Oneness in Spirit and in Practicality
(Overcomer Wu)

“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

Christians find themselves more accepting of differences in their eagerness for fellowship with those who share their love for the Lord. The common Lord, faith, baptism, one Body, one Spirit, one hope, and our common heavenly Father are strong and sufficient reasons for Christians to bond together. We also share common Christian’s goal towards unbelievers of bringing them to be partakers in the same blessedness as we and to bring them as disciples to Christ, especially in countries where there is often another religion predominating, is a compelling reason for most Christians to stand together with other Christians as they press toward their common goal. Differences matter less; what they have in common matters more.

In the practices of everyday life, there is often deeper appreciation for fellow Christian brothers and sisters in a land where there is greater need one of another. It might be the missionary is traveling hundreds of miles through a stretch that has no Christian local churches. You can imagine how heart-warming it is to find fellow Christians along the way, where there is a smile and a glass of cool lemonade and perhaps even an invitation for a meal, prayer and fellowship in Christ. Christian hospitality or need of the only help in sight opens the way to discover admirable things about some whom they actually knew little about before. The "we-be-brethren" spirit develops and prevails over differences. Good fellowship and corporate prayers are enjoyed and oneness is fostered.

It has been said that there can be no revival without oneness/unity. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!... There the Lord commanded the blessing" (Psa 133:1,3). There revival is possible. Furthermore, a revival also promotes oneness as we are all filled with the Spirit growing and serving the Lord. Yet sadly today, we are all fenced off into denominational coops, and even the non-denominational or inter-denominational groups of Christians have their own teachings and practices that divides them... sometimes even among themselves. However, as we pray for the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace and drop our divisive ground that imposes upon others to conform to our set of teachings and practices, we will be lifted above the barriers of creed, dogma and experience – and Christ’s prayer will be answered – we will be one as He and the Father are One" (Jn 17:18-23; Phi 2:1-4).

How enlarging it is to have heart fellowship with all those whom the Lord has saved and have made members of the household of God. One in Christ! Instead of going around judging others for not standing on the same ground of teachings, which most groups would consider their own to be the most Biblical and most in-line with God's heart, we embrace each other in the all-embracing love of Christ and see that we are in fact just as divisive when we uphold some teachings, however Scriptural they may be, as a measuring stick for our acceptance of other Christians. Please do not take statement I've just made out of the context. By this I do not mean to say that we are to embrace the heresies of some of the Christian groups out there as our own, nor am I suggesting that we forego our standing on the seven Ones mentioned in Ephesians chapter four, verses 4-6. Rather, I am only suggesting that if we do not impose any additional criteria by which we are to accept other Christians, which is what this passage in Ephesians four of God's Word is prescribing for us to endeavor to keep the oneness (Eph 4:3), we will find ourselves enjoying the true oneness that the Lord can pour out His blessings upon. We need to actively pursue opportunities to foster this oneness, and not simply continue on in our usual pattern where we feel comfortable and at ease with just the little group of people who also embrace the same narrow interpretation of the Scriptural truths. And before anyone jumps to conclusion that I am forsaking any kind of Scriptural teachings that they hold dear, I hope that these ones would first confirm it straight with me on such matters lest they be found spreading a falsehood.

In the four Gospels when the word "brethren" occurs, it almost always refers to biological brothers. However starting from the Acts and epistles written after Pentecost, the term brethren is more oftentimes referring to the believers than the biological brothers. If you check your concordance, you might be surprised to see how frequently and consistently Paul addressed believers as "brethren." It beautifully indicates the close, family relationship God meant for His people to have. Jesus was not understood by many when He said, "Who are My brethren?.... Whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister and mother" (Matt 12:48,50). The coming of the Holy Spirit knit all the Christians together into a brotherhood as we have all been baptized through one Spirit into one Body (1 Cor 12:13). We are indeed children of the same Father, partakers of the same divine nature, having the same divine love shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit; therefore, it is both accurate and proper for us to be addressed and lived as brothers/brethren.

On the one hand, we do need to discern whether a teaching violates or deviates from the basic tenets of our Christian faith, such as a heresy against the God-head, the trinity, our salvation through the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and not through works, the Bible as the infallible, inerrand Word of God... and besides the seven ones that we already mentioned above in Ephesians chapter four. On the other hand we are not to allow separation over non-essential truths when the Word of God clearly does not give ground for us to make an issue over them.

In short, when God puts us together with a group of Christians, we must consider what our responsibility is and not think it our prerogative to pick and choose which group of Christians we prefer to be with or to fellowship with, based on our own concepts and our additional criteria of what a proper Christian group ought to be. Let us sincerely endeavor to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. Events and calamities and natural disasters around the world dictate that we are fast approaching the end in this age today. What and when we see the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem remains to be seen, but I'm certain that it will take place within fifteen years, conservatively estimating. If we are to be found faithful servants of the Lord and the wise virgins who have the extra portion of oil in their lamps (Matt 25), there is barely sufficient time for us to be ready for the Lord’s soon return, not to mention no time to waste on bickering over non-essential truths that divide. Pray that we will be found faithful as those who are truly the Lord's brethren who are dedicated to doing the will of the Father!

"Watch therefore; for you know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore you also be ready: for in such an hour as you do not expect, the Son of man comes" (Matt 24:42-44).