Christian unity involves
not dividing up into separate groups. (Consider the common practice of dividing church people into various groups —youth, old people, women, men.)
1 Corinthians 1:10 KJV
[10] Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
being in harmony, functioning in a coordinated manner, so that many people working together act as one. Similar to a corporation.
1 Corinthians 12:12 KJV
[12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
to all be growing to be more and more like Jesus.
Ephesians 4:11-13 KJV
[11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
loving each other, being greatly concerned for each other’s well-being.
Philippians 2:2 KJV
[2] Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
It does not involve
sameness, in every way.
1 Corinthians 12:4 KJV
[4] Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
agreeing about everything.
Acts 15:36-39 KJV
[36] And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
[37] And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
[38] But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
[39] And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
(Christians are to agree on some specific matters. For example, divisions in the churches, loving one another, as revealed in some of the verses above.)
Commentaires