The Elements Of Unity Series

Conclusion

These are the seven elements of unity: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father. These are the seven pillars of the church, the foundational bedrock upon which the church stands, the unifying forces holding the church together. Unity rests upon the three persons of the Trinity – God the Father who is over all and through all and in all; God the Son Jesus Christ who is Lord, and God the Spirit who unites us together under the lordship of Christ. Unity lies in the immoveable fact that all brought to the one faith through the one baptism of the Spirit are united to the one body of Christ, and are being led to the one hope founded in Christ’s return.

These seven elements unite us, whether we are walking confidently or tentatively. They unite us, and because they unite us, we are to be eager to maintain humble, patient, loving relationships. We are to demonstrate outwardly the inward unity.

It is the same principle as that in a family. There is the marriage of husband and wife that is a fact of law. It should be a marriage of love and mutual respect, but regardless of how well they are shown, the marriage certificate is as valid as ever. The children born to the parents are members of the family. Their birth certificate and their DNA unites the family together. The family should love one another, should be eager to bond together, but their attitude does not change the reality of their unity. And it is that very reality that intensifies the importance of getting along. Because of the elements that bind them, they can’t just go their own ways; they can’t just release their claims on one another. If they do love and they do support one another, it is a beautiful family. If they fail to love one another and to maintain unity, it is a broken family.

So it is in the church. How beautiful it is when brothers and sisters in Christ dwell in unity. How tragic when they do not. How uplifting it is when the church family is working together, serving each other, being there for one another. How deflating when the family members let each other down. I feel confident enough to say that most departures from church are not about theology but about failure in relationships. Though many are drawn into a church because of the truth proclaimed, many will leave when the one body fails to act as one body.

How then do we maintain the unity of the Spirit as verse 3 describes it? Just as we need to recall the blessings of our calling to motivate us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, so we need to recall the true elements of unity to motivate us to maintain unity in our relationships. We lose our eagerness for unity because we place unity on the wrong foundations – namely, the behavior of one another. If you love me, I love you; if you act with humility towards me, I act likewise towards you. If you like the same things I like, I will spend time with you. If you uphold me in front of others, I will uphold you. But if you don’t act in these ways, I will lose my zeal to maintain our unity.