UNITY
While ecumenicism seeks to have us lay aside differences, find common ground, and basically seeks to achieve unitedness, the Bible teaches those things which alone can bring about true unity. True unity must be based on truth. Being united in truth results in true unity, rather than just unitedness and/or uniformity/conformity.
The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian believers begins chapter 4 with these words: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Below are some of the "ONE" things that the Bible teaches and which form the basis for true unity.
The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian believers begins chapter 4 with these words: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Below are some of the "ONE" things that the Bible teaches and which form the basis for true unity.
1. ONE GOD - the entire Bible reveals and proclaims that there is One true living God.
1 Cor. 8:6a "yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him;"
2. ONE LORD -
1 Cor. 8:6b "and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live."
Eph. 4:4-6 "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."
3. ONE MEDIATOR -
1 Tim. 2:5-6a "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..."
4. ONE SPIRIT -
1 Cor. 12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into that one Spirit."
Eph. 2:18 " For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."
Phil. 1:27 "... stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"
5. ONE SEED -
Gal. 3:16 "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed, who is Christ."
6. ONE SACRIFICE -
Heb. 10:11-14 "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified."
7. ONE DEATH -
2 Cor. 5:14-15 "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."
8. ONE BREAD - 1 Cor. 10:17 "For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread."
9. ONE BODY - Rom. 12:4-5 "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."
Eph. 2:14-16 "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity."
Col. 3:15 " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body;"
10. ONE HOPE -
Eph. 4:4-5 "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."
11. ONE FAITH -
Eph. 4:4-5 "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."
12. ONE BAPTISM -
Eph. 4:4-5 "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."
13. ONE MIND -
2 Cor. 13:11 "Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace;..."Rom. 15:5-6 "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Phil. 1:27 "... stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"
1 Peter 3:8 "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another;"
14. ONE ACCORD -
Phil. 2:2 " fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."
15. ONE MOUTH -
Rom. 15:5-6 "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Cor. 8:6a "yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him;"
2. ONE LORD -
1 Cor. 8:6b "and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live."
Eph. 4:4-6 "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."
3. ONE MEDIATOR -
1 Tim. 2:5-6a "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..."
4. ONE SPIRIT -
1 Cor. 12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into that one Spirit."
Eph. 2:18 " For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."
Phil. 1:27 "... stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"
5. ONE SEED -
Gal. 3:16 "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed, who is Christ."
6. ONE SACRIFICE -
Heb. 10:11-14 "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified."
7. ONE DEATH -
2 Cor. 5:14-15 "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."
8. ONE BREAD - 1 Cor. 10:17 "For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread."
9. ONE BODY - Rom. 12:4-5 "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."
Eph. 2:14-16 "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity."
Col. 3:15 " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body;"
10. ONE HOPE -
Eph. 4:4-5 "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."
11. ONE FAITH -
Eph. 4:4-5 "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."
12. ONE BAPTISM -
Eph. 4:4-5 "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."
13. ONE MIND -
2 Cor. 13:11 "Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace;..."Rom. 15:5-6 "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Phil. 1:27 "... stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"
1 Peter 3:8 "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another;"
14. ONE ACCORD -
Phil. 2:2 " fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."
15. ONE MOUTH -
Rom. 15:5-6 "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."