1:10 ¶ 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.
Socially dominant persons in the Christian church have made a
verse like this an excuse to run roughshod over the other members of the congregation.
Such behavior is wicked, ungodly, and suggests that a person really isn’t saved
but might be one of those sociopaths lacking empathy that researchers tell us
comprise one out of every twenty-five people.
Ideologies and religions attract the parasite whose main desire is
to dominant others so congregations must be eternally vigilant. See Peter’s
command for elders, the older leaders of the church body including not only
older men but the bishop or what we call pastor today and deacons.
1Peter 5:1 ¶ The elders which are among you I exhort, who
am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you,
taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither
as being lords over God’s
heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Paul explained what this command for unity was all about.
Philippians 1:27 ¶ Only let your conversation be as it becometh
the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may
hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ,
9 ¶ And be found in him, not
having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of
his resurrection, and the fellowship
of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto [to understand, to wrap one’s mind around as in
Proverbs 1:5] the resurrection of the
dead. 12 Not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect [complete in knowledge and
understanding as per Luke 1:3; Colossians 4:12 and James 1:4]: but I follow after, if that I may
apprehend [not used very often but also means comprehend in taking hold of
the understanding as per English of the early 1600s] that for which also I am
apprehended of Christ Jesus [in other words, to know Christ as I am known by Him] . 13 Brethren, I count not
myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are
before, 14 I press toward the mark for
the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 ¶ Let us therefore, as many as
be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God
shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless,
whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Ephesians 4:13 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:
This is one reason why Christians must unite together in worship
and Bible study and reading. Cults and heresies are begun partly by people going
off on a tangent without considering what God has said together and keeping on
track through preaching, discussion, and running things by each other. The
other reasons cults and heresies arise is because of those wolves, those
dominant individuals who creep in to use the faith and the people of God as
props for their own psychodrama. But, outside of those people, we need each
other to stay on course.
Proverbs 27:17 Iron
sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
As we will see later in chapter 4, being faithful stewards of the
mysteries of God, the doctrines presented in the Bible; of faith, the
resurrection, salvation, and our behavior toward each other, is essential to
truly serving Christ.
Part of this unity involves being humble and kind toward each
other. No one in the congregation must ever feel threatened by another in the
congregation, certainly not physically but also not socially or verbally.
One definition of evil in the Bible is malice or maliciousness,
intent to do harm. See Genesis 37:20 for an evil
beast and see Psalm 141 and Jonah 3:8 linking evil as violence. Now see
this command from Paul in the context of Christian unity in behavior toward
pastors and each other, and doctrine and when you see evil think of malice or maliciousness.
1Thessalonians 5:11 ¶ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and
edify one another, even as also ye do. 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them
which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for
their work’s sake. And be at peace
among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you,
brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the
weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is
good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16 ¶ Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is
good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
So, also unity requires that the church be in agreement with
issues of church discipline, a subject usually neglected in an age of consumer
Christianity where, if a congregant is engaged in a public sin and doesn’t want
to hear rebuke he or she can just move on down the road to another church.
Matthew 18:15 ¶ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear
thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two
more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. 17 And if he shall neglect
to hear them, tell it unto the
church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an
heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I
say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall
agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for
them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together
in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Unity is very important, but not unity in being under the
domination of a strong-willed individual, but unity in being in subjection to
Christ and putting His agenda and not ours in play.
No comments:
Post a Comment