The Unity Of The Spirit.

by JOHN BAIRD | Category: Fellowship And Unity: | Jul 1950

God desires His people to be separated from the world (Luke 12.51), gathered together unto Himself (Psalm 50.5), and united into one fellowship (John 17. 20, 21), for, as in the days of the beginnings, God still seeks to preserve a godly seed. This unity must be founded on divine principles, and in the apostolic epistles we find much help in this matter. For example, in Ephesians 4.8-6, Paul sets forth an outstanding fundamental principle, the unity of the Spirit, which we cannot disregard, but must hold fast in its entirety.

In this chapter Paul is exhorting the Ephesian saints to a worthy walk, and the characteristics set forth (verse 2)-meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, love-would certainly beautify the lives of saints. They are external evidences of the inward life, and would be seen by the world: they should have a voice to men, for the Lord Himself said: "By this shall all men know that ye are My

disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13.85). But while such behaviour before men would honour God in its seemliness, it does not constitute the complete worthy walk, for in verse 8 the apostle adds our o~igation "to keep the unity of the Spirit." The fulfilment of this in our walk may not be so readily perceived by the world at large, but it is a helpful guiding principle when we find ourselves opposing seductive and defiling doctrines foreign to the Scriptures (2 Corinthians 11.8; 1 Timothy 1.8; Acts 20.80).

Let us note at once that the unity of the Spirit is not the same thing as the " one Spirit" of verse 4, nor is it identical with "unity of spirit." The latter is merely a question of oneness of mindindeed a very desirable thing among saints; but even wicked men may attain to it in seeking their unworthy ends, whereas the unity of the Spirit is a holy thing manifested ouly in the Fellowship of the Son of God; for there, and there ouly, can it find expression. Again, the one Spirit is only one of the seven "ones" of the unity of the Spirit.

We believe that there is one God and that God is one, and that the three Persons of the Godhead form a perfect and harmonious unity: and that, consistently with this perfection of unity, the one Spirit gives one teaching for one people. At no time in His dealings with men has God legislated for two or more peoples as His witnesses on earth simultaneously. This same principle holds in our own day and time. God has not called several peoples, each with its own particular tenets, faiths, practices, etc. There is but one expression of divine testimony on earth to-day, namely, the Fellowship of the Son of God, discernible by the fact that the unity of the Spirit is basic in its teaching, leaving no place for sectarianism or individualism.

This may seem very strait and narrow to some, but we believe it to be in accord with the will of God.

That the seven" ones" of Ephesians 4. are together in a " unity" can be seen from such passages as 1 Corinthians 12., where several of them are specifically named and are seen working together in perfect harmony. Observe the repeated use of the words "one" and "same" in reference to the Spirit, the Lord and God. Thus, though there are diversities of gifts, ministrations and workings, we find the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God. Furthermore, of saints we read: "In one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12.18). Obviously the "ones" of Ephesians 4.-the unity of the Spirit~conspire together to establish the divine ideal of uniting all believers into one fellowship.

It will be seen that the unity of the Spirit is a unity of divine

�Persons and of divine things. Nevertheless it is no mere theoretical ideal, for the things involved are real and true. God is not a mere hypothesis of the human mind, postulated as a convenient device for explaining life, creation, infinite, good, evil, etc. ; the Holy Spirit is not a mere "influence" (as some 'teach), but a real Person of the Godhead; the faith is not an accumulation of the best of human thought gathered during centuries of striving after God, it is a divine revelation. The reality of these things would lead us to expect some practical counterpart: the doctrines of the Lord always have a practical outworking to be seen in His people. May we, at this point, indicate some of the practical consequences of keeping the unity of the Spirit?

(1) The Fellowship will be known by the fact that in it these things are sincerely and faithfully held and taught, and the result will be a clearly defined "within" and "without."

(2) As we cannot deviate from these things we shall find ourselves unable to submerge any divine truths in order to unite with others who may hold some part of divine truth. In this day of small things it may be the portion of those who would be faithful to the Lord to accept fewness of numbers to avoid departure from the Truth. God's desire is that men should come to know Him and His truth and be added to His people. We must adhere to this if we are to preserve the purity of the testimony.

(8) The Fellowship will be a people called out and united, serving the one God, guided and indwelt by the one Spint,�owning the one Lord, one in doctrine and uniform in practice, and also rejoicing in the same bright hope.

For the testimony's sake, therefore, we do well to give heed to the exhortation of the apostle Paul that we give diligence (make it a matter of conscious endeavour) to keep (guard watchfully) the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; and in this let us remember that " He is our peace" (Ephesians 2.14). We must be ever watchful lest error creep in and mar our witness on God's behalf.

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith" (1 Corinthians 16.13).

<Author:JOHN BAIRD>

JOHN BAIRD | Jul 1950
Fellowship And Unity: