Articles
How Important Is Unity? (5)
How Important Is Unity? (5)
Greg King
There is one faith. Meaning one body of belief. Jude verse 3. “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”
There is but one baptism. Meaning one practice. Of all the “ones” listed this “one” seems to be, judging from the reaction of the religious world, the most difficult to understand. Most of the religious world practices something associated with “baptism” and some ignore it all together. There are several baptisms mentioned in the New Testament. All of them had their purpose and were limited in their duration. There was the baptism into Moses 1 Corinthians 10:1-2. The baptism of John, baptism of suffering, baptism of the Holy Spirit, baptism of fire, and the Great Commission of Jesus. Only one of these is commanded and necessary for one to be in Christ and a part of the one body. It is the one Jesus commanded. Mark 16:16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Without “this” baptism one is outside of Christ and in a lost condition.
There is one God and Father. He is worthy of our worship and praise. Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Above all He is our sovereign Creator and controller of the universe.Through all He is the providential upholder of the universe. In all He is our God and will dwell within us thru His Holy word if we will open up our heart and surrender ourselves completely to Him.
The seven unities given in Ephesians 4 constitute the only basis upon which unity is possible from the human viewpoint, as well as the only basis upon which it would be acceptable from the divine viewpoint.
To these Peter adds one name. Acts 4:11-12, “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
