Revival In Unity

Eph 4:2-3 NKJV

..with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Because of sin the unity between man and God was broken

Salvation re-unites us to God, and also to each other in one purpose of mind

In the previous 3 chapters Paul emphasizes the principles of unity

Chap 1 Paul speaks about being re-united with Him

There was a wall of partition Eph 2:14 separating us

Sin always divides; God against man, man against man and man against himself from within

Produces fights and quarrels

Christianity is the only religion that people see doesn’t take itself seriously

It’s time to stop playing with the holy things of God

John 17:22 sees Jesus praying that we all may be one…

It is only the Spirit of God that can unite us

If you understand who the Holy Spirit is and His purpose you will be united with gratitude to the Father through Jesus and to other members of His body

We cannot produce artificially the unity of the Spirit, and He doesn’t ask us to!

If the Holy Spirit isn’t in us, we cannot have unity

It is His work

It starts within and works itself outwardly

It is not mechanical

Paul asks us to take care not to break the unity of the Spirit that is already there if God’s Spirit is present

We are to maintain it

Illust

Like a car; it will not run effectively if we do not maintain the internal engine. It needs oil, water, fuel to spark and power up.

It’s no good having an external shiny car that doesn’t work!

We cannot neglect it, but with care and attention fill it up regularly

The Spirit is internal

2 Cor 13:14 says ‘Where the Spirit of God is, there is unity’

This unity is primarily spiritual, unseen; but shows itself outwardly

We cannot start with the external and hope to arrive at internal unity

One of the dangers is an appeal for people to work together and pray together

This is contrary to the Apostle’s teaching

When it is present, we will recognise it

Let’s look at ‘endeavour’

It doesn’t mean, ‘trying to attempt it’

Be diligent with speed; be quick about it

To ‘keep’, to guard, hold fast, preserve

We’re not told to make unity, or create it

We cannot be Christians without the work of the Spirit, because it is the Spirit Himself who unites us

People come together for common causes, but this is unity in only one area

Jade’s cancer, 9/11, famine relief etc.

Chap 3:10 powers will see and wonder at the unity of Jew, Gentile and God

How do we keep this unity?

With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love

KJV: With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love

Meekness: ready to suffer wrong and commit everything to God

Humility and meekness the first things we need to keep unity

All: in every situation, at all times

Wear humility and meekness like a garment; not just Sundays

Forbearing: ‘to hold yourself up against’

If someone tempts you into a wrong attitude, then put up with it, suffer it

If someone disagrees with you, then so what?

Don’t retaliate, but consider whether they may in trying times, personal circumstances

You must never try to win one over, but forbear

In love: if you love them, you will forbear

You won’t show that you are right, even if you are!

By showing these characteristics, we preserve unity

It is all kept together by ‘peace’

If I cause trouble or strive, then I’m not a peacemaker

If I want my own way, then I’m not considering other better than myself

Unity is more than going with the flow, but inside you are divided

You cannot always have an opinion

We have some who claim rights to their own opinion

When and if you are a Christian, then you lost all rights to opinions

It’s only the Word that has the last say

You must trust those God has appointed over you and submit to those in authority

Pastors and ministers of the word must uphold the truth of scripture at all cost

Some are afraid to offend in fear of disunity

Some things we cannot agree to disagree on

It’s no wonder the laugh at the church when we can’t agree on what we believe in

The apostle’s creed

“United we stand, divided we fall.”

The day of Pentecost saw true unity

Acts 2 they were all together in one place; it doesn’t say they were one in any other way

Believers together can experience unity in the power of God

It was the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17