| The Christian Life | July 1947 |
A blessed oneness in Christ
Unity Among Christians
WRITING from his prison cell where he was cut off from all the amenities of life, Paul conveys to his brethren of the Church of Christ a very beautiful and touching exhortation to unity, as recorded in the 4th chapter of Ephesians. He shows that the ideal oneness among God’s people is based upon seven foundations; and that, as a part of a worthy walk in the narrow way, the called ones must endeavor to preserve this unity among the people of God. The apostle further suggests that Christian unity will call into exercise the qualities of lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance, if it is to be maintained: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.”—Eph. 4:1,2
A vocation is a calling or occupation in life, such as a business or profession which demands our time and attention. There is also what is called an avocation. This is a diversion from our regular employment; or what is sometimes called a “side line.” Vocations or callings are of many kinds. Some are called to practice in the medical profession; others to be employed in some trade; others to till the soil. How does one walk worthy of these various callings? We reply: By seeking, in the first place, to be qualified for the vocation of one’s choice; and then to excel in the work taken up.
Our Vocation
What is our vocation as consecrated children of God? It surely is to carry out our covenant of sacrifice, which involves, (1) to grow up into Christ as new creatures; (2) to work in the Lord’s vineyard, serving him, his truth, and his kingdom. To serve God and the interests of his kingdom; to preach the Word, being instant in season and out of season, was surely Paul’s chief business in life. Paul also had an avocation, that is, a side line, a diversion from his regular employment. He worked at the trade of a tentmaker.—Acts 18:3
Do we think Paul would have given more time to his avocation than was absolutely necessary in order to provide things decent and honorable in the sight of all men? Can we imagine him seeking to build up a big business, or to make enough money to keep him in comfort to the end of his days? Surely it would have been a waste of time for the apostle to have used his talents in this way!
In exhorting us to follow him as he followed Christ, he tells us, in harmony with his own course, to “redeem the time, because the days are evil,” securing as much of it as possible for the service of heavenly things. (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5) Whatever, therefore, our earthly calling may be, the Lord says to those whom he draws and calls, as he did to Peter, “Lovest thou me more than these [earthly things]?” (John 21:15) Paraphrasing, he would say, “I want your chief business in life to be that of fishers of men, seeking first the interests of my kingdom, and your earthly needs will then be supplied according to my wisdom and love.”
Our Avocation
Our avocation or diversion from our regular employment must be followed, therefore, only to the extent necessary to provide things decent and honorable in the sight of all men. A vine bears wood, leaves, and fruit; but the wood needs pruning that the vine may bear more fruit. The Lord desires his vine (John 15:1) to bear as much fruit as possible; therefore the symbolical wood needs to be pruned down to the minimum, that the fruits of the Spirit may be developed in richer measure than otherwise would be possible.
“Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.” How necessary these qualities are in order to maintain the unity of the Spirit! How much forbearance is often required in connection with those with whom we come in contact in the world! It is also necessary among God’s people in the church.
Christians differ from one another in natural make-up, more or less. Hence, patience, humility, gentleness, forbearance, longsuffering, are qualities that are continually called into play when we meet together. So long as we are a part of the world we can choose our companions, but in Christ, the Lord chooses them for us. Let us take heed that we despise not one of these little ones, but rather seek to exercise patience and helpfulness toward all.
“One Body”
Let us now notice the seven foundations mentioned by the apostle upon which true unity is based. If there is but one body of Christ, there is surely no excuse for carnal divisions. In the nominal or professing Christian church we have the Methodist body, the Baptist body, the Presbyterian body, the Anglican body, and many others, and yet all claim to be the church, the body of Christ. Surely something has not been functioning properly for professing Christians to be so divided. And even true, consecrated Christians are too often separated from one another by the spirit of carnality.
When the nervous system is out of order, one or more members of the natural body will sometimes refuse to respond to the control of the head. This, however, results from a paralyzed condition of these members. In a perfectly healthy body all its members are under the control of the brain. So with the body of Christ. The ideal condition is when all the members are under the one control of their heavenly head, Christ Jesus, all perfectly coordinated, assisting one another, encouraging one another. Let us strive earnestly for this ideal condition of organic unity and harmony of Spirit, intent, and purpose.
“One Spirit”
The possession of the Holy Spirit of God by every member of the body of Christ is a strong inducement and foundation for unity. We read that “when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they [the disciples] were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 2:1) This again is the ideal condition for Christians, not only to feel a oneness with their brethren, but also to be able to meet in “one place.” However, this unity of the Spirit cannot be maintained by a company dividing into two; and each class meeting separately. At times a carnal spirit is the cause of division, but at other times, wide fundamental differences of viewpoint make a division the only alternative, “that they which are approved may be made manifest.”—I Cor. 11:19
“The Hope”
One of the reasons mankind is so divided is on account of diversified hopes and aspirations. Christians have many and varied blessings promised them in the Word of God, both for the present life as well as for the eternal future, and these may all be included in the one word “hope.” This may be summed up as the hope of a share in the heavenly inheritance with the Lord Jesus, which means being a part of the seed of Abraham to bless all the families of the earth. (Rom. 5:2; Gal. 3:29; Eph. 1:18; Col. 1:27; Heb. 6:18) This common hope, as Paul suggests, should greatly assist us in coming together as a united “people for his name.”—Acts 15:14
“One Lord”
Christians have one Lord, Master, ruler, owner—the Lord Jesus Christ, who bought us with his precious blood. The receiving of directions and commands from one Lord and Master should result in unity, mutual interest, and co-operation. Alas that all who have come to know him and recognize his words that “one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren,” cannot fully unite under his leadership!—Matt. 23:8
“One Faith”
The faiths of Christendom are legion, and it is for this reason probably more than any other, that the Christian church has been so sadly divided during the Gospel age. We all doubtless know how difficult it is to be united when we cannot see eye to eye upon the foundation truths of the divine plan. A fuller knowledge of the Word of God, given us at the end of the age, has produced a more stable unity in the family of God than has been enjoyed at any time since the days of the early church.—Isaiah 52:8
“One Baptism”
The children of Israel, when delivered from Egypt, “were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” (I Cor. 10:2) This linked them together as one people. Somewhat similarly, spiritual Israel “by one spirit are all baptized into one body.” (I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27) We have also been baptized into Christ’s death, having covenanted to go into death as Jesus did, to die voluntarily and sacrificially as human beings that we might live with him in the eternal future. (Rom. 6:3-6) All who have thus covenanted to walk this difficult and unusual path surely should be able to find sufficient reason and foundation for unity!
“One God’’
“There is … one God and Father of all” the called ones. God is not the Father of the world during the Gospel age, but only of the church. “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ … hath begotten us.” (I Pet. 1:3) This final reason for unity is that the whole church receives her new life in Christ from the same source. “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one [Father]: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”—Heb. 2:11
How good to know, too, that God is “above all,” that no power can thwart his will. We rejoice also that God is “through all,” that his hand is overruling our experiences, causing all things to work together for our good. He is also “in you all” [or, as Weymouth renders the latter part of Ephesians 4:6, “who rules over all, acts through all, and dwells in all”].
By the close of the Millennial age, when everything in heaven and earth is perfect, God will once more be “all in all.” (I Cor. 15:28) Our present favor and blessing is in proportion to our ability to anticipate this ideal state. “Because out of him, and through him, and for him, are all things. To him be the glory for the ages. Amen.”—Rom. 11:36, Diaglott
It is upon these seven foundations that true unity in the church must be based. If the unity is lacking, it is probably because some of these foundations are either faulty or missing. But if the one spirit, one hope, one Lord, faith and baptism, and one God and Father be ours, surely there can be no excuse for not realizing “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” nor for not knowing “how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”—Psalm 133:1
Finally, in seeking to walk worthy of our calling, let us remember that our vocation in life is that of servants of God, of the truth, and the interests of His kingdom, and that our avocation is to provide things decent and honorable in the sight of all men to the extent that this may be necessary, not setting our affections upon what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or, “Wherewithal we shall be clothed (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek).” But, on the contrary, seeking first the things of his kingdom, all other things will then be added “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”—Matt. 6:31-33; Phil. 4:19