We Are One, But We Are Many

Introduction

The Unity of God’s People

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

Dangers of Disunity

1. Expression of selfishness (Jas 3:16)

James 3:16 “16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

Disunity comes when we think of self 1st

When I don’t cultivate 1st 4 virtures (Eph. 4:2)

Disunity is more than just not getting along

Has devastating effects – drives downward

Feeds confusion & chaos

Everyone doing what they think is best, in their own interests

Not listening to each other & this usually leads to tension, mistrust, etc.

Also completely wastes our time & efforts

Every evil – literally good for nothing

Hearts are wrong, motives wrong, actions wrong & nothing of value for Christ is achieved

Disunity is caused by selfishness & selfishness destroys churches

2. Not Godly (Prov. 6:19; 1 Cor. 1:10; 3:3-4)

For reasons we’ll see God loves unity

Saw God hated pride – disunity is result of pride so God is passionate about this also

Proverbs 6:16–19 “16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

Paul is equally passionate about this

Watching it destroy church at Corinth

1 Cor. 1:10 – Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Why is Paul so concerned about this?

1 Cor. 3:3-4 – 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Disunity isn’t godly – it’s sinful, natural

3. Avoid those that cause disunity (Rom. 16:17-18)

Romans 16:17–18 – 17Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

Disunity reaches to the heart of who we are in Christ

Must be avoided

Otherwise, they continue to sow their seeds of disunity

Even from the outside they can influence as they undermine your love for those you worship with

Temporal Unity Has Eternal Significance

3 reason why unity is so important

1. Testifies of the unity of the Godhead (Jn. 17:21)

John 17:21 “21 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.”

We worship Trinity in unity - key part of Eph. 4 call to unity

God is 3 persons (Father, Son, Spirit) perfectly united as one

What is the purpose of a church?

Eph. 3:10 - to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

To make visible the glory of God & His gospel

Oneness that God give to His people is to display the oneness of God Himself

Just as He created us individually in His image so He created us to display His image together

Disunity smears the name of God & misrepresents Him to the world

2. Leads others to faith (Jn. 17:23)

John 17:23 “23 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.”

What is the purpose of truly reflecting God in this world? People get saved

Eph. 3:10 – churches duty is to proclaim & illustrate the glory of God & Gospel

Disunity hides the beauty of salvation & glory of God Himself

Our duty is to display God

3. Leads believers to maturity

We work together, strive together, walk together & encourage each other

Unity cultivates healthy, strong believers

Eccl. 4:12 – Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Why Bible so often calls us to worship together, serve together, pray together

Christianity is not a solo expedition

God designed us to live & grow in community

We’re called to wholly commit to one another in love for benefit of all

Doesn’t Come Easily

1. It’s a work of the Spirit

Natural inclination is to selfishness/pride

Ability to love one another is a work of Spirit

We can’t create this unity on our own

God creates in church a unity which can’t exist outside of it

Eph. 2:13,16-18

Work which begins by God giving life

Eph. 2:1,8-9

Heart of unity with people is a unity with God

Salvation is what makes unity possible

Each of us recognising that God is holy, just & perfect

We are sinners in need of salvation

From that moment God begins a work in each of us giving us a love for Him & His people

Rom. 5:5 – Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

2. Requires our diligence

Although love for others which brings unity can’t be created it must be cultivated

Endeavouring – resolute determination, suggest striving & difficulty

Means we’re to be putting every effort in to walk worthy (Eph. 4:1)

To cultivate in ourselves Eph. 4:2 so that we can live out God-glorifying, gospel-revealing unity

It’s not enough to speak of unity God gives all believers

Not enough to play around the edges of unity where it feels nice but I’ve got a way out

None of that is unity

Means I give myself wholly to God’s people where I’m at

I genuinely, formally & biblically commit myself to be part of a church where I can passionately, truly, pursue unity God calls me to

Without that I’m not endeavouring to keep the unity

I’m pridefully saying I know better

The Life of God’s People

Ephesians 4:4 “4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;”

We Are One People

1. Unity of God’s people

This is a Baptist church & I am Baptist by conviction

However, God didn’t save me to Baptist tradition

God saved me to Himself – as He did you

For the record, not against denominations

Actually think they can help preserve unity of God’s people

Reason we need salvation isn’t because we’re irreligious – we’re very religious

Reason we need salvation is because sin has alienated us from God

Salvation restores each believer into a personal relationship with God Himself

Not just a whole bunch of individual relationships

E.g. I have church relationships, work, social, etc. but all separate

In salvation we become part of the same family

We are truly one people

There is a unique & spiritual bond which binds together all of God’s people

Don’t just have a relationship we have kinship

Look around this room – why do we need to be humble, meek, etc pursue deeply committed unity?

We are family

E.g. Long held tradition of calling each other brother & sister

2. Expressed in the unity of a church

Eph. 4:4-6 is grand truth which makes Eph 4:1-3 possible

Natural (expected) outcome of Eph. 4:4-6 is local unity

Without concrete expression of unity in local church these truths amount nothing

Room right here is where we experience this truth of Christian unity

Goodness of these truths places responsibility on me to wholly unite myself with God’s people where I am at

3. Unique, living organism

What God does in His people is unique

We’re not united in religion

Not united in practice

Our unity isn’t a shallow, superficial, temporary affinity

God creates within us a uniquely divine love for each other which needs to be cultivated

We are not truly an organisation or institution

We are a living organism

With One Life

1. Spirit gives life

This organism, this body, this unity isn’t given life by momentum, passion for cause, excitement, miracles, service

Life that comes to every believer is given by Spirit

Spirit is the life-giver

He sustains this & nurtures it’s health

Without work of Spirit there is no life & no unity of believers – abroad or locally

2. There is One Spirit

God doesn’t have different spirits He gives

Neither does He withhold Spirit from some in any amount

A person is made alive by Spirit of God, indwelt by Spirit of God

Same Spirit that every believer has received

Spirit that descended to Jews on Day of Pentecost empowering God’s people for service is same Spirit that came to Cornelius the gentile

Same Spirit comes to believers today

1 Cor. 2:11 – For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God, who knows the mind of God because He is God

1 Cor. 2:12 – Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Every believer receives same Spirit

3. Spirit binds together

1 Cor. 6:19 – Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Each individually temple of Holy Spirit

Person can be saved & therefore have Spirit & not be completely what God intends

Why? Without unity with others we are incomplete

Eph. 2:21-22 – Spirit takes us individually and fits us together to be a living testimony of the glory & unity of God Himself

Making 1 gloriously beautiful structure

And One Hope

1. Spirit is our promise

Hope we have because of Jesus is applied & guaranteed by Spirit

Eph. 1:14 – He is the guarantee, promise of eternal life to come

A hope that every believer has

There are no stages of afterlife

No earning any points with God

Each & everyone of us is equally guaranteed eternal life

2. Spirit is perfecting us

Spirit that leads each of us down the same path to Christ-likeness

Our calling is to walk worthy of Christ – same calling for everyone

Spirit enables each of us to walk that life

Fruit of Spirit

Illuminating Word of God

What He gives to me He gives to you

3. In Spirit we are truly one

NB: activity of Godhead in these verses

Each plays a different role but each equally & fully God

Unity of believers is illustration of God

There is no difference between us in position or value

Not one issue you can bring up in this regard

Each of us has different gifts, ministries, etc

But only one calling

Keep this in mind when we talk about roles of people in church & family

Roles we’re called to play are expression of Godhead not statement on value

The Faith of God’s People

Ephesians 4:5 “5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;”

We Serve the Same Master

1. He is Lord

Lord = master

True there is 1 Lord in sense that He is Lord of absolutely all

Here speaks of those who now recognise Him as Lord

At heart of Christianity is submission to Jesus as Lord

1 of great uniters of believers is that we have each submitted our lives to the same Lord

We belong to same Master, serve same

We’re united in our recognition that Jesus is Lord

In that role as Lord, He is naturally head of this church

2. Our allegiance is to Him

Our highest allegiance isn’t to each other, to this church, to a movement

Our allegiance & loyalty is firstly to Jesus

Because we are loyal to Him we will be loyal to what Jesus loves

That is each other

Some scholars suggest 3 phrases of Eph. 4:5 have one purpose

It is to emphasise the centrality of Christ

Preaching on unity doesn’t unify a church. Preaching Jesus unifies a church. - Steve Dighton

3. Our service is for Him

Because we submit to Him as Lord & our allegiance is to Him supremely

We give our lives & our service to Him

Bound by Faith in Him

1. Pursue His truth

One faith probably refers to doctrine/belief

God is not duplicitous, confusing, deceptive or untrue

He is truth without error

We find His truth in His Word

It’s mark of true believers that we diligently seek to know & live that truth

2 Tim. 2:15 – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

With one heart & in one passion we pursue Christ

Our desire is to know Him truly & fully

2. Believe Him for life

This desire for truth comes from saving faith

There is only 1 faith that can save

Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

There aren’t many roads to God

What binds us together is we all have entered at the ‘wicket gate’ & have faithfully followed the ‘kings way’ (as per Bunyan)

We have believed that Jesus is God who, being sinless, died for my sins and rose again for my life eternal

We have repented or our wickedness & submitted our lives to His rule

Expressed in One Symbol

1. Water baptism

Given this appears in 2nd triad not first with Spirit suggests it refers to water baptism

Right given to His church to show the unity of God to His people & people to each other

Jews had many baptisms, as do others

None of those represent Christ nor speak of unity of God’s people

2. Identifies with Christ

Baptism is a step of obedience

Commanded by Christ & upheld by early church

Matt. 28:19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

It’s nature is to identify us with work of Christ

Rom. 6:2-5

Represents what Christ has done for & in us

We go down with Him in the grave, die to self & rise up to newness of life

It is Gospel portrayed

It says I am Christ’s

It is therefore reserved for those who can make their own profession of faith

3. Identifies with God’s people

In that most beautiful truth is also bound up identification with God’s people

I am now outwardly, publicly identifying

It is part of the ‘uniform’ of believer

Partly why it is entrance into a church

You are boldly proclaiming I stand with you as one of Christ’s

Beautiful show of our unity

The Glory of God’s People

Ephesians 4:6 “6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

We are Redeemed by One God

1. The oneness of God

Deut. 6:4 – Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!

God always been known for oneness

NT opened our eyes to beauty & unity of God in Trinity

Matt. 28:19 – in name of Father, Son & Spirit

Our unity is to display the perfect unity of God

1 God in 3 Persons: Each wholly God & each perfectly unique in role

Each perfectly illustrating every virtue set before us

Perfect, glorious unity

2. He is Father to His people

As Jesus is Lord of all so in 1 sense God is Father of all as creator

This speaks of Father in a redemptive sense

He is our Father

That is, we are one under the care of the same glorious, loving, protecting Father

Father who loves each of us so dearly He would give His only true Son for us

Father who loves us enough to correct us

He is the perfect Father & as such we are His family

One people with one name & one identity

United in His Praise

1. He is above all

There is none ahead of Him

He is head of the house

2. He is worthy of our praise

To Carry Out His Purpose

1. Powerfully works through you

His sovereign power is at work in each of us

Making us to be what He created us to be

To be Christ-like

Working through us to accomplish His great purpose

Using us to reach the lost with the Gospel

Using us to proclaim His glory & salvation to ends of the earth

Using us to edify, encourage, correct & uphold each other

2. Ever present with you

E.g. In a sense my father is always with me because I carry his DNA

Not only has God made me a new creature, His very own

He is actually present with each of us at every moment

Each of us at this moment are tightly held in the loving arms of OUR Father

Conclusion