Learning to Defend in Unity

Next Part Only One Body—And What This Means

Paul exhorted the Philippian brethren about unity in the faith. In chapter 1, beginning in Phil 1:15, he warned of “some” who would “preach Christ even of envy and strife” and “of contention” (Phil 1:16), for the purpose of troubling and “adding affliction” to Paul. (These were obviously preaching another Christ—another Jesus—and it was confusing the congregation.) Paul’s response was “I am set for the defence of the gospel” (Phil 1:17), followed by an admonishment to the brethren to “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil 1:27).

These are powerful words for those living in the atmosphere of today’s world. Like the Philippians, we are determined to practice what Paul admonished, recognizing that we are to be “in nothing terrified by [our] adversaries” (Phil 1:28). Take a moment to read the rest of Phil 1:28 to see what is in store for those who were said to preach a “Christ,” but who become adversaries of all the faithful who were—and still are!—“striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

When the Church Began

Acts 2:1-47 records Christ fulfilling His promise to build His Church. This happened when the Holy Spirit was poured out in A.D. 31 on all those present at Pentecost. It is important to understand exactly from whom the new disciples were to get their teachings—doctrine.

This first glimpse of the Church, after its birth, offers an extraordinary insight into what it was supposed to look like for the next 2,000 years. Consider this well.

Ac 2:1 records that everything following in the account, including the receiving of God’s Spirit, was only possible because “they were all with one accord in one place.” Next, notice the very first thing recorded to have happened immediately after 3,000 people were baptised the same day: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Ac 2:42).

Two points emerge. People held to—“continued in”—the “apostles’ doctrine,” not anybody else’s. (Also see Ephesians 2:20.) This is a huge statement, completely contradicting trinitarian belief that the Church was only able to learn the nature of the God it served centuries after the apostles had died. One of the greatest teachings of the New Testament is that the highest office in the ministry, that of apostle, is how Christ brings truth into His Church. The brethren in the first century understood this, and that is why they “continued in the apostle’s doctrine”—and they did this “steadfastly.”

But there is another critical point that is to be introduced here—God’s people also “continued in…fellowship” together. Ac 2:44 further makes this clear: “And all that believed were together…” This is the only way that the rest of the verse could state that they “had all things common.” To do this, they had to be together, walking in one Church—one organization.

Ac 2:46 firmly ties the knot. Notice: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” Once again, all were together, of “one accord” and with “singleness of heart.” As God declares, even in the Old Testament, “how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psa. 133:1)!

Addressing Division in Corinth

The Corinthian congregation had nearly every conceivable spiritual problem. By now you understand why. The first, and perhaps greatest, was that they were plagued by division. After nine verses of introduction in his first epistle to them, Paul immediately moves to the difficulty, revealing the only way that the Church of God, wherever it is found, is supposed to function.

Recall again what we have already discussed, but can now better understand because of the context here: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement” (I Cor. 1:10).

In just this one verse, in five separate ways, Paul makes abundantly clear that the Church Christ is leading enjoys complete unity. No honest mind can possibly draw any other conclusion from this passage. Carefully reread the phrases in italics.

I Cor 1:13 begins with the rhetorical question: “Is Christ divided?” The only reason it is not followed with the word “no” or something similar is because the answer is so obvious. Considering what he had just written, Paul knew that the thrust of his question was equivalent to asking, “Is grass green?” or “Is the sky blue?” When people ask rhetorical questions, no one actually responds, because the answer is so obvious. In Amos 3:3, even the question “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” is left unanswered for the same reason. (And, in this light, no wonder professing Christianity walks divided in hundreds of disagreeing organizations and groups!)