05.24. One in Christ

One in Christ "There shall be one fold and one Shepherd." John 10:16

There has arisen of late years a yearning for more unity in the body of Christ. Nor can we be surprised at this. When Christ came into the world He found it split up into a variety of sects and religions, and His very aim in redemption was to gather together these scattered fragments of the human family, binding them in one holy bond to Himself, and thus knitting them one to the other, and to the Father in Him. And truly it were a glorious thing if in these days, when commerce and swift ships and railways and electric wires are bringing men far nearer together than in days past, a still stronger, holier bond, even of Christian faith and love, were to knit in one all professedly Christian Churches; if communities, once arrayed in arms against each other, were now to be banded together in a holy crusade against all the vice and worldliness and unbelief that defile our earth. But if ever this unity is in any measure to be attained, we may be assured that it can only be in the exercise of Divine power, so great are the obstacles that stand in the way; and we may be certain, likewise, that this power will only be put forth to accomplish that which God Himself has purposed.

Let us inquire, therefore, from the Word of God, what is intended by the unity of the body of Christ. In meeting this inquiry I would especially direct the attention of the reader to three passages in John’s Gospel. The first passage, in John 10:16, presents the subject in its very simplest form. We have Christ speaking of Himself as the good Shepherd: "I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd." There is doubtless an allusion to Ezekiel 34:22-23; "Therefore will I save my flock and I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David."

Thus the unity of the Church is here set forth, not as consisting in one fold, one external communion, but in the flock being shepherded by one great Shepherd. By His tender care is each straying one brought back,
by Him are all alike guided and guarded,
to Him are all equally known and indebted for the same gift of eternal life.

All alike hear the voice, and follow the footsteps of their Shepherd, and thus are they one flock, however for a season separated one from the other.

Turn to a second passage, John 11:49-52 :Caiaphas had been counseling to put Christ to death, and in doing so had used language teaching God’s object in permitting it. The same spirit which spoke by the lips of wicked Balaam, spoke also by the Jewish High Priest. John quotes the words, and adds His own inspired comment, "You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one."

Here we find the death of the Shepherd is the great bond of unity. The cross of Christ is the great magnet by which men are drawn to Him, and thus to each other. It is the great meeting place of all true Christians. In one sense it makes all other differences to vanish. It binds together Jew and Gentile, the peer and the peasant, the learned and the ignorant, the bond and the free. At the cross they learn their common ruin, they rejoice in one common salvation, and the same love is kindled in every bosom. As the sin of the first Adam wrought separation and strife, soon manifested in the murder of Abel by his brother Cain — so the cross of the second Adam afresh binds men together in a bond never to be loosed.

Truly it was a marvelous triumph of science and of human effort which could fetch up the severed cable from the depths of the Atlantic, and thus unite by another link the old and the new worlds. A far more glorious triumph has Christ won, by His most precious death restoring to the family of man that bond of unity which seemed forever lost, and thus knitting together the redeemed in one holy fellowship of eternal love.

Turn now to a third passage. It is a part of that great prayer of intercession offered by our Lord on the dark night of His agony and shame. Deeply important is its bearing on this subject, since no less than five times did He pray for His people, that they might be one. (John 17:20-23.) "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (Compare also John 17:11) This passage and the prayer from which it is taken distinctly define those to be included in this bond of unity. It is those "given to Christ by the Father;" it is those who "are not of the world," those "kept from the evil" and "sanctified by the truth; "it is those "that believe on Christ through the word" delivered by the Apostles.

Especially bear in mind, as so frequently set before us in this Gospel, that it is only through believing, that we receive the inestimable privileges that belong to the Church of Christ. The promise of eternal life and of deliverance from condemnation is made repeatedly by our Lord to all those that come to Him and believe in His name. For this very purpose does the Evangelist narrate the miracles which Christ wrought: "These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life through His name."

Never, never let go your hold of this truth, that the very hinge upon which your salvation turns, the very key that unlocks to you all its treasures, is this direct, personal coming for yourself to Him, who is the one Mediator and Savior of sinners. Let no human priest ever usurp His place. Let none rob you of this inestimable benefit, that with all your sin, with all your need, with all your sorrow and care — you may flee straight to Him, and find eternal rest in His love. For such as do this our Lord prays: these are those who are united together in Him. In this passage we learn also the spiritual character of the unity for which we are to seek It arises from the fellowship of believers with the Father and the Son. It resembles the unity that exists between the latter: "that they may be one, as we are." It springs from the close fellowship in which all believers are knit to Christ and the Father: "One in us." "I in them, and You in Me." The believer is one with Christ in closest bonds. Christ bestows on him His glory, that is, His Spirit, His grace, His image, His presence, His love, as the dawn of that perfect bliss He shall bestow hereafter. Thus Christ dwells in him by the Spirit, and he dwells in Christ by faith. Thus, as we find also in John 14:1-31, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, make their abode with him. Hence the unity of the whole body. One with the Father and the Son through the Spirit — they cannot but be knit one to the other.

Compare with this view 1 John 1:1-10. Confessing sin, cleansed in the blood, walking in the light, believers enjoy "fellowship with the Father and the Son," and then also "one with another."

Thus on God’s side the unity arises from His beholding His people one in Christ, and from the one Spirit who He has imparted; on our side the manifestation of this unity is in the exercise of a common faith, and of a common love, to the same great Redeemer.

Here is the unity foretold by the prophet Jeremiah: "I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever." Here is the unity seen in Apostolic days: "The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and of one soul."

Here is the unity that still exists. Beneath all the strife that sin has introduced into Christian Churches, beneath all the dissensions that the enemy stirs up, is there not to be found among all true followers of the Lamb, an underlying principle of real, genuine love one to the other; a love that has overleaped all barriers of rank, education, variety of opinion; and so bound men together in the firmest ligaments of a heaven-taught charity?

We have heard of two men, perfect strangers to each other, knowing not a word of each other’s language, becoming firm friends, because each in evident sincerity could utter the word, "Abba."

Very interesting is it to notice the six links by which Paul declares the body of Christ to be united. He is urging the Ephesian Church to keep and manifest the unity of the Spirit in love. (Ephesians 4:1-6.) He declares that there is "one body." "One Spirit" dwelling in each — convincing, teaching, sanctifying, comforting. "One hope of your calling" in every breast — the same glorious hope of eternal life. "One Lord," even Jesus our Savior, Master, King. "One faith," each soul justified by the same act of affiance, or one revelation of Divine truth in which all are instructed. "One God and Father of all," on Him the whole family depend; His glory is the end they must ever keep in view.

Thus are all God’s children firmly, indissolubly linked together. Here is Church which has its members in every part of the world, and in every age of the world’s history — that Church which rests immovably on the Rock of Ages, which is compassed about on every side by the might, mercy, and faithfulness of Jehovah; against which the gates of Hell, the powers of darkness, shall never, never prevail!

Let saints below in concert sing
With those to glory gone;
For all the servants of our King
In Heaven and earth are one.

One family we dwell in Him;
One Church above, beneath,
Though now divided by the stream —
The narrow stream of death.

Let Christians learn from this subject, never for the sake of peace or unity to compromise essential truth. The honor of Christ is bound up in the integrity of the truth taught by Himself and His Apostles. We may neither diminish from it, nor add to it. Unity in the truth is most precious — unity in error is worse than profitless. Who would not prefer to sail in a frigate with a small crew, if only she were sound and tight, rather than in a ship ten times the size with a far larger crew, if she were leaky and her timbers rotten? And shall we not prefer to maintain our beloved Church in her independence, with her simplicity of worship, with her heritage of primitive truth, proclaiming as she does in her articles the supremacy of Holy Scripture and the blessed doctrine of a free justification by faith alone — rather than join in the efforts made for her union with the Greek and Romish Churches — Churches where the truth as to the way of salvation has well-near perished, and which are weighted with most grievous and deadly errors.

"Let them return to you, but return not you to them." Gladly hold out the right hand of fellowship to all such as will turn again to the pure faith as taught in Holy Scripture — but make no truce with error! Stand fast in the liberty of the Gospel, and amidst all the false teaching that abounds on every side, be a faithful witness to the truth as it is in Jesus.

Learn also from this subject to manifest a spirit of true sincere love towards all who bear the Savior’s name. "Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Shameful are the bitter dissensions that are so rife, the harsh stinging words so often uttered by one Christian against those who cannot agree with them in all points. Especially should we grieve that there is so much of this spirit at the present day among those who love the same Savior and hold fast the same necessary truths.

Before the battle of Salamis, when Greece was threatened by hordes of barbarous savages, it was a sore disgrace that the commanders of the fleet should have permitted envies and jealousies to divide their counsels; and when they ought to have been fighting the Persians, that they should have been quarreling among themselves. No less disgraceful is it that at this time, when the enemies of the truth are all one, that they may do away with Evangelical teaching from our land — there should be room left for such painful bickerings among those that value it.

Reader, do your part in showing the world that Christians love one another now as in days of yore. Ever remember that truth is many-sided, and therefore how likely it is that you may leave out of sight, that which another may see. Be persuaded that the good Shepherd has many more ways of bringing back His wanderers than you might imagine. While you contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints — yet be filled with charity. Love those who err the most, and pray that the Spirit may guide them into all truth.

Let those that know and love the Savior, find also in this subject a word of consolation. Many of those who read these pages may be much alone. You may have to pass many a solitary hour. Yet believe it, and rejoice in it, that you are one with all the people of God. You share in all their privileges, and in all the blessings obtained by their prayers. Think of this when shut out from the sanctuary. You may not be able to join with others in their songs of praise or in their united supplications, but your Father beholds you as one with them; and the grace they seek shall descend on you. Regard yourself also at such seasons as set apart by God to intercede on behalf of His ministering servants and the congregations meeting in Christ’s name. Who can tell the showers of blessing, the hearts that may be touched, the backsliders that may be reclaimed, the faithful ones that may be comforted and strengthened — through your believing prayers. And wait but a little longer. There shall be complete unity, external as well as spiritual, when Christ returns. As yet indeed we see it not. Christ’s visible Church is very imperfect. There are wheat and tares in the same field — sheep and goats in the same fold. Even in Christ’s own people, there is much that mars the unity of the body — failings of judgment, failings in temper, a falling short in faith and love. While sin abides in us, these things will be found, and lead to much that we deplore. But all this will be changed one day. The yearnings of men’s hearts will be satisfied. There will be perfect unity, both outwardly, and also the unity of knowledge, faith and love. Then indeed will there be one Church, its members brought from every climate — yet having now but one language, but one song, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!" Alike will they acknowledge that sin was all they could call their own, and that in one fountain had they washed their robes, even in the all-cleansing blood of Christ.

Reader, shall you be found among them? You may be of those "who profess and call themselves Christians" — you may have been admitted into the visible Church, you may have been a regular frequenter of the Lord’s House, and frequent at His table — yet take it as most assuredly true, without heart-fellowship with the Son of God, you have neither part nor lot in the blessedness of the true Church. Be sure, whoever may strive to gainsay it, this nearness of spirit, this drawing near through the atoning blood into the Holiest of all, is the very pith and marrow of all true godliness.

It is the heart that cleaves fast to Christ, it is the faith that works by love — that constitutes the true Christian.

"We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

"O Almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of Your Son, Christ our Lord; grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which You have prepared for those who sincerely love You; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."