Let’s Talk About Unity

 

We live in the age of digital communication. We can connect to one another instantly almost anywhere in the world. Yet many today feel more disconnected than ever before. There is so much information and so many demands for our time and attention, it is next to impossible to keep up. For this reason, some are choosing to curtail and even limit the input of information and connectivity in order to remain mentally and emotionally balanced. It has become difficult to focus attention on what is important and to tune out the multitude of calls for our attention. Yet much of the information we receive does affect us daily and tuning it out can be dangerous.

Those who have accepted Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior, have the advantage of knowing that God is the blessed controller of all things. He is not surprised by what is taking place. In fact, we read in Daniel’s prophecy written six hundred years before Christ:

"Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. "And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."[1]

Notice the last sentence. This is a clear picture of what is taking place in our time. Jesus refers to this as “the times of the Gentiles.”[2] Notice how closely the context in Luke’s gospel account parallels Daniel’s prophecy:

Then He continued by saying to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. But you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all on account of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter the city; because these are days of vengeance, in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people, and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.[3]

When did the times of Gentiles begin and when will it end? It began with the destruction of the first temple in Jerusalem. It will end at the end of the seven-year tribulation. The Church will be raptured before the Tribulation, so some of what Jesus was predicting has not yet occurred. However, the Church, at this present time, exists during the times of the Gentiles. What we are now experiencing is what we read about in both the Old and New Testaments. So we should not be surprised at “the fiery ordeals” overtaking us.[4]

What did Christ plan for His body, the Church, to help us survive these hard times? To hear most preachers today, only that each individual is responsible to first be saved, then to arm themselves with the full armor of God outlined in Ephesians chapter 6. In other words, the provision given is personal salvation. But this is to omit the very heart of the gospel of Christ Jesus. It is to leave individual Christians alone in crises that overwhelm us daily. By ignoring the immediate context of such texts, the Church has become a people cut off from the truths of what God prepared for us in order to survive the times of the Gentiles.

When was the last time you heard a sermon on the doctrine of the Church, Ecclesiology? How many books are being written detailing all of the Scriptures regarding what the Church is and how it is supposed to function? What is the very purpose of the Church during this portion of the times of the Gentiles? This is why I stated in a recent post on my website that the first priority of the Church is resolving conflicts biblically.[5]

When we think of resolving conflicts we usually think about inner-personal conflicts. The tools are a scattering of verses of Scripture isolated from their context, which is the Church.

For instance, carefully read the Book of Ephesians. Observe that the overall context of the book and its central purpose is to define the Church and explain how it should function. Yet sermon after sermon uses scattered texts from this book to talk about personal salvation. Yet note what Paul is talking about in the following quotes:

He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth.[6]

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.[7]

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.[8]

For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.[9]

I have quoted extensively from the first three chapters of the Book of Ephesians in order to establish the context. The context is the doctrine of the Church. Yes, it speaks of personal salvation, which is necessary to be a part of the Church. But to stop there and not keep the main topic, ecclesiology, in focus is to violate the very purpose of the book. Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is telling us how our salvation works. The goal of God’s redemptive plan is not just individual salvation. It is to bring glory to Himself through the Body of Christ, the Church. Any sermon that leaves this important detail out is violating the basic tenets of sound doctrine. This leaves the individual alone and a victim of the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The book ends with this instruction regarding the Church:

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,[10]

The armor mentioned in this context would be worthless on the battlefield without brothers and sisters in Christ equally armed and standing with us. They are defensive in nature, not offensive. They are to enable each of us to stand together, defending each other. We are not in a wrestling match, but a war, not of our own choosing. We must be equipped together as God intends for the church.

Those who preach personal salvation and omit the doctrine of the Church are like parents who give birth to a baby and leave it on the birthing table to fend for itself. What a waste. What a disgrace to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.[11]

With this introduction to the topic of unity, recall that in Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John’s gospel account, He prayed:

"And I am no more in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are.[12]

Jesus, in those last few hours before His crucifixion, prayed for the Church. He knew that life for believers would become complicated and stressful. He told His followers:

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."[13]

Christians today in all parts of the world are experiencing the fulfillment of this statement. For too long in America, being a Christian has cost little. In the Americanization of the Gospel, individuals have been coddled into thinking that all their conflicts are personal and that they can resolve their conflicts alone just by simply quoting verses from the New Testament without the context of the Doctrine of the Church. Some are even going so far as to see the Church as part of the problem rather than the one and only solution given by God to function in this world of conflicts referred to as the times of the Gentiles.

This fundamental truth is noted by Paul at the beginning of his application of this epistle on the Doctrine of the Church when he wrote:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.[14]

Unity is not an unattainable goal. It is God’s purpose for the Church. This is why I have placed my six seminars on resolving conflicts biblically on my website and made it available to the Body of Christ.[15] We must stop doing business as the world does its business and do the business of being the Church the way God intended. Unity is the number one imperative of the Church.

Gathering together in large groups to sing songs and listen to sermons once or twice a week does not even come close to fulfilling Paul’s injunction. We must do more. We must build relationships of fulfillment within the context of local churches that will fulfill the expectations of our Lord Jesus Christ for His body, the Church. This was the purpose of my writing and self-published the book, Can We Talk: About Matters of this Life.[16]

It did not reach the top of the New York Times bestsellers list. In fact, I ended up having to buy back some of the books that were sold. That is not a good recommendation for the worth of the book. However, I did not write the book so I could be popular or for self-aggrandizement. I gave most of my hardcopies away to missionaries and Bible school and seminary students. I have now added this book to my website.

In addition, I also have performed a short word study on unity that you can access for your study of this vital doctrine as well.[17] Please go to my website and take the time to read it. It is vital for you as an individual. It is vital for the Church. We must go back to the Scriptures and learn about God’s plan for the unity of the Body of Christ, the Church. We must come together as believers and learn how to relate to each other in ways that fulfill Christ’s plan for His Church in these times of distress.

see reference                                              

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[1] Dan 12:1-4.

[2] Lk 21:22.

[3] Lk 21:10-27.

[4] 1 Pe 4:12.

[5] see

[6] Eph 1:9-10.

[7] Eph 1:18-23.

[8] Eph 2:13-22.

[9] Eph 3:14-21.

[10] Eph 6:10-18.

[11] Cf. Col 1:18; 2:10, 19.

[12] Jn 17:11.

[13] Jn 16:33.

[14] Eph 4:1-6.

[15] see

[16] see

[17] see