According to the Bible, what is the basis of Christian unity?

Annsan_In_Him

2011-11-01 12:26:39 UTC

That's a wonderful quote from Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, provided by I Try: "Christianity is the result of a shared faith in Christ." Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones had much to say on the subject of Christian unity. What he wrote in 1962 is just as theologically sound now as it was back then.

"We must put Jesus’ words into context. Who are these people Jesus is praying for? “I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9). They are the people given to Him by God. They have been separated from the world. They have come to know God and that God sent His Son, Jesus. They know who Jesus is – they have received the Word and they believe. [John 1:12-13]

"In John 17 verse 11 Jesus says “so that they may be one as we are one.” The unity between Father and Son already exists – it is not something new. Jesus is praying to His Father to maintain that same unity or oneness within his followers.

"In John 17: 20-23 Jesus prays for all believers: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” What is this unity? It is a unity of essence between Father, Son and Holy Spirit; a unity of thought and purpose and mutual love. “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:3-6).

"There can be no unity apart from the person of Jesus Christ, his work and redemption through his blood. We hear the gospel, we believe it, trust it and put our faith utterly and entirely in it and in Him. We were spiritually dead, condemned, but now have been given new life by the Spirit. We are united in Christ – regenerated, God’s workmanship. Unity results from all that has gone before. God’s people are built upon the foundation of the teachings of the apostles and prophets. We are called by the Spirit of God and it is the Holy Spirit who enlightens the eyes of understanding. We are to keep the unity of the Spirit.

"Believers share the same new life, the same doctrine, they trust in the same person. They are one in seeing their lost state and condition, their utter hopelessness and helplessness. They are united in Christ Jesus. They preserve and guard the unity into which they have been brought by the operation of the Holy Spirit." [end of quote]

From this we begin to understand that the basis of Christian unity is the very same unity that exists between Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and this is the unity or “oneness” that all believers are privileged to receive through the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. It is unique to all born again Christian believers – that is what unites us. It has nothing to do with “religion” or “denominations” because the Church is made up of people, from all walks of life and from all nations, who are united in Christ Jesus.

?

2011-11-01 01:05:07 UTC

It depends on how you mean unity. Unity is not uniformity. You can be united and not be confromed. If you read the letters of Paul, when he speaks of unity, it is almost always accompanied by talking of respect for others opinions. No where in the bible does it say Christians must agree upon everything and anything to be "united". We see many examples of people in the bible having differing opinions, and even when these differences are bitter no one party is spoken of as any less "Christian", rather we see the idea of mutual respect. Such as when Paul was discussing the differences in ideas between the Jews and the Gentiles... Its the reason my Methodist uncle can sit down with my baptist grandmother and have a lovely religious conversation...Christians are united in love, not in ideas. I'm not talking about major differences, but the small differences that seem to exist between christian denominations. The basic, important tenets of Christianity are the same in the majority of denominations.

?

2011-10-31 16:20:06 UTC

Verse 11 refers to Baptism with the Holy Spirit. The body of Christ becomes one in Unity through the same Jesus Christ (the one of the Bible, and not a counterfeit) that in turn allows for the Holy Spirit to be sent in His Name from the Father in Heaven.

Verse 21. Being "one" in the Holy Spirit is the true Church Body, composing of many members, but being "One Body" in Christ.

This is not talking about oneness that believes that the Father is the Son, the Son is the Father, the Father is the the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is the Father, the Son is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is the Son. Being One is being perfectly unified in the Father through faith in Jesus Christ His Son and by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Big Guy 360

2011-10-31 19:43:00 UTC

Unity, we are one in Christ. This is the glue that holds us together, Jesus Christ and him crucified. Just as a marriage, the love that bonds them together as one. That love, the love of Jesus Christ, the same love, agape love holds us together.

Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

So the very simple answer is "in him all things hold together".

Andy

2011-10-31 22:23:49 UTC

Verse 20 clarifies to whom Jesus is speaking.

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message."

That's pretty clear I would say. When Jesus talks about them being "one" He meant that he wanted them to be all in agreement with everything He had taught, we know this because He draws parallels with God the Father and Himself.

To clarify, Jesus wants the whole church to come into acknowledgement with all His teachings.

?

2011-11-01 02:47:40 UTC

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said that, "Christian unity is the result of a shared faith in Christ", and that is a very good umbrella statement.

We could write a whole book on all the aspects but all share a faith in Christ about covers all we could write.

2011-10-31 16:43:48 UTC

If someone receives the Spirit of God their spirit is become one with Him in spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

It is like marriage. When a man and woman are married they become one flesh. When someone receives the Spirit of Christ, their Spirit is joined with the Lord's Spirit, and they become the body of Christ.

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

It has nothing to do with denominations. Despite outward appearances; God knows those that are His own.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Any one interested, find a church: http://www.upci.com/churchLocator/

Edit: I wanted to expound upon Jesus. Jesus is the head of the body of Christ, as the Son of Man this is His special place.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

The head of the entire of body of Christ, is the Spirit of God/Christ. So, even Jesus had to submit His flesh to the will of God. "As many as are lead by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God"

1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Christian Sinner

2011-10-31 16:20:17 UTC

Faith (trust) in God, in what he promised, through Christ. I don't need to communicate an entire ideology with a long post! It's not that complicated, but people tend to make it that way.

The will of the person is surrendered to God, HE moves that person towards what HE wants to do with them. HE is the Potter, HE decides what kind of cross each are to bear (or should I say "stake", since many argue semantics a lot).

Dying to oneself in Christ allows the person to put aside, "I want" for what God wants. That is the basis for Christian ANYTHING. It has a basis, a beginning in HIM.

edit: to think that people think they have to place an angel between them and God to be saved. How Roman Catholic can you get without being Roman Catholic?!

Broken Alabaster Flask

2011-11-01 21:06:22 UTC

1 Corinthians 6:17

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

The unity, the Oneness sister, I believe is in being regenerated and receiving the Holy Spirit. Each believer who is joined to the Lord is ONE spirit with Him. You are joined to the Lord in spirit and I am joined to the same Lord. Our oneness and unity comes because we share the same Life, the same Lord, have the same Father and are in the same One Body of Christ.

Without the Spirit indwelling believers, our efforts to be One will boil down to just being an organized club. Not a living Organism with Christ as the Head and Christ in all the believers, making them His unique Body on the earth.

The Oneness that the Father and Son share is what we have been brought into. We have the Father's Name as our source, our identity, as His genuine children, born of His Divine Life.

We are kept by the Father's Word. The Father's words are of two kinds: the constant word (v. 6) and the instant words (v. 8). Both are used by the Lord to impart eternal life to the believers who receive both kinds of words.

We are kept by the same Sanctifying Word.

We may be separated today sister by many ' sub' points in Christianity. But to me, the Lord has genuinely saved millions of believers and is faithful to the Oneness that we possess. We can never break the Oneness of the Spirit, but sadly, the One Accord, which is the practical expression of that Oneness is something that we are encouraged to KEEP by learning to pass through the cross regarding our opinions, our tastes, our views on the " sub' points and letting these things surrender to the MAIN crucial matters. Like God being Triune, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, regarding the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus, regarding the Bible as the Word of God, matters like the Kingdom and all the " central line' truths in the Word of God. Our practices may vary, but once we all remain on the central line of the bible in our receiving of one another into fellowship, I believe that the Lord would have a way to bring us on.

May we continue to ponder on this matter sister.

Want to just leave this verse.

Ephesians 4:13

Until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, at a full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Grace be with your spirit sister.

?

2011-10-31 19:42:43 UTC

Now here was me thinking that Christians were united by their common love of Christ, and that to me is the bottom line to argue one scripture or another is to create a house divided. To rally under a single uniting feature common to all well...I imagine you get my thesis statement here.

jcb2354

2011-10-31 16:19:49 UTC

The basic concept here is that we may be unified just as God is a unity. It is one of the references that people have use to show the idea of the Trinity.

?

2011-10-31 16:17:31 UTC

Unity, cooperation or working together. Jesus and His Father Jehovah are in unity and they want true christians to be in unity as well. they are also one, meaning that they have the same goal and work in harmony. They want true christians to do the same. This is why true christians would not join the army or political system, why? because they are not in unity, they do not work in harmony.

2011-10-31 16:13:05 UTC

Christian Unity is an oxymoron; there can hardly be a more divided organisation on the planet. If you've been studying the words of Jesus, you've been studying nonsense. Get on with your life - it's the only one you're going to have.

Hope this helps.

Truth

2011-10-31 16:12:49 UTC

If everyone follows the pull of the Holy Spirit we will be united.

Attempts to unite us any other way will fail.

2011-10-31 16:15:25 UTC

Christians are united against gays Jews Muslims and any race not white.

See the Kkk hand book for more details.

Ironic how Christians hate that the Kkk and pedophiles represents them but cannot differentiate from extremist in other religions not being all of them.

?

2011-10-31 16:23:24 UTC

To make other exactly like christians and when they don't judge them and threaten them they are going to hell forever.

☼ GƖơώ ✞ Ѡɪηǥs ☼

2011-10-31 16:19:41 UTC

(((God))) - The Father of All. :D

All is One and One is All. There is no division in unity. :D

Peace and Blessings

(((Grey Tower)))

Meshuggah Yam-Gazlen

2011-10-31 23:50:10 UTC

there were over 39,000 different denominations in 2008

the verse you pick is "correct", but that isn't reality

?

2011-10-31 16:22:56 UTC

You shall know them by their love.

Jesus is Lord.

2011-10-31 16:10:34 UTC

Right here:

We begin by looking at the early church, as talked about in:

Acts 2:42-47 (New International Version)

The Fellowship of the Believers

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Then there is:

Acts 4:32-35 (New International Version)

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

And then there is:

What do we see in the early Christian Church, from these passages? It can be summed up in one word-UNITY! There was Absolute unity among ALL Believers! Can we truley say that there is that same unity in the Christian Church today? No. The Christian Church is so fractured today, that there is very LITTLE unity today!

What qualities did the early Christian Church have?

1. They all prayed together DAILY!

2. They were ALL of one mind!

3. They shared EVERYTHING!

4. They prayed for their leaders DAILY!

*SIGH* Can the Christian Church of today, claim to be like the early Christian Church was? No. Why? Because MAN has intriduced all kinds of doctrines into the Church over the centuries, doctrines that God never intended to be introduced, & created DENOMINATIONS, instead of following the very principles tthat the early church was run. Praying together, sharing everything that they had with other Believers, praying for their leaders DAILY, meeting together DAILY! And what happened when they did? GOD BLESSED THEM, & ADDED TO THEIR NUMBERS DAILY!

We have introduced so many man made beliefs into the simple faith of the early Church & the Christian Church SPLIT-into denominations created by MAN-NOT GOD! MAN decided to try to interpret Scripture, instead of letting the Holy Spirit guide them, & the CHURCH, AS JESUS MEANT IT TO BE, fractured into beliefs that were ruled by MAN'S beliefs-NOT GODS!

Look at:

Psalm 133:1 (New International Version)

1 How good and pleasant it is

when brothers live together in unity!

In what? In doctrinal beliefs? No-in UNITY! They very unity that makes EVERY SINGLE MAN & WOMAN WHO HAS RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS AS THEIR LORD & SAVIOR, WHO HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN-ONE!

There was NO DIVISION in the early Chruch-they were all ONE! Look at:

Ephesians 4:13 (New International Version)

13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The message of the Gospel is so simple, my beloved Brothers & Sisters-"SALVATION IS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS + NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This & ONLY THIS is the message of our Savior! Not all hese MAN MADE doctrines! CHRIST JESUS, & Him ALONE is the ONLY way to be saved!

Look at:

1 Timothy 2:5-6 (New International Version)

5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

Look at what our Lord said about Himself:

John 14:6-7 (New International Version)

6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

NOT through water baptism, (although EVERY Believer SHOULD have this done), not by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, (although it IS available to all who seek it), but through Christ Jesus, & HIM ALONE!

Is this message really so difficult to understand, that men need to clutter it up with MAN-MADE doctrinal beliefs? No, my Brothers & Sisters! It is about Christ Jesus, & Him Crucified.

Period.

Why all the thumbs down?

Can't face the fact that I'm right, can you?

2011-10-31 16:15:14 UTC

Does it say bully anyone who disagrees with you? It must do surely ...

of Me of Him

2011-10-31 20:11:52 UTC

These things spoke Yeshua and lifted his eyes unto Heaven and he said: “My Father, the hour has come; Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”

“Just as you have given *him* authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to them, because you have given **all things** whatsoever unto *him*.

“But these **things** are eternal life: (John 17:1-3)

It is “him’ our unity as who the Father on earth now in by the Son of us through as the breath of life, not a base of Christian alone but fact in by a Faith as unto as All. For by man he being a serving a living God by it and all be raised.

(6)“they have kept your word” As unity, we in the procession of all things as becoming IT, him is that word in time as union to the end, as children to our end, we hear, we come, of beloved as the one who cared for me we Us are kept. Not a lie but unity in the breath we as called to ourselves, “they have kept your word’

7“Now I know that everything whatsoever you have given me is from your Presence.”

As we understand as Christians is in the procession of the love to one another, in the simple of follow all as one You,’ this is “from your Presence, O god, for in all he was in the likeness of the Father’s will. Yes hua

Amen

8“For the words that you gave me I have given them, and they have received them and known truly that I have proceeded from unity with you.”

Jesus was the great Teacher in which, I in him he displayed in himself in all things as if love was hidden in his heart as giving grace to all by the all things about him. Not as to do; but to live one to another he was the all things, to all men as that one, One in the begetting. And even unto us, this love now comes alive; for we know who we sever we also believe for it all things make up as raised him of Us in possession of heart of hearing and being; we as the third day as from the grave we to also rise. For by his love with them in the this heart of love he was seen it (all things as one) by the Father it (heart) was His love to the ends of hearing and heart unto, for he the One was as displayed as the unknown who became known as what was the image of the Father us , so he Jesus makes known ,’ “I have proceeded unity with you”).. on earth as showing forth the nature of him, “I have given them”.

9“I pray over them; I was not praying over the world, but I was praying for those whom you have given me, for they are yours, and they have believed that you have sent me.”

10“And everything that is mine is yours, and yours is mine, and I am glorified in them.”

11“From now on, I do not dwell in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to join you. Holy Father, keep them in your Name- that Name which you have given me, so that they shall be one, just as we are.”

Unity was the heart of the Father and the son in all things of the cosmic balance, bless all who he as new in the all places and was sacred as The walking temple (High Priest after the order of Melchizedek king of Salem ) and this was God in Presents and was going back with the Father as the Son of God ‘I do not dwell in the world ‘and I am coming to join you. Holy Father,”(as all things). It is us in the Son as the Sons of light who give to this thought as being One with Him of Cosmic Living, in and through as him as the destine of all things do unveil His perfect pleasure . I (Word) was the eternal element of him of us which the Name- that Name which you have given me”> “so that they shall be one, just as we are.” It is the “we are” “For the called are many and the chosen are few.”

The truth was in Jesus as doing the Father’s will in all things and all places of his disciples , but yet he goes on to say as the bigger picture in the message “20“Neither do I pray only for them, but also for these who are trusting in me by their word.” As if in the wind we as in these words seen the Holy Spirit in us doing the Fathers will among us messenger as one Spirit to another being substance unity of the very thing he was unto the Father; we become this the living One’ also who are trusting in by their word’. 21“That they all shall be one, just as you, my Father, are in me, and I am in you, so that they also shall be one in us. “