ValleyAnt Posted January 26, 2015 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 23 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted January 26, 2015 Jude said, "I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (v. 3). It's my contention that unless there is a unity of the Holy Spirit among Christians, we cannot live out the full gospel which was with finality (in perfect form, nothing lacking) delivered to the Saints. I find more questions than answers among Christians today, and I can see that it seems difficult for so many Christians to live out New Testament Christianity. Doctrines and fellowship are disjointed or lack unity; there is a common lack of solidarity. Some people don't know what Bible version to use; others don't know what denomination to join; still, others don't understand the basic tenets of the faith; and others don't know where to begin when it comes to matters of spiritual warfare and the fact that there are two kingdoms at war for the souls of people. There is often no real common ground when it comes to where to start when approaching the things of God. I believe that Christianity is 'made' to function correctly only where two or three are gathered in His Name-- i.e. gathered in unity. I believe that to the extent that the unity of the Spirit lacks among Christians, to that extent the Kingdom of God is chained or fettered from making inroads into and thriving in the lives of Christians and unbelievers alike. Before the unity of the Spirit became such a big deal, David said, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity... For there, the Lord commanded the blessing-- even life forevermore" (Ps. 133). I believe that as it was for the prosperity and success of the early Church, so it is for Christianity today: unity in the Spirit is the starting line and the common ground from which all the good will and works of God grow and flourish among Christians and in the Church. I believe that unity is not just a good idea but is good, that it isn't just God's preference but is pleasant to Him. As Christians walk united in the Holy Spirit, God's Kingdom is loosed to manifest in the Church and His will allowed to be done on earth as it was in the early Church and is in Heaven. The faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints was delivered to one Body of believers and was formed to work only when that body is one/united in the Holy Spirit. "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:3-6). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnut- Posted January 26, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 39 Topic Count: 101 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 7,673 Content Per Day: 1.31 Reputation: 7,358 Days Won: 67 Joined: 04/22/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted January 26, 2015 Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn C Posted January 26, 2015 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 30 Topic Count: 267 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 13,205 Content Per Day: 3.49 Reputation: 8,497 Days Won: 12 Joined: 12/21/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/06/1947 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Hi Valley Ant, I have much to say on this great topic you have brought up, however I have to go out today so will get back to you in the near future. Blessings, Marilyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverwalker Posted January 26, 2015 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 92 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,054 Content Per Day: 0.60 Reputation: 1,753 Days Won: 4 Joined: 12/09/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted January 26, 2015 Look at Christ for your answers....we are all just slogging it out down here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavedOnebyGrace Posted January 27, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 4,058 Content Per Day: 14.92 Reputation: 5,191 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/30/2023 Status: Offline Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) I don't see how you're every going to get some Christians to be spiritualiy unified when only some misunderstand the faith / works scriptures, and dozens of other topics that are keeping Protestants divided. I don't expect the Catholics to budge on the issue either. Where does this unity start? Edited January 29, 2015 by Nobody-2441 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timvoelz Posted January 27, 2015 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 3 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) I don't see how you're every going to get some Christians to be spiritualiy unified when some misunderstand the faith / works scriptures, and dozens of other topics that are keeping Protestants divided. I don't expect the Catholics to budge on the issue either. Where does this unity start? This is a good point. The only true unity in the Church and in the universe for that matter is found in the community of the Trinity. Christians, true Christians, can be unified in foundational truths, such as Salvation by faith in Christ alone, the virgin birth, the deity of Jesus. They may never agree on the peripheral doctrines such as styles of worship, versions of the Holy Bible, or whether drinking alcohol is permissible or not. The Church of Christ has many windows, but only one door; and that Door, is Jesus Christ. If we get that right, we'll have unity. The rest is just preference. I heard this story about two believers from different worlds: "During the Cold War, a Christian from the U.S. was visiting Romania. It was a gray, cold day, and all the faces around him reflected that gray, cold atmosphere. But in the midst of the gloom, the Christian man heard someone whistling a tune. It was an old hymn, 'The Great Physician now is here, the sympathizing Jesus.'"The Christian man spotted the whistler and began walking alongside him. Because Christians were persecuted by the government, he took care not to publicly identify his allegiance. He simply began whistling the same tune. The Romanian man stopped, a big smile spreading over his face. He pointed to heaven. So did the American man. He pointed to his heart. The American did too. Then he reached out and grabbed the American in a big bear hug. Neither man could speak the other's language, but they knew instantly that they were brothers in the faith. " Edited January 27, 2015 by timvoelz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnut- Posted January 27, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 39 Topic Count: 101 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 7,673 Content Per Day: 1.31 Reputation: 7,358 Days Won: 67 Joined: 04/22/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted January 27, 2015 I don't believe unity means we have to agree on everything, but more that when we do disagree, we do so respectfully and with the thought that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Too often when people disagree, this is forgotten, and also that it is the Holy Spirit that gives understanding. None of us can convince someone of something, particularly when it comes to our beliefs, that is the job of the Holy Spirit. To me unity implies that we should be able to 'agree to disagree' as brothers and sisters in Christ. We should be able to discuss all matters of scripture with each other, and explain why we hold the understanding we do, without all the negative rhetoric that so often happens. Those are my thoughts on it anyway, God bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavedOnebyGrace Posted January 27, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 4,058 Content Per Day: 14.92 Reputation: 5,191 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/30/2023 Status: Offline Share Posted January 27, 2015 I don't see how you're every going to get some Christians to be spiritualiy unified when some misunderstand the faith / works scriptures, and dozens of other topics that are keeping Protestants divided. I don't expect the Catholics to budge on the issue either. Where does this unity start? This is a good point. The only true unity in the Church and in the universe for that matter is found in the community of the Trinity. Christians, true Christians, can be unified in foundational truths, such as Salvation by faith in Christ alone, the virgin birth, the deity of Jesus. They may never agree on the peripheral doctrines such as styles of worship, versions of the Holy Bible, or whether drinking alcohol is permissible or not. The Church of Christ has many windows, but only one door; and that Door, is Jesus Christ. If we get that right, we'll have unity. The rest is just preference. I heard this story about two believers from different worlds: "During the Cold War, a Christian from the U.S. was visiting Romania. It was a gray, cold day, and all the faces around him reflected that gray, cold atmosphere. But in the midst of the gloom, the Christian man heard someone whistling a tune. It was an old hymn, 'The Great Physician now is here, the sympathizing Jesus.'"The Christian man spotted the whistler and began walking alongside him. Because Christians were persecuted by the government, he took care not to publicly identify his allegiance. He simply began whistling the same tune. The Romanian man stopped, a big smile spreading over his face. He pointed to heaven. So did the American man. He pointed to his heart. The American did too. Then he reached out and grabbed the American in a big bear hug. Neither man could speak the other's language, but they knew instantly that they were brothers in the faith. " Thank you for sharing that story. You would think we could all agree on the trinity. But some, at least on the forums I've been a part of, really make that a dividing issue. Just because the word trinity is not in the bible doesn't make it less true. One only has to read Genesis to see the trinity in action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn C Posted January 27, 2015 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 30 Topic Count: 267 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 13,205 Content Per Day: 3.49 Reputation: 8,497 Days Won: 12 Joined: 12/21/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/06/1947 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) Hi ValleyAnt, This is a very important topic as we tend to misunderstand `unity.` God in His word actually talks about 2 unities. You mentioned both & others have talked of one or the other. However we tend to see them as the same - believers understanding the same things. This is the most obvious difference, all the different beliefs. And thus we tend to despair & say, can we ever be in unity. Or, as we see others, trying to get us all under some label or umbrella of basic `god` belief. So what does God`s word say on unity. I believe & was taught that God has two unities & we read about them in Ephesians 4. 1. The Unity of the Spirit. `I, (Paul) ....beseech you....endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.` (Eph. 4: 3) This one we can see from `Nobody`s` story of the two believers meeting & how their spirit leaped when they both realised that they were bro, in the Lord. This unity of the Spirit is by the Holy Spirit. We can not make it or put it together. It happens when we become believers, by the Holy Spirit & He places us in the Body of Christ. `For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body.....have all been made to drink into one Spirit......now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.` (1 Cor. 12: 13 & 18) Although we can not make this unity, our responsibility, as Paul says is to `keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.` We can cause division & trouble by our attitudes & behaviour, but that will just then keep us outside that unity if we persist in such things. The Body of Christ & its members are always in the unity of the Spirit, by the Holy Spirit. It is the basis of being in the Body of Christ. We cannot save ourselves & we can not make ourselves in the unity of the Spirit. 2. The Unity of the Faith. `And He (Christ) gave some ....(ministries) for the equipping....edifying...till we all come to the unity of the faith & the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children tossed to & fro ...but speaking the truth in love, may grow up.....every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.` (Eph. 4: 11 - 16) This `Unity of the Faith,` speaks of our coming to understand Christ, His character, ministries & His purposes. We are all at different stages in our understanding & all have errors that need to be addressed. This is all part of the maturing of the Body of Christ over the past 2000 years. When error came among the early believers it caused division, & this is part of our warfare to stand against errors but not fight the person. However Jesus told us that His Holy Spirit would lead us into all the truth about Himself. (John 15: 13) Thus we can be assured that the Holy Spirit is guiding & revealing truth across the Body of Christ. We tend to look at the differences, yet if we but take the time to see the wondrous truths that have been revealed over the years, which people died for, (& some are still) when first known, but now we can readily say we believe in Salvation by Faith in Jesus, baptism in water, anointing of the Holy Spirit, the giftings of the Holy Spirit, & the 5 fold ministries of the ascended Lord. The main truth that is yet to be received across the Body of Christ, I believe, has to do with the Eternal purposes of God for the 3 groups – the Body of Christ, Israel & the nations. That is why there is so much discussion in these areas. However we can rest assured that the Holy Spirit will illuminate to us as we have humble hearts, reading with true diligence His word. Blessings, Marilyn. Edited January 27, 2015 by Marilyn C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValleyAnt Posted January 28, 2015 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 23 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2015 Status: Offline Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Marilyn, well said, and good job at distinguishing the unity of the Spirit from the unity of the faith. When I talk about Christian unity, I am really talking about something that comes from humility. A good place for Christian unity to start is for Christians to choose-- as a free will act-- to be agreeable with each other. It isn't only about agreeing on everything ("unity of the faith") nor only about being in agreement ("unity of the Spirit"); it is about being agreeable (love for each other). Unity (agreeableness), therefore, is by an act of one's free will choosing to get along, because, as someone said, "we be all brethren." Jesus didn't agree with nor did He walk in agreement with the Pharisees; but He was agreeable or humble (loving) toward all men, even the Pharisees. This quality of His (agreeableness, humility) made Him attractive to all but the disagreeable religious leaders. An agreeable spirit is a heart that loves; a disagreeable spirit is a heart that hates. Therefore, the call to unity or agreeableness is really a call to love one another by an act of one's free will. In calling for Christians to be in the unity of the Spirit, I am reminding us of the Bible's exhortation that Christians be united with wholehearted and calculated intention (quoted in my signature below)-- that we walk in humility and be therefore agreeable with each other. Siblings who love each other don't agree on everything nor are they in agreement about everything; but they get along because they are agreeable with each other. Christians don't have to agree or be in agreement 100% of the time (though the end of that fullness is the work of the five-fold ministry); but Christians are indeed called to be agreeable with one another, because it is an exercise of the free will and is the enduring 'new commandment' that Christians "love one another." This is the only outstanding debt or obligation (calling for an exercise of one's own free will), and it makes a Christian his brother's keeper. Therefore, the Bible tells Christians to make every conscious (free will) effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit for the sake of peace. This takes 'Christian unity' from its nebulous meanings and impossible reaches and places it within every Christian's reach in the realm of possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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