UNITY OF FAITH & LOVE

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who over all and through all and in all.

“Make every effort…” 

The making of every effort is to apply all of one’s ability to a total surrender to the Spirit of the Lord so that the Spirit will bring about the unity of the Faith. For the unity of the Spirit cannot be created by man; nor by human teachings or wisdom. The Spirit has already given to those Believers who have yielded to the Truth and received Christ as Lord and Master.

“…unity of the Spirit…”

The unity of the Spirit is living the life of the new man that has the new attitude and the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. This living of the new life, a new creation, is not by human means or organisations, but living in the manner of the calling the Believer has received from the Lord. Man cannot bring about the unity of the Spirit by his effort, or abilities. The unity of the Spirit is brought about through the complete surrender of the Believer to the will of the Spirit. It is a supernatural manifestation brought about through submission, humbleness, and the yielding of the Believer’s will to the Spirit of God. The attitude, “I will to do your will, O Lord”, is the prime motive of the Believer.

Then, the unity of the Spirit can flow from person to person in the total depth of God’s love. Truth in love is the active flowing of the unity of the Spirit between Believer. It is based on a continuos activity in the resolving of problems; and as well, brings about a reconciled state between the Believer and God, and between each other.

Unity of the Spirit is a continuos love affair of earnestness and sincerity based upon God’s desires.

“…through the bond of peace.”

Only the bond of peace can only calm the heart. And, the heart must be ruled by this peace that only Christ gives. This ruling of peace brings about the security and strength found in the experimental knowledge of the living Word. And then the bond of peace between Believer is the flowing of the security and strength between each other’s heart. There comes a loyalty through this bond for the Truth; and will also bring about a building up of the faith among Believers.

Trust is established along with hope as the faith in Christ for each other grows on the foundation of the unity of the Spirit among the Believer. Love becomes perfected and matured in purpose and in deed among all.

“There is one body…”

There are many members, but just one body belonging to Christ Jesus, having been purchased with His Blood. It is on the Cross, the Cursed Tree, that the body was given birth. Through the death of Jesus, came life to many. Each member of the body knowing its’ membership is based upon God’s love to become one with each other. The reality of the Death of Jesus that keeps each member in their proper place of meekness, and complete submission to the Spirit.

 “…one Spirit…”

With each Believer in submission to the Spirit of God, the new Body, being made of many parts in complete unity of the same Spirit, is able to make the declaration that the Lord Jesus Christ has come already and shall soon return for those who are waiting for Him.

It is the one and same Spirit that enables each Believer to obtain the goals the Father has set for each one. The Spirit will always point to Christ and the redeeming work He accomplished so that the Believer will always know it is not of their efforts or abilities, but their success lies in their complete submission to the Spirit. It is very important that each Believer realises the Spirit works in each person in accordance with the Will of God. And, that work may be hidden within the heart and not to be manifested until a later time due to many different factors.

“…to one hope…”

The one hope is the belief that Jesus is raised from the dead. This is the blessed hope of every Believer’s salvation. All of Christianity is based upon this one hope and none other.

“…one Lord…”

There is only one Lord…the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that there can not be additional lords or substitutes. Neither can there be any possible discourse of another helper for the redemption of mankind…only Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, there cannot be any sharing or equality of anything, anyplace, nor any person to the Lordship of Christ. The Lordship calls for sole authority undivided and cannot be shared with no organisation, no order, no person, and with no object. The Lordship is in the very definition of being absolute in the One and Only, Jesus.

The confession of faith that Jesus is Lord has to mean in Christ alone the Believer is moved and has its being. It is God being revealed in Christ that brings about the salvation and Lordship into the Believer. It cannot be shared in any manner or any degree. 

“…one faith…”

There is only one faith in Christ Jesus. That is the faith that the Scriptures are the inspired works of the Spirit through the holy men of old. That faith declares the Lordship of Christ Jesus, the belief in the resurrection of the dead and of judgement of all. That faith speaks of the return of Jesus to gather His Bride, the Body of Christ. That faith speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven being ruled by the one Christ Jesus. And, it speaks of Jesus being made Lord of all of God’s creation.

“…one baptism…”

Each Believer is to be baptised into the death of Christ so that they may be resurrected with Christ Jesus. There is only one death, therefore there can only be one baptism of the same death. All must be baptised in water for the remission of sins. It is the one baptism that pledges a good conscience toward God. There is no other means given. Repent of ones sins and be baptised is for each and every Believer to undergo. 

“…one God and Father of all…”

All of creation points to one God…the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Many languages have many names for god. But, the GOD we speak is in the proper noun, meaning the Creator of all things created. The identity of God is known among the Israel in the Hebrew language. Our Lord Jesus identified God as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, meaning the God these men served. The name, I AM THAT I AM, is the name God gave Moses to tell the Hebrews of who sent him to deliver them. Further, God also declared that He was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Jesus also declared that God is the God of the living; and He stated as living after physical death occurred.

Jesus further declared that any one who learned from God would come to Jesus. And, declared that none could come to Jesus unless the Spirit brings the person to Christ.

Jesus stated God is Spirit and that God is love. Then stated that God seeks those who would worship him in Spirit and in Truth.

Most important of Jesus revelations of God are clearly stating the God is His Father. From Creator to personal Life Giver. God being Father is the greatest declaration of God’s name. For it tells of One Who gave life through his own Breath and through his own Blood and Jesus is the Lord of the Children of God.

Further in the many declarations of the Father-God attribute, Christ stated the Father has children who are those Believers of Christ Jesus. In fact, he stated that the Believers are even co-heirs with Jesus Christ. Therefore, to the Believers of Jesus, the Living God becomes the personal FATHER.

Jesus declared that He was going to His God, His Father, our God, our Father. He made us equal in the relationship with God the Father to Himself. He is declared as the First Son, Only Begotten of the Father, so that he would be the First of all things and therefore shall be the Last of everything. 

“…who is over all and through all and in all.”

God, being the very essence of love, has established the Kingdom of Christ Jesus. All Believers are of this Kingdom. And each one is called to be a Royal Priesthood and a Holy Nation.

Out of the nations, languages, and peoples, God has brought those who would believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ out from the Darkness, kingdom of the world, giving each the right to become a child of God, one born again but in Light.

There is no place or thing or people that God is not known. All of Heaven, all of Earth, and all under the Earth is of God. However, Jesus stated that no one knew God except Him Who Is from God. And, He stated that none could know God except those He chose to make him known.

CONCLUSION:

Unity in the Body of Christ Jesus is also unity in the faith and unity of the Spirit. They are all one and the same. There is no separation of division involved by any means.

Such unity is declared to be one of a deep love for God, for Jesus, and for the Believers. Without love, God’s love flowing, there can be no unity of faith, of Spirit, in the Body of Christ.

God, being love, being within each Believer must radiate his love from the Believer.

To be a Believer one MUST walk in love with God and with the Body of Christ. Love MUST be allowed to work out the problems and difficulties among each Believer in all aspects of their life. Without love, there is no such thing as a Believer. A believer is one who loves the unlovable, forgives the unforgivable, and pardons the unpardonable. Without love, all is lost, in vain, worthless, and meaningless. There is utterly no possible way for unity to exist without the flowing of the Spirit’s love among Believers.

Unity of faith and of the Spirit establishes the Truth, and to claim to have fellowship with Christ and not have unity of love is a clear deception and reveals the true condition of their heart, which shows the person is in fundamental opposition to God and cannot dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is crucial to keep the unity of the faith and of the Spirit among each Believer. It is absolutely necessary to be able to go forth to show such love to the ones in darkness. And, the outcome proves that Jesus truly came and died and rose from the dead, establishing the faith in the Gospel. And, with love flowing, there will always be miracles, signs and wonders abounding among such love in the Believers’ presence.

Unity of the faith and unity of the Spirit encompasses the unity of love.

September 1995