and from where it originates. After all, Jesus said “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). Our Lord also taught that as He and the Father (and Holy Spirit) are one (John 17:11 “... so that they may be one as we are one.”). So, He requires us to be one, namely to be ‘in unity’ – not in ‘unity’, but ‘in … inside unity’, i.e. inside God ,who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. The Basics
Some basic Scriptures on unity are given below:
John 17:23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
There are seven main areas, touching unity, that need to be addressed. Let’s look at unity as:
* A symbol: that Father sent Jesus, and that He loves His church dearly.
Rom 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
* A character: an essential character we need to have.
1 Cor 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
* An agreement: not just an outward sign; it originates in the heart and mind -- if it’s not there it leads to splits and a party spirit within the Body.
Eph 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
* A peacemaker: a soft answer turns away wrath; we have to work for unity, it doesn’t just happen.
Eph 4:13 ... until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
* A maturity: unity demonstrates maturity .
Col 2:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
* A love relationship: unity through 'agape' love.
Col 3:12-14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
* A strategy: The actions we must take to attain unity; ‘clothe yourself’ = as you put on a close-fitting garment, put on - with inner affection and love:
- ‘compassion’ = ‘mercy & pity’
- ‘kindness’ = ‘moral excellence’, ‘gentleness’
- ‘humility’ = ‘humble of mind’ - the mind is our major problem centre!
- ‘gentleness’ = ‘meekness’ or ‘strength under control’ - it is never weakness!
- ‘patience’ = ‘long-suffering’ - i.e. implies a real testing to bring us to patience; a cost!
… none shall be left out!
3. In the Beginning
Before we can discuss the subject of unity concerning the Body of Christ, we need to see it in the context of God’s plan for mankind. Why is it needed? Why does Jesus set so much store by His church aiming for consistency in the area of unity?
In the beginning, God and Man (Adam) lived in perfect unity. The words of Amos rang true “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” (Amos 3:3). Along came Eve, and the unity between her and Adam was perfect, as was their unity with God.
But, then along came that enemy of God and mankind - ‘Sin’. It took the unity enjoyed by God and mankind, and broke it, separating Man from his God. Disunity arrived, for disunity is Sin.
4. It All Went Wrong
As the Bible tells us:
Genesis 3:23 So the LORD God banished him [Adam] from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities [sins] have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
However, in the midst of our failure the Lord God had laid a rescue plan; “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6). Our love for Sin carried us from God’s plan for our lives, and the spiritual part of Man died. However, God had the answer arranged through a secret plan to bring Jesus to the Earth.
5. The Rescue Plan
God started with Abraham, establishing a covenant with him (Gen 15:18), which flowed through the Commandments given through Moses, and through the prophets, to His chosen people ... the Jews. This was the Covenant we call the Old Testament. It was, though, dependent on observing ‘the Law’.
Through His love, God had already planned a new covenant, the New Testament (Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 37:24-28), which recognised that simply observing ‘the Law’ would not bring about the full restoration of fellowship between Him and His creation. Also, the old covenant only applied to the physical descendants of Abraham, and was therefore limited!
In Romans, Paul says “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” (Romans 3:20). So God completed the plan He laid after Adam left the garden of Eden:
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
It was this plan, which established the new covenant between God and Man. It was this plan that enabled the divisions of this world to be ended once and for all. But, it is centred in the person of Jesus Christ.
6. The Division of Jew and Gentile
In the days of Jesus, there were only two groups that mattered. One was being a Jew - protected, saved by the old covenant (the Law). The other was not to be a Jew, which meant being a Gentile. This division was even found at the Temple, where there was a special Court of Gentiles. The Jewish man, though, could enter right up to boundary of the Court of Israel and the Priest’s Court. So great was this separation, that the Gentile couldn’t even get close to the temple building. A low wall called the Soreg, with 13 places of entry, surrounded the temple proper. No Gentile could pass on pain of death. The ‘no entry’ laws were displayed in 3 languages, so Gentiles had no excuse.
It was to break this barrier of separation that Jesus came, died and was resurrected. His life, His teachings, His mighty resurrection all brought about the restoration of Gentile, Jew, man, woman to their God.
7. The Walls Come Down
Jesus’ coming, and the conditions to end division, were truly prophetic. In Romans 9, Paul quotes from Hosea (who wrote around 770 BC):
Romans 9:23-26 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," 26 and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"
God’s intent is certain; He had called all His creation to fellowship with Him. Through Christ, our faith in God provides a righteousness that the Law can never attain, for we can never attain the Law.
Romans 9:30-32 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."
The divisions are down, the differences are gone. Now, there is no Jew and no Gentile in respect of a relationship with God. No-one has a monopoly on the promises of God. There is no special covenant for Israel that gives her salvation over the rest of the World. Everyone can be saved, can call upon the Lord, can know the certainty of the promise of eternal life.
Romans 10:8-13 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Salvation - the steps to be taken by each one of us:
- Confess ... with your mouth Jesus is ‘Lord’ (who has control of your life and death)
- Believe ... in your heart that Father raised Jesus from the dead
- Receive ... and you will be saved - a promise that has no loopholes; it’s guaranteed!
8. What of Israel?
There is a lot written about Israel, much of it nonsense. Do they have a privileged place in God’s plan of salvation? No! Rom 8:12,13 is very clear.
Rom 10:12,13 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Certainly, God still plans to bring Israel back to Himself. They have seen the old promise replaced by the new promise. A promise not entered into by following rules, but a promise that is attainable only by a living relationship with a living Saviour.
Romans 11:1 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious
9. The Promise Reiterated
For the Jew, being a seed of Abraham is so important. Yet, in the last Scripture, we see that now even this special designation is given to all who believe on the Lord Jesus. Why is it so important? Because being Abraham’s seed means that we have a share in the promise of God.
Galatians 3:26-29 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
What is this promise? The promise of a real and personal relationship with God that transcends this life into Eternity itself; the promise of the Kingdom of God.
