[Biblemat] Article - "WHERE TRUE UNITY EXIST"

GLClair at aol.com GLClair at aol.com
Sun Nov 4 20:55:10 CST 2007


 

WHERE TRUE UNITY  EXIST 
Conclusion to 14 Part study  
How Is Unity Possible? 
FINAL STUDY - Number 1 
Mankind today must accept the fact that Jesus Christ knew that HIS  RELIGIOUS 
ESTABLISHMENT would not bring unification to all people for all time.  Jesus 
knew at the time he came to earth that complete world-wide unity would not  be 
accomplished. Unity of all people will not occur but the cause of disunity  
does not rest with the Godhead; the cause of disunity is found in the created  
beings [i.e. man and woman]: 
Luke 12:51-53, 
“51 Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you,  Nay; but 
rather  division: 
52 for there shall be from henceforth five in  one house divided, three 
against two, and two against  three. 
53 They shall be divided, father against  son, and son against father;  
mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her 
 daughter in law, and daughter in law  against her mother in law.” ASV 
John 7:41-43, 
“41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ  
come out of Galilee? 
42 Hath not the scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of  David, 
and from Bethlehem, the village where David  was? 
43 So there arose a division in the multitude  because of him.” ASV 
John 9:16, 
“16 Some therefore of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God,  because 
he keepeth not the Sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a  sinner 
do such signs? And there was division among  them.” ASV 
John 10:6-19, 
“6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what  things 
they were which he spake unto them. 
7 Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I  am 
the door of the sheep. 
8 All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not  
hear them. 
9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall  go 
in and go out, and shall find pasture. 
10 The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I  
came that they may have life, and may have (it)  abundantly. 
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the  
sheep. 
12 He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are  not, 
beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf  
snatcheth them, and scattereth (them): 
13(he fleeth) because he is a hireling, and careth not for the  sheep. 
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know  me, 
15 even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down  my 
life for the sheep. 
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must  
bring, and they shall hear my voice: and they shall become one flock, one  
shepherd. 
17 Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I  may 
take it again. 
18 No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have  power 
to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment  received 
I from my Father. 
19 There arose a division again among the Jews  because of these words.” ASV 
There has never been complete unity of all the members of the church it  
seems. That does not in mean that man is excused from striving, seeking,  praying, 
and encouraging total unity of all Christians in faith and  doctrine. 
Psalms 133:1, “1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good  and how 
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”  KJV 
Eph 4:3, “3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of  peace.
” KJV 
Eph 4:13-16, “13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of  the 
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the  stature 
of the fullness of Christ: 
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried  
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning  
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to  deceive; 
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,  which 
is the head, even Christ: 
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that  
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure  of 
every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” 
 KJV 

Is it not true that every  Christian is debtor to Christ for His saving 
grace; therefore we are obligated  to patiently work for unity as Jesus has 
requested and as the Holy Scriptures  teach? As Paul says of His brethren in the 
flesh, “Rom 10:1-3, “10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer  to God for 
Israel is, that they might be  saved. 
2 For I bear them record  that they have a zeal of God, but not according to  
knowledge. 
3 For they being ignorant of God's  righteousness, and going about to 
establish their own righteousness, have not  submitted themselves unto the 
righteousness of God.” KJV 
Rom 9:1-6, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my  conscience also bearing 
me witness in the Holy  Ghost, 
2 That I have great  heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 
3 For I could wish that  myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my 
kinsmen according to the  flesh: 
4 Who are Israelites; to  whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and 
the covenants, and the giving  of the law, and the service of God, and the  
promises; 
5 Whose are the fathers,  and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, 
who is over all, God blessed  for ever. Amen. 
6 Not as though the word  of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all 
Israel, which are of Israel:”  KJV 
Rom 7:22-25, “22 For I delight in the law of God after  the inward man: 
23 But I see another law  in my members, warring against the law of my mind, 
and bringing me into  captivity to the law of sin which is in my  members. 
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body  of this 
death? 
25 I thank God through  Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself 
serve the law of God; but  with the flesh the law of sin.”  KJV 

TRUE  UNITY HAS EXISTED CONTINUALLY FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH IN 
C.E.  33  - Acts  2:1-47 
FINAL STUDY –  Number 2 
INTROCUCTION  TO CONCLUSION: 
The Lord  established the church [i.e. Body of Christ} on the day of 
Pentecost [cf. ACTS  2:1-47] according to prophecy [cf. Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-3; 
Daniel 2:31-38;  etc] and According to Divine planning even before the World was 
created [cf. 1  Cor 2:6-8]. This plan is consummated in the Death, Burial, and 
Resurrection of  Jesus Christ and occurred according to Divine  Planning. 
The Church  {i.e. Body of Christ – the Universal Church – Rom 7:4; 1 Cor 
12:27; Eph 4:12;  etc.], not different local congregations but the saved of all 
time. This Body is  always in perfect unity although having no earthly head or 
headquarters [i.e.  Jesus Christ is the only head – Matt 28:18; Eph 1:22; Col 
1:18; Col 2:19-22;  etc.]. 
Jesus is the  head and as such the body functions in perfect unity according 
to the  instruction and wishes of the head. Those added to the Body of Christ 
are added  by the Lord [cf. Acts 2:47; Col 1:22;  Col 2:17; Eph  5:23; etc.], 
consequently Jesus Christ removes any and all that offend the truth  in any 
form. This action by the head assures a perfect unity of the spirit in  the bond 
of peace until the Lord comes at the Last Day [cf. John  12:48]. 
Yes, the  word church as the Body of Christ with one head comprises the 
Universal Church or the saved of all ages. This use  of the word church is 
consistent with the teaching of the whole Revelation and  is simple when we come to 
the proper understanding of the perfect institution  with its perfect head. 
There is no sin or variables of doctrine or opinions  within the Body of Christ, 
its Head [i.e. Jesus Christ] keeps the body in  perfect unity at all times John 
10:7-18, “7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily,  verily, I say unto you, 
I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before  me are thieves and 
robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by  me if any man 
enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find  pasture. 10 The 
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come 
that they might have life, and that they might have it more  abundantly. 11 I am 
the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the  sheep, 12 But 
he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep  are not, 
seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep , and fleeth: and the wolf  catcheth 
them, and scattereth the sheep . 
13 The  hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the 
sheep. 14 I  am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 
As the Father  knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life 
for the sheep. 16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also 
I must bring, and  they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and 
one shepherd. 17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my 
life, that I might take  it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down 
of myself. I have power  to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. 
This commandment have I  received of my Father.” KJV. 
THE LOCAL  ASSEMBLY [i.e. congregation}: 
As we examine the local church or the congregation with its elders and  
deacons we understand that this body is imperfect. The imperfection is not in  the 
founder or in the head but is in those that seek membership in them.   
Jesus parable of the good seed and the tares is an illustration of the  
problems that exist in congregations all over the world in generation after  
generation, notice the message in the parable --- Matt 13:24-30, “24 Another parable 
put he forth unto them,  saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man 
which sowed good seed in his  field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came 
and sowed tares among the wheat,  and went his way. 26 But when the blade was 
sprung up, and brought forth fruit,  then appeared the tares also. 27 So the 
servants of the householder came and  said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good 
seed in thy field? from whence then  hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An 
enemy hath done this. The servants said  unto him, Wilt thou then that we go 
and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay;  lest while ye gather up the tares, ye 
root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let  both grow together until the 
harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to  the reapers, Gather ye together 
first the tares, and bind them in bundles to  burn them: but gather the wheat 
into  my barn.” KJV 
NOTE: 
It is a fact that the parable tells of the Lord’s perfect seed sown in  the 
society or among those that will hear. While the Lord sows good seed that  
makes good disciples the Devil sows bad seeds in among the good seed [i.e.  
unconverted, hypocrites, sowers of discord, insincere, and unsaved pretenders]  in 
the church.  
There can never be perfect, continuous unity in the congregation because  of 
the Devil’s work and the work of his agents. Yet, the Lord says leave them  
alone until harvest time [i.e. the end] and He will separate the bad from the  
good. 
Even though there can be no perfect unity in the congregation that does  not 
mean that there are no saved people in them, there are both saved and  unsaved 
who occupy the pews in congregations. We will or we must learn how to  keep 
ourselves in the grace of God by learning and doing those things that will  
ensure our continued growth and maturity, cf. 1 Peter 2:1-4, “1 Putting away 
therefore all wickedness,  and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all 
evil speakings, 2 as newborn  babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without 
guile, that ye may grow  thereby unto salvation; 3 if ye have tasted that the 
Lord is gracious: 4 unto  whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of 
men, but with God elect,  precious,” ASV 
2 Peter  3:18, “18 But grow in the grace and  knowledge of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him (be) the glory both now  and for ever. Amen.” ASV 
Philippians  2:3-16, 
“3 (doing)  nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of 
mind each  counting other better than himself; 
4 not  looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the 
things of  others. 
5 Have this  mind in you, which was also in Christ  Jesus: 
6 who,  existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality 
with God a  thing to be grasped, 
7 but  emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the 
likeness of  men; 
8 and being  found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient 
(even) unto  death, yea, the death of the cross. 
9 Wherefore also God  highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is 
above every  name; 
10 that in  the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (things) in heaven 
and (things) on  earth and (things) under the earth, 
11 and that  every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of God the  Father. 
12 So  then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence 
only, but  now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear 
and  trembling; 
13 for it  is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good  
pleasure. 
14 Do all  things without murmurings and  questionings: 
15 that  ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without 
blemish in the  midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen 
as lights in  the world, 
16  holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the  
day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.”  ASV 
CONSIDER  THIS: 
Dear friends  and brethren, let us work toward that perfect unity while we 
live and move and  have our being here in this world. We must do whatever God 
instructs us via the  Written Word in order to be acceptable and to be a 
contributor to the unity of  the spirit in the bond of peace. We also pray that God 
will continue His grace  to us while we endeavor with all our faculties to 
serve Him acceptable.  “AMEN!” 
May God  bless us all as we seek to understand and contribute to “The unity 
of the spirit in  the bond of peace.” 

_glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com)  
considermagazine.com



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