Unity

by Micky Galloway

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that came down upon the skirt of his garments; Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: for there Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore” (Psalms 133:1-3). Unity is a beautiful thing. Jesus prayed for the apostles, “… that they may be one, even as we (are) … I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (one). They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:11,15-17). Then Jesus prayed for those who would believe the testimony of the apostles. “Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, (art) in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me” (John 17:20-21). This glorious unity was IN CHRIST, WITH God, AMONG believers, based UPON the WORD OF GOD.

Division is ugly, wrong, and sinful! “Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and (that) there be no divisions among you; but (that) ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Corinthians 1:10). Paul condemned the Corinthians for their divisions, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able (to bear it): nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?” (I Corinthians 3:1-3; cf. Galatians 5:19-20; Romans 2:8; James 3:13-18). God hates division! “Six things God hates, yea seven … A false witness that uttereth lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16). The Lord recognizes no cause for division as just, except truth! Peace must not be bought at the expense of compromise of truth (cf. Matthew 10:34-39).

There are not enough demons in all of hell to mar the progress of the cause that Christ died to establish upon this earth. The real danger is from within. Paul warned the Ephesian elders, “I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). As Timothy preached at Ephesus, Paul warned him by name of “Hymenaeus and Philetus.” He said, “their word will eat as doth a gangrene … men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some” (II Timothy 2:17-18).

The prayer of Jesus for unity (John 17:20-21) became a reality in Acts chapter two as Peter preached the conditions of forgiveness, “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, (even) as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him” (Acts 2:38-39). “They that gladly received HIS WORD were baptized ...” (Acts 2:41). Thus, they were called into the fellowship of Christ (cf. I Corinthians 1:2), by the preaching of the gospel of Christ (II Thessalonians 2:14). These entered into fellowship with God when they “received his word” and were baptized. This fellowship was established according to the declared message. THIS IS THE BASIS OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. The apostle John wrote, “that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (I John 1:3). Those in Acts 2 “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). This glorious unity was perpetuated by adhering strictly to the doctrine of the apostles, also called the doctrine (teaching) of Christ.

This glorious unity is ruptured when one goes beyond that teaching. “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into (your) house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works” (II John 9-11). True unity with Christ and His people is broken when one persists in practicing and teaching things not found in the teaching of Christ and His apostles!

Those who have not submitted to the divine standard have never entered into fellowship with Christ. Those who have, but have failed to continue in his teaching are no longer in His fellowship. When men walk by another standard other than God’s word, unity is broken. NOTE THE SAD WARNINGS (cf. I Timothy 1:10; 6:3; II Timothy 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1). Fellowship with God is determined by adhering to the word of God! Any other “fellowship” that is based upon any other standard is NOT the fellowship of Christ. Where are you spiritually? Are you abiding by God’s standard or by the standard of men?