2/19/11
Greetings,
God is good, and His beauty is beyond description. A word of advice for us all: If you haven’t done so lately, please take time out of your week and simply abide in the presence of God. You have no idea how much this means to Him. In this place we receive refreshing, encouragement, and reassurance. Simply play some worship music, sing along by yourself, pray, and focus on enjoying God without the burden of praying for others, or about everything that is on your heart. Simply enjoy Him.
This week we are going to continue discussing 1 Corinthians 12. Thus far, we have established that the entire passage deals with the church becoming a supernatural community that is energized by the power of the Holy Spirit. When all of the avenues through which the Holy Spirit works come together, unity manifests. The Holy Spirit must continually work in and among the people of God. If this ministry is stopped, unity becomes nothing more than an irrational concept. Apart from the power of God’s Spirit, the only other force capable of commanding unity among men is mind control.
Last week we discussed at length the gifts of the Spirit that are described in 1 Corinthians 12. We came to an understanding that they are but one of the vehicles through which the Holy Spirit manifests within the body of Christ. At this point we are at liberty to move into the illustration Paul uses to describe the church.
Last week we discussed at length the gifts of the Spirit that are described in 1 Corinthians 12. We came to an understanding that they are but one of the vehicles through which the Holy Spirit manifests within the body of Christ. At this point we are at liberty to move into the illustration Paul uses to describe the church.
“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. 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. For the body is not one member, but many.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
Our physical body is composed of a vast array of cells. Each of these cells functions to perform certain activities necessary to sustain our existence. The cells come together to form organs, tissues, bones, and the necessary fluids that exist in our body like marrow and blood. Our exterior has appendages like arms, legs, toes and fingers. We have a neural network that directs our thoughts around our body through an electric current. This allows our body to interface through a command center in our brain. Any task performed with our body becomes a highly coordinated operation, requiring many parts to work together.
In order to do something as simple as pick up a pencil, I must fire a signal from my brain, through my neural network, through my arm and into my hand. This signal will cause my bones and muscles to come together in a united effort to pick up the pencil that I need to use. In order to pick it up I must also involve my eyes and my sense of touch so that I can locate it and interact effectively with it. With a body, getting anything done effectively requires a united effort between many of our “members.”
Paul is saying that the same is true in the body of Christ. Getting anything done effectively requires a united effort between many of our members. To this end, we do have a very powerful force working on our side which is called the unity of the spirit. Paul says that “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” In another passage of the Bible we find the following:
“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)
When we are saved we receive the Holy Spirit and we actually become one spirit with him. This is similar to the way that a man and a woman come together in marriage and become “one flesh.” Whether I agree with another brother in Christ on a little, or a lot, I have unity with him. I have a unity of the spirit. The same Spirit that completes my spirit is also completing his spirit. As a result of this level of unity, God has been able to coordinate an advancement of His kingdom and His salvation throughout the world apart from tangible unity between His people.
This level of unity causes us to be one in spirit, but if it stays on this level, the results are small. For instance, I can pray the prayer of salvation and receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior in the midst of an emotional sermon. At this point I have received all of Jesus and all of the Holy Spirit. They are in my spirit. If I never pray, never go back to church, and never start to read the Bible what will happen? I will inevitably see little to no change in my life. Why not? I need to work my salvation out of my spirit and into my soul and ultimately into my physical body. You could say that I must, “Work out my salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).” I must get the salvation that is on the inside of me onto the outside of me.
The same is true regarding the unity of the spirit. I am united in spirit to every person on earth that has accepted Jesus as Lord. However, on the surface we may be as different as night and day in our opinions, morals, doctrine, and commitment to God. This is unacceptable. As we move towards the end of the age, we are going to need each other as never before. The Bible says that the people that live at the end of the age will “be strong and carry out exploits (Daniel 11:32).” The greatest works of God are yet to manifest in the earth. I tell you today without a shadow of doubt—they will make the first church in the book of Acts look like kindergarten.
In order to be used for these great works, we will need greater unity. Although we are united in spirit, we must work unity from the inside of us onto the outside. This transition takes us into what is called the unity of the faith. This is the place where we are in agreement in virtually all aspects of doctrine, morals, commitment to God, etcetera. This cannot be limited to local churches. We cannot define success as “everyone in the local church getting on the same page spiritually.” This is a counterfeit. We must reach for unity among entire cities, states, and nations. Ultimately, unity must be promoted throughout the whole church from one end of the world to the other. The result will be entire geographies that will come to be known as sheep nations.
Unity of the faith will only come one way. It will come through government of the church; not any type of government, but a specific form of government. The Bible says in plain English that the five-fold ministry is required to take the people of God from the unity of the spirit and into the unity of the faith. Yes, God is appointing apostles and prophets today, and their ministries are absolutely essential.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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:” (Ephesians 4:11, 13)
Discussion
1.) What is the primary message of the passage in 1 Corinthians 12
2.) Describe what the body of Christ today would look like if we saw it like a person. Would it look slim and trim or…?
3.) What is the unity of the spirit?
4.) What is the unity of the faith?
5.) What specifically is required in order for the body of Christ to move from the unity of the spirit and into the unity of the faith?
