Preserving Unity

John 17:20-23

John 17:20-23 NKJV - "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. "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Peace in Philippi was threatened by brethren who were carnal. Looking at Paul’s statements through the letter concerning unity can help us fulfill Jesus’ prayer for us.

Two Aspects of Unity

Ephesians 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Peace is the bond/glue that can hold us together.

Ephesians 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

We KEEP the “unity of the Spirit” (the unity handed down by God through the Spirit in His word and work - we have this NOW!)…

And we work toward the “unity of the faith” (the unity of all of us individually in our doctrine and practice.

We are NOT there yet; but we do not throw out the words of God because of our own failures.

Philippians 1:27

We stand firm in one spirit and mind, struggling along with each other for the cause of our faith - the good news.

Philippians 1:27 NKJV - Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

“Stand fast”

Standing firm. This order was given to Roman soldiers, meant for them to dig their cleted sandals (caligae - sandals with iron hobnails) into the ground to offer complete stability.

There is to be a STABILITY to our existence as a congregation of God’s people. This speaks toward our REGULARITY and CONSCIOUSNESS of what must be done in the local work.

1 Thess. 3:8 “For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.”

I’m afraid some think they would live whether someone else stood fast or not!

This “I can do it all” mentality is damaging for the work. ALL of us ought to be standing fast.

“Superman” taking all the groceries in at once. Might do it, but can hurt yourself in the process!

Gal. 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

Some are standing fast with one or more feet in the world. Thus not really standing.

Our yoke of bondage is the things of this world, the things we think are so necessary.

High school into college/ “the real world” - stuff that seemed so important in HS means nothing.

Someone who treats worship as an unnecessary thing, allowing work or play to regularly get in the way, is not STANDING FAST.

For us to have ANY unity, we must stand fast together.

“In ONE spirit, with ONE mind” Acts 4:32

The early church shows us the Biblical model of togetherness.

Acts 4:32 NKJV - Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

Certainly these brethren still had “ownership”, but their view of material things became such that they didn’t consider their wealth to be their own, and thus were better equipped to help others.

This was an EXTENSION of the attitude prevalent among these brethren - that they were together in thought and action in a real and manifested way.

We can SAY we are unified and feel good, etc. What about our interactions manifests this?

Worship three/four hours a week? That’s all of our association for most of us. Is that the unity that God wants?

It is not just unity INTELLECTUALLY, but in EVERY way!

“STRIVING together for the FAITH” Rom. 8:12-13; Gal. 5:20

The importance of the OBJECT of our striving. What do we PUSH and DRIVE toward?

NOT the flesh (our selfish desires)...

But the Spirit!

Romans 8:12-13 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

In context of the “works of the flesh”, Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:20 NKJV - idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

If we are not together, we will easily be divided.

What if a Diotrophes came into this congregation? We might be surprised how easily a congregation can be divided!

Philippians 2:1-2

We fulfill the joy of the Apostles (and Jesus) by being united in spirit in one way of thinking.

Philippians 2:1-2 NKJV - Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

“Fulfill my joy” Ps. 133

Psalm 133 - This is a good goal!

“dwell together in unity” - sit together in community. Togetherness.

“oil upon the head” - oil was a staple of health and hygiene in the ancient world. This is a healthy relationship!

“dew” - concept of fruitfulness. This is our aim in being together - to produce work in the Kingdom that glorifies the King.

How much joy it gives the Lord to see His children working together in harmony!

This means that any threat to our peace and harmony causes God grief.

Remember, sin is what divides. Faithfulness to God brings us together.

“having the same love” Lk. 6:27-35; James 3:14-18

How can we have different forms of “agape”?

The same way we can have different copies of the Bible.

Some of our friends are reading the same text but coming to different conclusions because of their bias!

On the same basis, we can paint love in a very different way than God paints it in Scripture.

Luke 6:27-35 ““But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”

Satan’s prescribed “love”:

established on shallow terms

emotionally directed

If you don’t “feel” that way later, it means you don’t love them anymore

selfish

Thus disposable (take it or leave it!)

vengeful

Parallel: James 3:14-16 “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

God’s love:

deep foundations

We are told to love like God. Lk. 6

directed by righteousness

We love because it is the right thing to do.

self-sacrificial

In our love, we give of ourselves.

full of grace

Loving those who “deserve” it does not help us. Graceful agape love loves those who we deem unlovable.

Parallel: James 3:17-18 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

We need to agree on what this love is, and live it out!

“of one accord, of one mind” 1 Cor. 13:7; Eph. 5:19; 1 Pet. 5:3; Phil. 2:5-8

“of one accord” sympsychos - “one-souled”

sym (similar), psychos (mind/spirit).

We are essentially taught by God to be soulmates!

Not necessarily on a personal basis. Not going to “finish each other’s sentences”, etc.

Main idea is that we are TOGETHER in matters of faith, doctrine, and practice.

One of the greatest ways Satan attacks this is by dividing us up and making us fearful of the world, and thus each other.

We need to trust one another.

1 Cor. 13:7 “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Our work together requires that we are not assuming motives of each other. This is very difficult to do, because we live in a world of assumed motives!

Let’s spend our time not trying to read each other’s hearts, but listening to each other’s hearts!

Eph. 5:19 “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”

Note how this is inherently opposite to the hierarchies that exist in the world. Someone always ends up on top. In the Kingdom it isn’t that way at all.

1 Peter 5:3 NKJV - nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

Elders do not make their decisions in SPITE of a congregation, but at least partly BECAUSE of the congregation (guided ultimately by God’s Word).

Arrogance and conceit (exalting ourselves) have no place in God’s Kingdom.

We need disciples who are willing and able to humbly and lovingly stand together and rise up against pride and foolishness, WHEREVER it might come from.

Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 3:16

In our faith development, we walk with what we have received (the gospel), and seek that same rule and thought for each other.

Philippians 3:16 NKJV - Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

“Let us walk” Rom. 8:1; 2 Jn. 1:9

Romans 8:1 NKJV - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The Christian has a “kingdom walk”. Our “walk” consists simply of the way we live our lives.

2 John 1:9 NKJV - Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

We cannot claim unity of the faith if we are not even trying to come together and find a common agreement.

“same rule”, “same mind” Gal. 1:6-7; 1 Cor. 2:16

We are expected to aim for “sameness” in the gospel.

Galatians 1:6-7 NKJV - I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

NOTE: this does not speak of LOCKSTEP conformity in all walks of life (i.e. Romans 14), but we recognize this to mean we ALL conform to the rule and mind of God.

This will not always be done perfectly! But we have all the tools needed to be as faithful as possible.

We are ALL works in progress!

Human wisdom will constantly question whether we can be unified, rather than put in the work and effort to BECOME more unified.

1 Corinthians 2:16 NKJV - For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 4:2

We seek the togetherness of all our fellow Christians!

Philippians 4:2 NKJV - I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

“I implore” Heb. 12:14-15

We know nothing of these people, but the implication might be that they were at odds with each other.

Bringing brethren together involves more than just preaching and teaching. There needs to be a concerted EFFORT.

Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV - Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

This is our imploring cry: “I want to go to heaven, and I want you to go with me”.

We must seek PEACE which stems from HOLINESS. I can only be at PEACE with someone if we are both seeking true HOLINESS.

“same mind in the Lord” Phil. 2:2; 3:16

“mind” Used two other places at least in the book. (already seen)

Phil. 2:2 “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

Phil. 3:16 “Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”

This is a hard thing to accomplish when there is distance!

Let’s make sure we are truly open, honest, and willing with each other, and make an effort so that we KEEP the unity of the Spirit, and WORK toward unity of the Faith!