Unity In The Body

The Ninevah Christian Church currently has around 2600 people that attend our worship services on some frequency. We are truly a melting pot of humanity. We have people from many Christian denominations and from all kinds of vocations, educational backgrounds and walks of life. This brings up an interesting challenge for the church. How is it possible for so many people from so many different backgrounds to worship together and have Unity in the Body of Christ?

How is it possible for so many different people to gather and get along with each other? The Apostle Paul makes this goal of unity clear to the early church…Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV).

The goal is clear. We must keep the church unified under the Spirit. This Unity in the Spirit will bring a bond of peace to the church. But how is that possible with so many people?

This is not a new problem for the church. Jesus had the same issue with His first disciples. They were also from many diverse backgrounds and belief systems. How did Jesus get these disciples to find unity in the Spirit through the bond of peace? Jesus prayed to the Father that His followers would become one with each other and one with God. This is Unity in the Spirit through the Bond of Peace.

I want you to notice that Jesus didn’t just pray that prayer for his original 12 disciples. He also prayed for that same unity for all who believed in their message, the message that would be recorded in the New Testament for future generations.

John 17:20-22 (NLT)

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.

What is it that makes us one with each other in the church? What is it that makes us one with Christ and one with the Father? The Holy Spirit! The only way for the church (then and now) to achieve unity and peace from so many different people is to have the same unifying Spirit. Not many spirits, but One Spirit. The Holy Spirit of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:17 (NLT)

And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.

Satan, who operates as the spirit of antichrist wants to take away our unity in the Spirit by introducing another spirit into the church. This other spirit takes away our peace and creates division and strife inside the church.

Notice Jesus’ prayer (verse 11 below) that asks the Father to protect and unify the believers by the power of His Name.

John 17:9-11 (NLT)

“My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.

The Holy Spirit is the only power that can keep the church unified and at peace. The Holy Spirit requires us to be patient with others in matters of opinion. It’s ok to agree to disagree on many trivial issues. Yes, there are truths that we must never compromise, but we must also strive to keep unity in the body and retain the bond of peace. This requires Holy Spirit wisdom inside the church and especially among the church leaders.

Ephesians 4:2-4 (NLT)

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

• Be humble and gentle with others in the church…you don’t have to be right all the time.

• Be patient with each other…there are people around us at all levels of spiritual maturity.

• Make allowances for others faults and weaknesses…show mercy while standing on truth.

• Make every effort to keep the unity in the body of Christ, the church…like family, we must stick together.

• Even with all our differences, we are all called to be a part of ONE BODY and ONE SPIRIT.

There are many things that could separate us, but these two things are here by God’s grace to unite us…ONE BODY and ONE SPIRIT. The church is the Body and the Spirit is Jesus. We must be one.

Maranatha, Hosanna, Hallelujah and Amen,

Terry Cooper