Unity in the Body of Christ

 

Many of us could quote the saying, which says; “where there is unity, God commands a blessing”.  Many of us would even say that this is a scripture which comes from the Bible. However, if you do a search using a concordance for the word “unity” in the N.I.V. translation, there are only seven (7) references in the whole bible of this word and none of them refer to the saying mentioned above.

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It is so easy these days to fall into Satan’s trap and develop a truism from what is not true, from the LOGOS word (the written word) of God.

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The first reference to “Unity” in the scriptures is recorded in 2 Chronicles 30:12; which says: “Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord”. [NIV]

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In other translations, this is referred to as “all one heart”. “At the same time, God’s hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials, who were following the word of the LORD” [KJV translation]

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When you study this scripture, we find that “unity” is not mentioned as a word at all in the original Hebrew texts: [Logos – written word].

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However, the “Rhema”, or spiritual significance of this word, is evident in the explanations given to the actual words in this text. The term “one” of “one heart” is shown below.

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H259 אֶחָד ʼechâd ekh-awd' A numeral from H258; properly united, that is, one; or (as an ordinal) first:—a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any (-thing), apiece, a certain [dai-] ly, each (one), + eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together.

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So, we see that to be “united”, or “in unity”, means to be “of one heart”, or “of one purpose”, “being of one mind”, having the “same direction”, having the “same goals”, having “the same vision”, or having the same “love for one another”.

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The early records in the Old Testament clearly show that when the nation of Israel were of “one heart” then God moved miraculously in their midst. A prime example is when Joshua told the army of Israel to march around the city of Jericho for 7 days without making any sound, just blowing on the trumpets at his command - and giving out a great shout – the shout of breakthrough!

When this happened, God intervened and the walls of Jericho fell down. These walls did not fall inwards because of the shout; they fell “outwards”, clearly showing that God broke down the walls of Jericho – not mankind!

In a similar incident in the New Testament, it is recorded in Acts that they were all together with “one accord”.

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“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”[Acts 1:14]

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” [Acts 2:1]

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“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. [Acts 2:46-47]

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“And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:” [Acts 4:24]

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“And the multitude of them that believed was 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 4:32]

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“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.” [Acts 5:12]

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“Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord”” [Acts 7:57]

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So when we look at just a few scriptures referring to “one accord” what do we identify from these scriptures.

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Reference             Words                              Actions

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Acts 1:14            One accord                         In prayer and in supplications

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Acts 2:1              One accord                         In one place

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Acts 2:46-47       One accord                         In the temple, and breaking                                                                                 bread from house to house, did                                                                           eat their meat with gladness and                                                                         singleness of heart, Praising God                                                                         and having favour with all the                                                                               people. And the Lord added to                                                                             the church daily such as should                                                                           be saved

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Acts 4:24             One accord                       “And when they heard that, they                                                                           lifted up their voice to God with                                                                           one accord

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Acts 4:32             One heart, & One soul      “And the multitude of them that                                                                             believed were of one heart and                                                                           of one soul

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Acts 5:12             One accord                      “And by the hands of the apostles                                                                        were many signs and wonders                                                                            wrought among the people; and                                                                          they were all with one accord in                                                                            Solomon’s porch.”

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If you look carefully at these references you will see that there is a definite result from God, when people are in “one accord”. We see that when they were all in one accord, they were:

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• In prayer and supplication,

• In the temple: (daily) – not just on Sundays!

• Breaking bread (Holy Communion) from house to house,

• With singleness of heart,

• Praising God with gladness,

• Having favour with all the people, [both believers and unbelievers alike]

• The Lord added to the church daily, all that should be saved.

• They lifted up their voices to God,

• The multitude believed with one heart and one soul,

 

 

These are the attributes that the Holy Spirit has responded to in the Body of Christ, when that Body is in “one accord” that is “In Unity”.

I think that we still need these attributes working in the church today, so that people can receive the maximum blessings from God.

 

So here's some questions for YOUR CHURCH and for YOUR CITY:

 

1. Is there “unity“? (One accord) in your church? No divisions, no arguments, no cliques, no power struggles, no politics?

2. Is there Unity among the churches in YOUR CITY? Is there competition between the churches? Is there jealousy? Is the rivalry? Is there unity of vision for the city? Are all of the churches involved? Do they even “talk” to each other? [Not “about” each other.]

 

I am sure that you are really truthful you would have to say that our churches today are NOT in UNITY, within the congregations and/or within each city.

Yes, I will agree that some cities are closer to this goal than others, and it has taken a lot of prayer over a period of 40+ years for that to be achieved – but even in those cities “the Holy Spirit is not adding to the church daily”. That is the blessing we should all strive for.

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When there was unity in Israel under King David, the scripture records that peace reined in the nation for 40 years. This statement is very significant.

When know from the book of Isaiah that Jesus shall be called the Prince of Peace. Have you ever wondered why His is called the “Prince” of Peace? That answer may surprise you. A “Prince” is the son of a King. Therefore God the Father is the King of Peace. Who was the “King of Peace” in the Scriptures? The King of Salem. Salem ~~ literally means Peace.

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He is also referred to as the High Priest of the Order of Melchizedek. So when there is unity in the Body of Christ, God Himself will come down and dwell amongst us, and peace ~~ God’s perfect peace, with be with us.

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This is what was so special about PENTECOST. They were all in the Upper Room in one accord ~~ in oneness of heart, with one mind, and with one purpose, in total obedience to the commandments given by Jesus before His ascension into heaven, to wait in Jerusalem until the promise of the Father shall come; to wait for God Himself to come down to them; in the form of the Comforter, the blessed Holy Spirit.

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If we learn anything from scripture it is that God’s word is unchanging! Whenever we meet the conditions of His divine word, He has to do something, because God cannot go against His own word.

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So if you want renewal, if you want revival, if you want transformation, we have to get back to basics ~~ learn to be of “one heart”, “one mind”, “one purpose”, with “one vision”, and to become totally submissive to God’s calling upon our individual and corporate lives, and then God will have to act ~ He cannot refuse to act!

Selah! Stop! Pause! And think about that!

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