unity

Paul says,

“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 longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:1-3

Unity is something most people agree is a good thing.  When we are unified we are strong.  God says that a three-fold cord is not easily broken.

Many believe that unity will come about through doctrinal agreement.  They say that if everyone will simply let the Bible speak for itself then we will all begin to believe the same and we will have unity.  However, this notion has proved itself to be false, for even though there has been an explosion of Bible knowledge and freedom to teach it in the last few centuries, we are more divided or dis-unified than ever before.

If teaching does not bring unity what does?

Luke says,

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”

 Acts 4:31,32

I submit unity comes from a shared spiritual experience of God.  In other words, where the Spirit of the Lord is there is not only liberty but also unity.

We must experience God

An experience cannot be taught.  What happened at the beginning of the New Testament Church was an outpouring of the Spirit of God.  People simply opened their minds and hearts to receive it.  Since everyone shared a common experience they were all of one heart.  Notice it is “one heart” and not “one mind” because everything of real importance in God issues from our hearts.  It is our hearts that must become one through experiencing YHWH, only then will our minds and actions follow.

The Holy Spirit brought unity in the first century church.  The words that God issued forth from that unity became the New Testament.  I believe that God is about to do something even greater through the spiritual fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.  The shared experience of Divine Love is going to unify His church to an even greater degree than the first Christians experienced.

God is love

God’s love will become our love.  When we become love, as He is love, this shared spiritual experience will cause us to be of one heart, naturally leading to being of one mind.  This, my brethren, is when true unity will come to the body of Christ.

We Will Stand By Russ Taft

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