[Biblemat] Study of Unity - Number 1

[GLClair at aol.com]

HOW IS UNITY POSSIBLE? – Number 1 
By Garreth L. Clair           
This will be  the first of several studies on the subject of  unity. 
We will number  each one of the studies as we present them. 
Study these  well, Col 4:5-6, “5 Walk in wisdom  toward them that are 
without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be alway  with grace, seasoned with 
salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every  man.” KJV 
1 Peter  3:14-15, “14 But and if ye  suffer for righteousness' sake, happy 
are ye: and be not afraid of their terror,  neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify 
the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready  always to give an answer to every 
man that asketh you a reason of the hope that  is in you with meekness and 
fear:” KJV 
One of the great questions  from the beginning of God’s dealings with man has 
been how can mere humans  attain to unity and maintain it for long periods of 
time. The Bible clearly  instructs God’s people to be unified under HIS 
leadership, yet so many instances  in history this has been seemingly impossible. 
We must seek an answer to this  seemingly impossible task for mankind [i.e. 
unity]. I do not know all the causes  for disunity among men over religion but 
many of the problems are with man not  with God’s Written Word. To this 
investigation I dedicate this short  dissertation on unity. 
Without unity the whole of  mankind is cursed to never be wholly acceptable 
to God for God requires that all  humankind pursue unity as a number one 
priority: 
Psalms 133:1-3, “Behold, how good and how  pleasant it is for brethren to 
dwell together in unity 2 It is like the  precious oil upon the head, that ran 
down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard;  that came down upon the skirt of his 
garments; 3 Like the dew of Hermon, that  cometh down upon the mountains of 
Zion: for there Jehovah commanded the  blessing, even life for evermore.” ASV 
Eph 4:3-13, “3 giving diligence to keep  the unity of the Spirit in the bond 
of peace. 4(There is) one body, and  one Spirit, even as also ye were called 
in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord,  one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and 
Father of all, who is over all, and  through all, and in all. 7 But unto each 
one of us was the grace given according  to the measure of the gift of 
Christ. 8 Wherefore he said, when he ascended on  high, he led captivity captive, 
and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now this, He  ascended, what is it but that he also 
descended into the lower parts of the  earth? 10 He that descended is the same 
also that ascended far above all the  heavens, that he might fill all things.) 
11 And he gave some (to be) apostles;  and some, prophets; and some, 
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12  for the perfecting of the saints, 
unto the work of ministering, unto the  building up of the body of Christ: 13 
till we all attain unto the unity of  the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a full-grown man, unto  the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ:”  ASV 
We understand, then; that  unity is one status upon which God requires man’s 
utmost effort. In the previous  passages of Scripture we see that unity is 
pleasant [Psalms 133:1-3],  that unity may be attained through compliance with God
’s instructions via the  Written Word [i.e. the Bible] --- Eph. 4:3-13. Yes, 
the prescription for  unity is reveled to mankind as an acceptance of God’s 
Word without  differentiation by all who volunteer to be disciples [i.e. true 
Christians].   
This proposition in itself  is a stumbling block to unity advocates; many 
disagree about this point because  they arrive at conflicting conclusions about 
many specific passages of Holy  Scripture. 
ACCEPTANCE THAT JESUS  CHRIST REQUIRES UNITY OF ALL DISCIPLES: 
John 17:11-23, “11 And I am no more in the world,  and these are in the 
world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy  name which thou hast 
given me, that they may be one, even as we  (are). 
12 While I was with them,  I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: 
and I guarded them, and not  one of them perished, but the son of perdition; 
that the scripture might be  fulfilled. 
13 But now I come to thee;  and these things I speak in the world, that they 
may have my joy made full in  themselves. 
14 I have given them thy  word; and the world hated them, because they are 
not of the world, even as I am  not of the world. 
15 I pray not that thou  shouldest take them from the world, but that thou 
shouldest keep them from the  evil (one). 
16 They are not of the  world even as I am not of the world. 
17 Sanctify them in the  truth: thy word is truth. 
18 As thou didst send me  into the world, even so sent I them into the  
world. 
19 And for their sakes I  sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be 
sanctified in  truth. 
20 Neither for these only  do I pray, but for them also that believe on me 
through their  word; 
21 that they may all be  one; even as thou, Father, (art) in me, and I in 
thee, that they also may be in  us: that the world may believe that thou didst 
send  me. 
22 And the glory which  thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they 
may be one , even as we  (are) one ; 
23 I in them, and thou in  me, that they may be perfected into one; that the 
world may know that thou didst  send me, and lovedst them, even as thou 
lovedst me.”  ASV 
Many people do not accept  the Bible as an inspired Book and many do not 
accept Jesus Christ as Savior of  mankind; these points are absolutely 
non-negotiable as points of unity --- they  must be accepted for unity to exist. 
ACCEPTANCE OF THE BIBLE AS  THE ONLY STANDARD OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH PERTAINING TO 
ALL RELIGIOUS  PRACTICE: 
There can be no dispute  among men as to the standard of authority for all God
’s people, the Written Word  must be accepted as absolutely true in every 
respect. Predicated upon this  belief of all mankind one may agree [i.e. attain 
to  unity]. 
Eph 4:13, “till we all attain unto the unity  of the faith, and of the 
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man,  unto the measure of the stature 
of the fullness of Christ:”  ASV 
Gen 6:9, “These are the generations of  Noah. Noah was a righteous man, (and) 
perfect in his generations: Noah walked  with God.” ASV 
Heb 13:21-22, “21 make you perfect in every good  thing to do his will, 
working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight,  through Jesus Christ; to 
whom (be) the glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 But I  exhort you, brethren; 
bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written unto  you in few words.” 
ASV 
Rom 12:2, “And be not fashioned according to  this world: but be ye 
transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove  what is the good and 
acceptable and perfect will of God.”  ASV 
Many different religions  in the world today do not accept the Bible [i.e. 
the 66 books of the Bible];  this point also is a point where men cannot agree. 
Since this is an important  point to unity; unity of all people religiously 
must begin with this point, for  without a standard of religious authority no 
possibility for religious unity is  possible.



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