One of the main aims of today's religious world is promoting unity among believers. How do I know this? Every month I receive invitations to Prayer Meetings, Area-Wide Ministers' Fellowship Meetings, Evangelism Ministers' Workshops, and Unity for Christ Meetings. Promise Keepers is an organization (still in existence) that unites men of all faiths for the purpose of making them better fathers, husbands, and leaders in their homes and churches. Indeed, unity is a worthy goal, but it must be achieved by following God's blueprint, not man's wisdom.
I believe Ephesians 4:1-6 is the Lord's platform and blueprint for true Bible unity among all believers. Let's examine it.
"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." {Ephesians 4:1) First, Paul explained that our conduct and behavior must be according to that by which we were called. All true followers of Christ were called by the same method. "To which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." {2 Thessalonians 2:14} Our calling demands that our conduct conform to God's word. Many of our religious friends are accepting homosexuality as being nothing more than an "alternate lifestyle." Some have homosexual ministers. Does this conduct conform to Christ's teaching? Please read Romans 1:24-28 and 1 Corinthians 6:9,10. How can there be true unity when those who are seeking it do not all live according to the same standards of truth?
"With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love." {Ephesians 4:2} Paul then turns his attention to the believers' attitudes that are prerequisite to achieving true Bible unity. Lowliness is the quality of humility, submission, and willingness to commit to Christ. Meekness is power over bringing our thoughts and emotions into control. Longsuffering is the ability to be patient, tolerant of others, and willing to suffer wrong if it is for the right reason. This does not suggest or advocate compromise with truth. Forbearing one another in love means to endure, to bear, to hold up. All actions must be motivated by proper love. Please read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Unless these attitudes exist in the believers, they cannot achieve true Bible unity.
"Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." {Ephesians 4:3} Believers must see the value of unity. How does one "keep the unity of the Spirit"? The Holy Spirit revealed God's mind {1 Corinthians 2:9-13}. Only by conforming to the blueprint given by the Holy Spirit can true peace be achieved among believers. Men can be at peace with God and each other only if they are in true fellowship with both. Fellowship among brethren is determined by their relationships with God. How can I be in fellowship with another believer if he/she is not in fellowship with God? God has no fellowship with the "unfruitful works of darkness." {Ephesians 5:11} In Him, there is no darkness {1 John 1:6,7}. Men of different faiths, who follow different teachings, cannot be in fellowship with God, much less with each other. Please read Amos 3:3. It is perplexing to me how men who follow different spiritual courses can believe they are united.
Now let us examine the platforms for achieving Bible unity. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)
One Body. The body is the church. "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22,23) Paul taught this same truth in 1 Corinthians 12:20. Today we have more than 1500 different churches. But the Bible clearly says there is one church. How can men know which church is the ONE church? Is it the one Jesus promised to build (Matthew 16:18)? What price was paid to purchase the church (Acts 20:28)? Whose name does it wear (Romans 16:16)? When was it established (Acts 2)? Who is its foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11)? Who is its head (Ephesians 1:22)?
One Spirit. "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. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (1 Corinthians 2:12,13) Only one part of the Godhead-the Holy Spirit-revealed God's mind. Please read John 13-16, to see that this is what the Lord promised His disciples before He returned to heaven.
One Hope. In Christ Jesus alone lies man's hope. "Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) The only access to the Father is through the Son. No other man, or group of men, can provide true hope for eternal life. It comes through obedience to the gospel of Christ. He is man's only hope.
One Lord. God has only one Son. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27) There is no salvation under any other name (Acts 4:12). He has all authority in the church (Matthew 28:18). It is He Who paid the redemption price for our sin (Ephesians 1:7).
One Faith. There is only one standard of truth. "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3) Only one book reveals God's power to save (Romans 1:16; James 1:21). Creed books, theology, and human wisdom cannot bring true Bible unity-only through strict adherence to God's truth can unity be achieved.
One Baptism. Only one baptism brings salvation. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16) Only one baptism puts men into Christ (Galatians 3:26,27). Only one saves him (1 Peter 3:21). Only one is tied to remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3,4; Colossians 2:11-13). How can we have true Bible unity when men practice different baptisms, for different reasons, and some none at all?
One Father. There are not many gods; there is only one true, living God. "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings." (Acts 17:24-26) No other spiritual being has the power or authority of the one true and living God.
Unless these seven "ones" are taught, followed, and agreed upon, there can be no true Bible unity. On several of them--Father, Lord, Hope, and Spirit--there is agreement. But on the other three, there is no uniform agreement in the religious world at large. Sadly, men who seek to bring those of differing faiths under one roof and proclaim it as Bible unity have never considered the teaching in Ephesians 4:1-6. God's pattern is the only one that can achieve true Bible unity. (KMG)