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Unity of the Spirit
To understand unity of the Spirit we must understand God’s picture of unity. In our culture today unity seems to mean tolerate everything but is that what God says is unity? We need to examine the scripture and see what true unity is. What are God’s thoughts on unity of the Spirit?
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1 NASB
The Hebrew word for unity here is yahad it means: union, unitedness, together, altogether, all together, alike
The Greek word for unity in Ephesians 4:3 is henotēs it means: unity, unanimity
Unanimous: formed with or indication unanimity, having the agreement and consent of all, being of one mind: agreeing - Merriam-Webster
Having unity in the body of Christ is beautiful. We need to make sure our thinking of unity lines up with God’s thinking of unity. We see in Acts the fulfillment of prophecy of being one heart and mind with God and each other.
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Acts 1:12-14 NASB
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 2:41-47 NASB
And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
Acts 4:32-35 NASB
Look at the fruit of being one heart and one mind with God and each other. We see they were obedient to Jesus’ instructions of going to Jerusalem and waiting for the Holy Spirit. They were continually devoting themselves to prayer, they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and to fellowship and breaking of bread. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe, many wonders and signs were taking place, all those who believed were together and had all things in common. They sold their property and possessions to share with all who had need. Day by day they were in the temple. The question is what were they doing in the temple? They were fishing for people. Then after fishing for people they would eat together from house to house. They took their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart. Praising God and having favor with all people. All these believers were of one heart and soul. They didn’t claim anything for themselves but shared everything. With great power the apostles were giving testimony and abundant grace was upon them. There was no needy person among them. Their minds were completely focused on fulfilling God’s desires every day..
This is unity. When we are living in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. These people were living in the Spirit.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 NASB
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:24-25 NASB
This is the unity that God desires. It can only happen when we choose to live out the example given to us from scripture. The believers in Acts lived out God’s prophecy of being one heart and one mind with Him. They were Jesus’ body united in the Spirit. These prophecies are still being fulfilled today.
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Jeremiah 31:33 NASB
They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
Jeremiah 32:38-41 NASB
And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.
Ezekiel 11:19-20 NASB
Strive to have peace
We are to strive to have peace with everyone, but we will never have unity with everyone because everyone doesn’t choose to take on God’s heart and mind.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
Romans 12:18
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14
If we are true disciples of Jesus, we shouldn’t expect to have unity of heart and mind with the people who live in the flesh. It is not possible.
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:6-8 NASB
Jesus Warns Us
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.
John 15:18-21 NASB
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Luke 12:49-53 NASB
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 10:24-39 NASB
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
Matthew 24:9 NASB
Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
Mark 10:29-31 NASB
While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.” But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12:46-50 NASB
Check out more on Being One Heart One Mind with the Father.
Learn about making right judgments in the body Judge Right & Give Correction . Striving for peace is not tolerance.