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Unity of the Body |
Dear Brethren,
On the night before
He died, Jesus Christ prayed to the Father for our unity. "I do
not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me
through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father,
are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the
world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21)
Passover emphasizes
the unity of the body of Christ - the people of God's Church. The
brethren should share a unity with one another, and help each other
into the Kingdom of God. Passover is so important for us that Jesus
said to Peter during the footwashing, "If I wash thee not, thou
hast no part with me." (John 13:8) Notice the aspect of unity
and fellowship of church brethren in this verse. "The bread
which we break, is it not the communion [unity and fellowship] of
the body of Christ?" (1Corinthians 10:16)
Somehow, even in our scattered condition, true Christians must be on the same page
–spiritually speaking. We must be of a mind wherein we recognize one
another as brethren – without reserve.
"I therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the
vocation [our Christianity] wherewith ye are called, With
all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one
another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye
are called in one hope of your calling." (Ephesians 4:1-4)
When Jesus looks
down from His throne in heaven, He sees only one body
of believers who share a unity of the Spirit. We must understand
that the Church of God is not physical – but a spiritual entity.
The “Church of God” is the body of true believers that God the
Father has called to be a unified part of the “Body of Christ.” "I
beseech you, brethren, by 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 perfectly joined together
in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1Corinthians
1:10)
“As many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans
8:14) A Christian then, is one who has been given God’s Holy Spirit
at baptism, after having been granted repentance and faith by God.
A true Christian is one in whom God (in Spirit) lives. Jesus said,
“If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will
love him, and we [the Father and Jesus] will come unto him,
and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23) At that point, a
person becomes a part of the unity of the Body of Christ, placing
them in the Church of God. “Now you are the Body of Christ, and
members in particular.” (1Corinthians 12:27)
Jesus is the head
of His Church – and converted Christians are individual parts of His
body - the Church of God. “God the Father... has put all things
under His [Jesus’] feet, and made Him to be the head over all things
to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that
fills all in all.” [There is no room for dis-unity].
(Ephesians 1:17,22-23) Jesus Christ has only one body – thus, He
has only one Church. We see this again and again in the
Scriptures. The “Body of Christ” is the Church of God. “Who
now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is
behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake,
which is the Church.” (Colossians 1:24):
We have been given
the inestimable blessing of being a part of God’s true Church. The
Scriptures are clear – Christ’s body [the brethren] must relate to
one another in unity as an integral whole. “For as we have many
members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So
we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one
of another.” (Romans 12:4-5) Each member of the Body of
Christ has a responsibility to live according to the rules of the
Kingdom of God – now – at this time. We are to put into practice
the way of life that Jesus taught. As individual members of His
Body, we are to live as He lived. "There should be no schism
in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for
another." (1Corinthians 12:25)
"Examine
yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know
ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye
be reprobates?" (2Corinthians 13:5)
It is interesting
to think about how the brethren spiritually depend on each other -
the individual members of the "Body of Christ." Everyone is needed
because of the personal spiritual gifts which fulfill different
functions of the Body. One of the main lessons of Christianity is
this: As members of the Body of Christ, we all need each other, just
as our physical bodies need all its parts to work in unison
properly. "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone
for the profit of all [the brethren]."
(1Corinthians 12:7)
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is
Christ. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body."
(1Corinthians 12:12-13) Let's renew a zeal and enthusiasm for the
Truth that is contagious to others in the Body. Let's regain our
"first love." The result is that our faith is reaffirmed, and the
entire Body of Christ is edified. "For the perfecting of the
saints..., for the edifying of the Body of Christ." (Ephesians
4:12)
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves."
(Philippians 2:3) "...Christ is all, and in all.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so
also do ye. And above all these things put on [Godly
love], which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God
rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body;
and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:11-15)
"Finally, brethren... be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind,
live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
(2Corinthians 13:11)
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Sermon: "Unity of the Body"
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