That They May Be One

The Work of God

It is God the Father who does the work of producing believers in Jesus Christ.  It is only when we assist in that cause – Christianity – that we are doing the works of God.  Jesus was asked, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him [Jesus] whom He [the Father] hath sent.”  (John 6:28-29)

How many brethren are being taught that they are in the right organization, and that they are doing “the Work” of broadcasting and publishing the “good news” to all the earth?  As shocking as it may be to some, that is not the sum total of the Work of God.  Let us ask ourselves a serious question.  Should we expect God to call new brethren into a group that does not practice the true essence of Christianity?  If the group does not possess the essential quality of Christianity, how can the new proselyte grow in grace and knowledge?

The end result of all evangelism should be that those from the world will begin to believe in Jesus Christ, will repent, and will come together in unity and oneness – loving God and one another as Christians.  God makes it very clear that preaching and doing many wonders are not His highest priority.

“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work [lawlessness].”  (Matthew 7: 22-23)

Compare the last word lawlessness, with this next verse, which describes God’s priority for us.  God says that not loving our fellow man is “lawlessness.”  What does God say is the opposite of “lawlessness”?  “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”  (Galatians 5:14)

Jesus Christ also makes it clear that interpretation of prophecy is not the number one priority of a true Christian. Sure, God’s prophecies are meant to inform, to comfort, and to encourage us.  Prophecy is given for our assurance of what will shortly come to pass – not so that we will spend all of our energies trying to figure out the “when, where, and how.” Having prophetic understanding, in and of itself, does not qualify us for the Kingdom or get us into the place of safety.

“Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not charity [agape-love], I am nothing.”  (1 Corinthians 13:2)

Notice how Scripture brings us back to what our priority should be!  If we are not practicing agape charitable love for the brethren – no matter what other priorities we might have – we do not have the correct Godly priority.  Our propensity to love one another grows proportionately as we pray for those brethren with needs and problems.  The saddest part of all is that most groups today, either openly or subtly, discourage contact with brethren in other groups.  This is our time of testing.  Prominent people within God’s Church hob-knob among themselves to the exclusion of the brethren. 

This un-Christian practice is only winked at by some.  Regular members are rarely invited to gatherings for friendly fellowship.  This is not proper.  If Godly respect is missing within congregations, how will respect for all scattered brethren be taught?  Have we learned so little, that a class system is still perpetuated in God’s Church today?

“. . . When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.”  (Luke 14:12-13)

Harm to the Body of Christ occurs because people lack the courage to confront wrongdoing.  They use baseless excuses like “it is not right to hurt someone’s feelings.”  Have we come to the point where anyone who attempts to rectify a wrong will soon find himself or herself persona non grata?  We should never think that it is “safer” not to go to the aid of a fellow member who has fallen from the good graces of the ordained leaders.  Our goal is not to be in their good graces – but God’s.  When anyone is wrong – he or she must be admonished to change.  “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.”  (Isaiah 59:4)

Is it difficult to confront this kind of wrongdoing in the Church?  Yes it is!  Many have incurred the wrath of those prominent men who, lacking humility and understanding, try to maintain the status quo.  Perhaps they think that somehow it will all be okay – it is permitted because of rank.  Or, maybe they do not really believe that there will be an accounting before Jesus Christ?  “But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at naught thy brother?  For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”  (Romans 14:10, 12)

Paul had to correct Peter for his divisiveness when he was respecting persons.  Peter was participating in the exact same kind of alienation that is destroying our Church today (Galatians 2:12).  Peter learned from Paul’s loving correction and later wrote that no one should be left out.

“Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
(1 Peter 4:9-10)

Respect of persons cannot be condoned, because it is divisive.  We are told to follow Paul’s example and to go to our brother and to point out his fault.  His salvation is at stake, and so is ours.

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.”  (1 John 4:11-12)

By interacting this way with other Christians, God’s love is perfected in us.  When God’s love is perfected in us, we become deeply concerned about the spiritual welfare of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Love is not superficial contact like at choir practice, potlucks, and summer camp, but a discerning involvement that puts a fellow laborer back on track when he or she falls.

“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one converts him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death.”  (James 5:19-20)

“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”  (Jude :23)

Our community of fellowship must resemble Christ’s concept of the Kingdom of God.  Until it does, we cannot rest satisfied.  We are obligated to become involved in bringing about unity and oneness among all the children of God.  We disqualify ourselves if we sit on the sidelines and suppose that someone else will do it for us. How do we begin to find oneness – care and love for one another – in the brotherhood of the faithful?  How many of us have the same dreams and hopes of love, unity, and kindness for one another?

We have seen the kind of unity and oneness Jesus Christ indicates we should have with all members.  Without an unseen hand from somewhere – or a great charismatic leader literally ushering various church leaders into a collective enterprise – it falls to the individual members to fulfill the role of the end-time Church to become one in unity.  The biblical evidence is that God’s Will is for individual members of the Body of Christ to work together to create a unity that transcends all obstacles.

Our salvation depends – not on our being in the right group – but on how we relate to one another.  Jesus could not have made it clearer when He gave us the definition of Christian love.  “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”
(Matthew 25:40,45)

We need to respect our brothers and sisters for who they are, even if they seem to be stumbling just a little at the moment.  When any one of God’s children is unwilling to get together or to confer with other Christians, it is division – and it is wrong.  Division in the church is as real today as it was in the first century.  Let us take the initiative to show ourselves friendly.

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”   (Hebrews 10:24-25)

It is easy to say that this “assembling of ourselves together” refers only to individuals meeting with some church group on the Sabbath.  But that is a self-serving and limited interpretation.  Paul is saying that groups of Christians must not be exclusive of other Christians.  When an independent group, no matter how large or small, thinks that it is sufficient unto itself – that group has accepted a division that amounts to heresy.  It is the same today as in Paul’s day: groups of brethren avoid assembling together in violation of God’s instruction.  We need to be reaching out to others – renewing old friendships.  “Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another.”  (Malachi 3:16)