CHURCH UNITY

     “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”—Eph. 4:1-3

A Facebook friend messaged me: “Have you written anything about unity in the church that you can share? It’s needed in our local church, but also world wide.”

Although there are few things more valuable and vital to a church than unity, churches have had to contend with disunity since New Testament times,; disunity that has erupted over perceived offenses (Luke 22:24; Acts 6:1-7), personal preferences (Acts 15:1-29; 1 Cor. 8), and even over preachers (1 Cor. 3:1-8) etc. This is a shame; particularly since a church is more likely to enjoy God’s favor just in proportion to how much it is “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3).” See also Ps. 133:1-3; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Rom. 12:4, 5. But church unity

Because the greatest mission in the world has been divinely assigned to it (Matt. 28:28-20), it should come as no surprise that the greatest malice in the world is directed towards the Lord’s Church—the church he personally established, equipped and commissioned during His earthly ministry. The love that Christ has for the Church, and the fact that it is “the pillar and ground of the truth,” makes every local, visible church a target of satanic attack. especially in terms of inner turmoil and disharmony.

The devil’s preferred method of attacking a church is through the use of a member or members to create dissension within a church body—causing dissention and division that he can leverage to his advantage. Satan is unequalled in terms of his appreciation for, and application of, the war strategy of “divide and conquer.” No wonder, that churches are told to make a priority of “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.—Eph. 4:3.

Every church member needs to be aware, and stay aware, of how precious the unity of their church is, and of the responsibility they have personally “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Pastors needs to be proactive and deliberate in their efforts to see that a unity-consciousness is instilled in the churches they pastor.

There are some truths relative to church unity that I’ve tried to communicate to congregations over the past half-century. Beginning here, I will try to “share” some of these truths.

JESUS’ HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER

“20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”—John 17:20.

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 should provoke Christians promote and protect unity in the churches in which they are members. We know that just prior to His crucifixion, Jesus prayed for those who had and would believe on Him (John 17:20, 21). In addition to praying for their sanctification, glorification, and protection against the evil one, He prayed for their unity. It must be remembered that Jesus prayed passionately, in the shadow of His cross, for the unity of believers.

Notice, in the first place, the example provided in this prayer relative to the degree, the closeness, the all-around quality of unity that Jesus prayed would exist among believers: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (v. 21a). The closeness of the Godhead (Col. 2:9) itself is given here as an example of the unity, the peace and harmony, that members of a church should strive to have among themselves

Notice secondly, the evangelistic connection that exists between the unity of a church and its success in reaching lost souls for whom Christ died: “ … that the world may believe that thou hast sent me (v. 21b),” and, “ … that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (v. 23b). A unified church consists of people who demonstrate the love of God towards others and before others. Jesus has assured us of the evangelistic effect this demonstration of unity and love has on the lost.

Knowing our Lord prayed when He did for what He did should inspire concern in any Christian for the unity of their church. This knowledge alone should be motivation enough for “brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1); especially within a local, visible, New Testament church.