One of anything amounts to a single thing. That means there is not more than one of that particular thing. If I tell you that I have one apple, you know that I do not have two apples, three apples, or any number of apples other than one. Whether you like it or not, I still have only one apple. These are simple concepts, but much misunderstanding of Bible truths derive from ignoring simple concepts like this.

Unity is possible if men are willing to listen to God and His word. The apostle Paul spoke of "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). He then listed seven items that are each numbered as "one." These seven ONE's are things that many people are divided over in our religious world. This should not be. Let us again understand that there is one...

BODY - The one body is the one church over which Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22-23). Jesus said that He came to build His church (Matt. 16:18). Jesus did not build numerous churches with different names and creeds.

SPIRIT - There is only one Spirit of God that revealed the one truth to mankind (Eph. 3:5). Many claim to be led by the Spirit, but teach contradictory doctrines. This cannot be true.

HOPE - The hope of the Christian is not on this earth, but an inheritance reserved in heaven (1 Pet. 1:4). This one hope is based in the immutable promise of God Himself.

LORD - Jesus has been made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). Man cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). Jesus is the only Lord we are to follow and obey.

FAITH - This refers to "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). From this one faith we derive our own faith which will save our souls.

BAPTISM - This one baptism is "in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" and is commanded in order to be saved (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16). This baptism saves (1 Pet. 3:21).

GOD - There is only one, true God in heaven, the Creator and Redeemer of our souls (Acts 17:23-24). False gods abound in the religions of man, but the one God has revealed Himself to man in the Bible. There we learn about Him and ourselves.

If man would unite on these divine truths, confusion and religious division would cease from our world.

- The Central Voice, Feb. 2014, slightly edited