Keeping the call for unity

Last week the new president-elect of the U.S.A in his victory speech called on their nation to unite. Only to find that half of the country, obviously those from the opposing party responded with a defiant NO! And their justification was, why unity was not the aim under the current president. And why was there so much division from his side, with no intention to promote unity. Almost to say that, the way unity works is to pick and choose when to have and when not to have it. Either there is unity or there is not.

Apart from the fact that the world will never have true unity without Christ. The sentiment is true. Unity may vary in degree and effort. But it’s never optional.

Here in this passage, Paul deals with unity. As now the practical outworking of their position in Christ. Notice verses 1-6. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. In verse 3, the church with their position in Christ must keep the unity.

Then read verse 7-13. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high,

    he took many captives

    and gave gifts to his people.”[b]

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. The church as the people with a diversity of gifts must keep the unity. Especially through service that is rooted in training and equipping.

Notice verse 14-16. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. As long as the church keeps speaking the truth in love. They will keep the unity, even in the midst of the threat of false teaching.

In other words, the church’s responsibility is to keep the unity they already have in Christ. This means that, unity among God’s people is not optional. Neither is it something the church hypes up among themselves when it’s needed. Unity is the church’s spiritual attitude in Christ, given to them to keep among themselves. One author calls unity a spiritual attitude that is part of the internal system of the church. Meaning, it’s a necessity for functioning healthy.

Paul was always concerned about unity. He says to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 1:10. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

He says to the Philippians (1:27). Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.

Our Lord Jesus himself prays in John 17:21. That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

But here is the problem, many people do not view Christian unity as a necessary spiritual attitude for the church. A spiritual attitude that must be kept as part of the Christian life in Christ. Instead, for many, unity is an optional spiritual attitude or something you hype up in the church when the people gets out of control. Which is like saying, unity is a helpful spiritual attitude to have, but not the end of the world if you don’t. But unfortunately, this superficial and disobedient approach to unity produces a church who is indifferent. Indifferent to sin, because it separates, and needs reconciliation. Indifferent to conflict, which divides, because it needs restoration. And indifferent to broken relationships, which hurts, because it needs healing.

Consequently, an optional approach to unity, leaves the church with nothing but an empty shell. There is a building, programs, budget, finances, and a few committees. Which gives the church form and shape. Yet, people can’t stand one another.  Now I’m not saying that unity is always easy. Sometimes people move churches in an ugly way. And sometimes they stay, but continue in bitterness. What I’m saying is that, the Bible gives us no room to think that unity is optional and not necessary. And on the contrary, it is clear that you must keep the unity.

Here in the first three verses Paul explains that: 1. Unity is the christian call. Verse 1, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2. Unity is the Christian character. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3. And unity is the Christian commitment. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Paul moves into chapter 4:1 with the word “then”. Which is like saying ‘therefore’ or ’For this reason’. The word points to the instructions before in verses 14-21. That in Christ God gives them the power to love others in the church. And more importantly, “then” points back to, everything Paul said so far, starting in chapter 1. From the opening pages, Paul said they have been chosen by God for adoption. That God forgave them and filled them with the Spirit of wisdom to know Christ better (chapter 1). That they used to be dead in their sin but God made them alive by grace through faith. And made them co-heirs with Christ. And that both Jew and Gentile have peace in Christ. They are God’s new humanity in Christ (chapter 2); God’s revealed mystery.  And as the church, all this must reflect in their love for one another (chapter 3). Which now leads into Paul’s first thought that: Unity is the Christian call.

Verse 1 says, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. They have received the effectual call of salvation. As Paul says to the church in Rome (1:7), You are called to be his holy people. And in-build into their call of salvation was the necessity for unity. Paul emphasizes in verse 4. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called. In other words, the call to salvation is the call to unity, unity in Christ and with his people. Our Lord Jesus: when he refers to himself as the Vine in John 15:4, 9, 12 says, Remain in me, as I also remain in you…now remain in my love…and love each other as I have loved you.

This means that, unity is the spiritual attitude that shows that you are living out your call – by remaining in Christ and his people. And this by implication means that. Division is the ungodly attitude that shows your are failing to live out your call – by remaining in Christ and his people. Some people too easily and lightly brush off a lack of unity or division as something less serious than living out the Christian call. They say that division is nothing more than personality clashes, people forming cliques, and cultural differences. But although this may sometimes be the case, because personalities do clash, cliques do form, and cultures do differ. However, all these occurrences in church life are only more reason to remind people of their Christian call to remain in Christ and his people. And not less reason to do so.

The irony is that, it’s not that people do not believe in unity. People love a good cause that stirs up the feel of unity. They show up for the march, they buy and wear the T-shirt, and they do the dance. Not that Christians shouldn’t care about justice. The point is people want unity, but not the unity of Christ. Because Christian unity is a call, not just a cause. In Christ, you don’t get to show up the one day, when you feel like it. And switch off when you don’t like it. You are called in Christ to keep the unity all the time.

Notice that Paul say in verse 1. It’s not only that unity means to live out the Christian call. But he says that unity also means that, the Christian call that is lived-out is a worthy life. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. At the day of your salvation you received the call from God, a call to live in unity with Christ and his people. And this call when lived out amounts to a worthy life. And what makes it a worthy life? Is the fact that, the believer tries to match the life of Christ in whom they have received their call.

In other words, to keep the unity with other believers is to be Christ-like. And this is what makes it a worthy life. The worth is in you copying Christ. And anything less than Christ-like unity means to be living a worthless life. Jesus Christ achieved unity for you on the cross. Unity with the Father, the Spirit, and the church. All you must do is to keep it.