New Hope Christian Church (6/28/26)
Do you pray enough? If your answer is yes, then, just who do you think you are that you do not need to pray more than you do? If no, then what would it take for you to pray more? Personal prayer life is not all we need to consider—we also need to develop an appreciation for congregational prayers.
Acts 2:42 says that the first church devoted themselves (“continued steadfastly) to the apostles’ doctrine (teaching), the fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, and also to prayer. The original Greek refers not to “prayer” but rather “the prayers,” no doubt including both private and congregational prayers. Devotion to “the prayers” is essential for us as individual disciples and especially for the success of the church. Here are three categories of prayers of the early church in addition to praising God (2:47).
For Specific Needs
Scripture presents several times of the churches praying for specific needs. For example (Acts 12:1-2), Herod Agrippa I had beheaded the apostle James (brother of John), the first of the apostles to die as a martyr. (Jesus had called James and John “sons of thunder.” See Mark 3:17; also, Luke 9:54. Perhaps James had once too often “thundered” against the moral vices of Herod.) For whatever reason, “When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (12:3-5). After Peter was miraculously released by an angel (12:6-11), he went to the home of a certain Mary, mother of John Mark (who wrote the Gospel According to Mark), where some of the church were praying for Peter. We do not know what they were praying for; probably for Peter’s release and certainly for his endurance of the trial coming upon him. They were surprised when he arrived (12:13-15)! James had not been spared, so perhaps they expected Peter also to be killed.
On several occasions as Paul was leaving a church he had planted, the brothers and sisters prayed with him, their hearts breaking because they might never see him again (Acts 20:35-38; 21:5). Again, we do not know for certain what they were praying for, but they knew he was headed for more persecutions (20:23; 21:10-13). In his letter to the Colossians Paul asked them to devote themselves to prayer, “being watchful and thankful” (4:2). In addition, he asked for prayers for himself that doors for evangelism might be opened to him and that he would “proclaim the mystery of Christ” clearly (4:3-4).
John prayed for his friend Gaius, “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well” (3 John 1-2). And Paul prayed for Philemon, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Phm 4-6); and also for him and his family, “I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers” (22, this “your” is plural).
From these examples, we learn that the church members’ prayers were for specific needs, both materially and spiritually, and especially for all (preachers, missionaries, and all believers as well) that doors might be opened for the truthful and clear presentation of the gospel. Of course, in all things, we are to pray as Jesus did, “Not my will but Yours be done.”
For the Church
Prayers should also be offered on behalf of the church, both locally and worldwide. After his description of the Christian’s armor in the face of the enemy, Paul added, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:18-19). Note that we are to be praying “for all the saints,” that is, for all believers as well as for the preachers.
What should we be praying for? The situations and needs, of course, will vary, but Paul gives us a hint in his own prayers for the church. We can rightfully assume that he intended for us to pray for the same things. For example, in Philippians 1:4-6, “I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” He was more specific in 1:9-11, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Another list of Paul’s prayers for the church is recorded in Colossians 1:9-12. He was . . .
asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
These items in his prayers are discussed in detail on our website, www.NewHopeChristian.faith, under Sermons/Prayer for the Church.
For the Spread of the Gospel
In addition to praying for specific situations and the church in general, the church devoted themselves to prayers for the spread of the gospel. In Acts 1:14 we are told that the apostles, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit, “all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” No doubt, the primary thing on their mind was the giant task that had been laid before them, “‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (1:8). See also Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20.
After Peter and John were arrested the first time, being threatened not to continue their proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus, they “went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23). In one of the few recorded prayers of the early church, they prayed (4:24-30):
“Sovereign Lord, . . . you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Perhaps because this was their first encounter with the opposition, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (4:31).
Years later, in the mostly Gentile church at Syrian Antioch, the leaders were fasting and worshiping, perhaps seeking guidance regarding taking the gospel to other Gentile areas. The Holy Spirit charged them with sending out Saul (Paul) and Barnabas on what we call, Paul’s First Missionary Journey. “So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:1-3).
Paul, although primarily a preacher to the Gentiles, always had his fellow Jews on his mind: “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). This desire was so strong that he had “great sorrow and unceasing anguish in his heart” for them. “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race” (9:2-3). Do you ever pray for the conversion of the Jewish people?
After asking for prayers for his own ministry (see above, Colossians 4:2-4), Paul advised, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (4:5-6). Although he does not specifically mention prayer at this point, certainly the previous verses imply that we all need prayer to help us follow those instructions.
Conclusion
What do you do during the prayers in the assembly? Are you just listening, or are you joining in the prayers? (Those leading in prayer, although sometimes difficult to change habit, should use plural pronouns, “we pray” or “our prayer.”) We all should pray along with the one “leading.” Both privately on our own and in our thoughts when praying together, we should not only “join in” but also add our own prayers—after all, our brain works five times faster than the vocal prayer being offered. Perhaps this would keep our congregational prayers from being just ritualistic.
New Hope Christian Church, 6/14/26
How important is knowledge of Scriptural teaching? The word of God came to the priests through the prophet Hosea (4:6), warning that “‘my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests.’” He continued, saying that because they had ignored the law of God, He also would ignore their children. Proverbs 29:18 warns, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint . . . .”
In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:20-22) Jesus indicates that some people who receive His words not only fail to grow and bear fruit but also will fall away because they are either not rooted in the word or fail to give it proper attention. Many European church services are nearly empty, and most American churches are failing to produce strong, mature disciples because of their neglect of the word of God, substituting for it the teachings of tradition or following the present culture.
At its beginning the church was strong in the faith, winning vast numbers of people to Christ, because they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching along with the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers (Acts 2:42). Here are three reasons why it is important for us to devote ourselves to reading, studying, and applying the apostolic teaching to our church and ourselves.
The Authority of the Apostles’ Teaching
The authority of the apostles’ teaching came through the authority of Jesus. His authority, after the “Triumphal Entry” and the cleansing of the Temple, was questioned by the religious leaders (Matthew 21:23). He responded by asking them for the source of John the Baptizer’s authority (21:24-25), for John had proclaimed that Jesus was “‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” This Lamb was the One who would come from Heaven and baptize in the Holy Spirit, for He was the Son of God. (See John 1:29-34. See also 17:2.) When they refused to answer whether John’s authority was from men or Heaven, Jesus refused to answer them. He had already given them many proofs of His authority (see Mark 2:10-12), recognized by the people who witnessed His casting out demons and His teaching (1:22,27). Although He refused to answer them, Jesus then illustrated His claim of authority in the parables regarding the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32) and the absentee landowner (21:33-44). They got the message: “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them” (21:45).
After His resurrection, Jesus claimed all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). From His authority He delegated authority also to His apostles: “He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14-15), “to cure diseases, . . . to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2). With this authority, He assured them, “‘I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me’” (John 13:20); and, “‘I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven’” (Matthew 18:18).
How was this authority to find its place in the apostles’ teaching? Jesus promised them, “‘But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you’” (John 14:26). (By the way, this promise was for them, not for us, except indirectly through their words.) The Spirit would bring to their minds what Jesus had taught them as well as giving them the additional teaching that they would need. “‘I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come’” (16:12-13).
The apostles’ teaching was, in reality, the teaching of Jesus. Therefore, it is not sufficient to study only the words in red letters in some editions of the New Testament. It is all the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
The Content of the Apostles’ Teaching
Reading, studying, and living the apostles’ teaching is of utmost relevance to the life of the church and of the individual Christian. The apostles’ teaching is recorded in the books of the New Testament, four of the writers being apostles themselves, Matthew, John, Paul, and Peter. The other four writers had close associations with the apostles. Mark’s Gospel was accepted as being written from the teaching of Peter (perhaps alluded to in 2 Peter 1:12-15), and he was closely associated with Paul (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke was the companion of Paul during the closing years of Paul’s life; and he did extensive research for his Gospel and the book of Acts, interviewing the eyewitnesses of the events he described (Luke 1:1-4). James and Jude (1:1) were brothers of Jesus and associated with the apostles from the very beginning of the church (Acts 1:13-14; 15:12-22). The New Testament canon (list of officially recognized books) was based on apostolicity—that is, with apostolic authority.
The apostolic writing in the New Testament contains four genres. (1) The Gospels tell us of the coming, the works and words, and the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. (2) Acts relates some of the history of the first century church, including both how the word about Jesus spread and how people responded (sometimes positively, sometimes negatively). Acts concentrates primarily on the early work of Peter and the missionary efforts of Paul as the gospel spread—see 1:8—from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and then to the Gentile world.
(3) The letters of Paul make up the majority of the third section of the New Testament, but also including letters from James and Jude (half-brothers of Jesus) as well as Peter and John. Although these letters include much teaching useful in leading people to become disciples of Jesus, they were primarily written to teach the churches how “people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
(4) The fourth section is the book of Revelation, describing in very symbolic language how the church is engaged in a battle between God and Satan. It gives warnings to Christians to remain faithful to Jesus, with patient endurance, no matter how difficult things become, for God will win in the end; and the victory of His people is certain. The last two chapters, in Old Testament-type figures, describe the blessings of those who faithfully endure.
The Benefits of the Apostles’ Teaching
The most important benefit of reading, studying, and applying the apostles’ teaching (which is really the teaching of Jesus—see above) is that our eternal life depends on it: “‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’” (Acts 4:12). Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17).
Salvation is not enough, however, for the saved must live for Christ. The apostles’ teaching, when read, studied, and applied, demonstrates how to live holy (sanctified) lives. “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:21-22). How does the word enable us to live sanctified lives? God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Humbly accepting and applying the word opens to us the promises of God through the presence of His Holy Spirit in our lives (Romans 8:13-14).
Many Christians stop at salvation—they think that’s all that matters, just getting to Heaven. Others know that being saved from Hell is not enough, and that they need to live Christlike lives. However, the apostles’ teaching goes beyond that; for all disciples (Christians) are to be involved in the mission of Christ, to take the message of salvation to the world—a task given to the church (Ephesians 3:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19). In other words, we get to tell others how to enjoy th life that we have in Christ! The apostles’ and prophets’ teaching, along with evangelists and congregational elders and teachers (Ephesians 4:11) were given to the church “to prepare God’s 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” (4:12-13).
Salvation, sanctification, and service for Christ are all benefits from following the word of God: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Conclusion
Remember the sermon (5/24/26) about God calling us out of the world and into His assembly? We have been assembled in the name of Christ, even when we are not physically in each other’s presence. Therefore, it is not enough for us just to apply this message to the time we assemble as a church—it is a daily privilege and responsibility to read, study, and live Scripture.
Ask yourself: is it proper to consider yourself a Christian if you are not in the word and the word is not in you?
New Hope Christian Church, 6/7/26
For the first three centuries, there were very few, if any, church buildings, that is, buildings owned by congregations for their meetings. Sometimes they met in synagogues or rented halls but most often in the homes of believers . The New Testament never uses the word “church” (ecclesia) to refer to a physical building. With the cessation of persecution and the continued growth of the church, such buildings started coming into use. With those buildings came a corruption of New Testament words: the very word “church” and the expression “the Lord’s house” eventually came to represent a physical building. (The English word church came from a medieval word meaning “the lord’s manor,” referring to the house where the landowner lived.) “Worship” came to mean those activities that Christians do in “the church,” and particularly in “the sanctuary,” another word that has been corrupted contrary to its Biblical usage—in Scripture the only physical buildings called “sanctuary” were the tabernacle of Moses and the temples in Jerusalem.
When you hear the words “fellowship hall,” what comes to your mind? Probably another corruption of Biblical usage. A proper understanding of Biblical terms is necessary for understanding God’s word, particularly in the New Testament. One of these words is the word “fellowship,” which has come to refer to social interaction (spiritual or otherwise) with one another.
Fellowship with Christ is a spiritual relationship (1 Corinthians 1:9) realized by faith, but it is often expressed in our associations with fellow disciples, (1) socially, (2) in ministry, and (3) in the Lord’s Day assembly. Here we will examine three forms of fellowship as illustrated in the New Testament.
Shared Resources
Often fellowship in the New Testament was expressed in the sharing of resources, monetary and otherwise, among the disciples of Jesus. (Remember that all Christians were referred to as disciples, especially in the book of Acts. See 11:26.) In fact, the word in Romans 15:26 is commonly translated in English versions as a contribution (money) being sent to the disciples in Jerusalem: “For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.” Some Biblical scholars have concluded that this is also the meaning of the word “fellowship” in Acts 2:42.
This conclusion seems to be supported by the context in Acts 2:44-45. (Notice that the four items in 2:42 may be alluded to in 2:43-47.) The fellowship of the first church included sharing resources with those in need. “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need” (2:44-45). And again (4:32,34-35):
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. . . . There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
They did not throw all their resources into a common fund, as some readers assume, for this would have made them all in need. Luke gives an example of one who sold some property (not the house in which he was living): “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet” (4:36-37). See also the example of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-10) who were told that their donation was totally voluntary.
Because disciples’ resources already belong to Jesus (Luke 14:33), they gladly share them with fellow disciples in need.
Encouragement
Fellowship goes beyond sharing physical resources. Encouragement is an essential element in Christian fellowship. In the Old Testament we have an example of encouragement. David and Jonathan were closer than brothers—in spite of the fact that Jonathan knew that David, not himself, was slated by God to succeed Jonathan’s father Saul as king. Saul often tried to kill David, resulting in David’s frequent need to go on the run. On one of these occasions, “Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God” (1 Samuel 23:16-17) by assuring David that he, and his father, knew that David would eventually become king. By the way, this encouragement was founded on a promise of God. God’s word is often a way to find encouragement in times of trouble, as many of the Psalms testify.
Hebrews 10:24-25 refers to encouragement as an important element in the assembly: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Then comes the warning of what may happen if we neglect encouraging one another in these meetings: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left” (10:26). In the original Greek, this verse is preceded by the word “For,” indicating a connection with the previous verses.
Encouragement is not just for the Sunday assembly: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). This daily encouragement suggests that believers should have more contact with one another than just on the Lord’s Day. This modern age of texting and other electronic forms of communication, in addition to older forms such as cards, letters, and food delivered, gives us ample opportunity to offer encouragement to those who are going through hard times.
Encouragement also comes in the way of spiritual help when a fellow believer stumbles: “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2). What is “the law of Christ”? He probably had in mind, “‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another’” (John 13:34).
Body Building
Body building is a popular way of getting into or keeping in physical shape. Christian fellowship is also expressed in body building, that is, building up the body of Christ. He has given us leaders, equipped with the word, to coach us in this spiritual building (Ephesians 4:11). These leaders, each with its own kind of work, have a general purpose: “to prepare God’s 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” (4:12-13). When we take advantage of their ministry to us, we will mature as disciples (4:14-16):
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 men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 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.
Our enemy is doing all he can to stop this maturing process so that he can lead us away from Christ. It is up to us, each one, to do our part in this fellowship (1) with Christ, (2) with the leaders He has given us, and (3) with one another, “as each part does its work.”
This fellowship leads us to work with one another as well as to develop a concern for one another, “so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).
Finally, this fellowship (“partnership in the gospel,” Philippians 1:5) calls us to conduct ourselves “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,” standing “firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose [us]. . . . For it has been granted to [us] on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,” just as the apostles themselves went through the same struggle (1:27-30).
Conclusion
Fellowship has a spiritual side and an inter-personal side. If we are just enjoying others’ company, that is not enough, It is also not enough just to consider one another as brothers and sisters without spending time with them. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). At the end of the school year. report cards tell the students how they have done. What grade do we deserve in the area of fellowship?
New Hope Christian Church, 5/31/26
Why do people go to church? To worship God and praise Jesus? To learn the word of God? To get closer to God or pray for divine help? Because the Bible commands it? For entertainment? To make social or business connections? Although the early church’s assembly involved several elements, the primary reason they met was to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
Scripturally speaking, it is not enough to assemble—the Greek word for church refers to an assembly (see previous sermon)—nor is it enough to take the Lord’s Supper as a mere ritual. We often speak of the symbols in the Lord’s Supper, (1) the loaf (the better translation of “the bread”), (2) the cup (that is, the “fruit of the vine” in the cup), (3) the act of eating and drinking the same, and (4) the day on which we partake of them. These are much more than symbols: there are deeply spiritual (theological) reasons why Christ chose this “Supper” as a way to remember Him. Gathering together with fellow believers“to break the loaf” accomplishes at least three purposes.
Breaking Bread Expresses Our Loyalty.
Jesus, in instituting the Lord’s Supper at His last Passover meal, gave this instruction to the apostles: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24). From the beginning of the church, baptized believers in the Messiah devoted themselves to (“continued steadfastly in”) “the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). (Interestingly, the Scriptures never mention “worship” in connection with their assemblies.) However, only one of these elements is referred to in Scripture as the reason why they met. For example, Luke tells us that the apostle Paul and company, on their return from his third missionary journey, stopped over at Troas (Acts 20:6). Although Paul was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem before Pentecost, they waited seven days until “the first day of the week” when they could gather with the congregation “to break bread” (20:7). The use of the infinitive, “to break,” implies the purpose for this gathering.
In Paul’s instruction to the church at Corinth, he criticized their assemblies: “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat . . . .” (1 Corinthians 11:20)—the literal translation would be, “it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper”—and since Paul was criticizing them for that, he was implying that the intended purpose was “to eat the Lord’s Supper.” In fact, he refers to their usual meeting in 11:33: “when you come together to eat . . . .” (The context, 11:21-22,34, informs us that they often, or usually, included a full meal in their observance of the Lord’s Supper.)
In this connection, it is necessary to answer the question, how often did the first century church eat the Lord’s Supper? The expression, “devoted themselves,” along with the inclusion of the other three elements mentioned in Acts 2:42, implies that the Lord’s Supper occurred as often as the other elements. The mention in 20:7 that eating the Lord’s Supper was their stated purpose for meeting implies that they had the Lord’s Supper as often as they met as a congregation. 1 Corinthians 16:2 implies that they met “every first day of the week,” even though it is referring to “laying aside” money to be distributed by Paul to the believers in Jerusalem. Otherwise, why on “the first day of the week”? That would not be the day they got paid—most workers in that culture were paid at the end of each work day. Obviously, there was something special about “every first day.” The testimony of early Christian writings makes it clear that the church met to take part in the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week. In fact, until the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, this (and sometimes more often) was the practice of the church.
So, what is our duty (privilege) regarding the Lord’s Supper? It should take priority on our calendar. We should participate every week when we are able. What if we must work? (The early church settled this question by meeting at sunrise or after sunset, leaving the daytime for work.) If we do not have any other choice, we should attend the Lord’s Table as often as possible. And the loyal disciple can always look for a job that does not require us to miss church. (By the way, it’s against the law for a company to make you work on Sunday except when it would impose a hardship on the company.) When not able to attend, we can, in most cases, remember the Lord at home, with grape juice, and reading a suitable passage of Scripture, followed by prayer.
In one other mention by Paul regarding the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16-17), he warned the believers that they could not partake of both “the Lord’s Table” and the table of demons—that is, eating meat served in an idol’s temple (10:18-22):
Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
We are not tempted to worship idols, but would this warning not also apply to Christians who are trying to live like the world through the week and then attend church on Sunday?
Therefore, Christ’s instruction to remember Him in this Supper, along with the early church’s devotion to weekly participation in this Supper, and Paul’s warning not to try to live in both worlds all point to the truth that our loyalty to Christ is expressed in the Lord’s Supper.
Breaking Bread Expresses Our Hope.
The Lord’s Supper also expresses our hope: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26), at which time the dead will be raised and the saved will enter into the heavenly kingdom. (“Whenever” is a little weak, for we have seen above that for the early church, communion was not “whenever” but rather every first day of the week. Other versions translate it, “as often as,” or “every time.”)
Our hope is based on “the Lord’s death” for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). “‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom’” (Matthew 26:28-29).
Breaking Bread Expresses Our Unity.
Finally, by partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we are expressing our unity with all disciples of Jesus. Paul’s criticism of the Corinthian believers’ failure to observe the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner demonstrates that their practice was a violation of this unity: “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it” (11:17-18). As mentioned above, the early churches usually had a full meal—called an agape, or love feast—along with the Lord’s Supper. Paul said (11:20-22) it was not really the Lord’s Supper, for some were arriving early and eating up most of the food before the others arrived (probably because they had to work). They were “guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (11:27) because they were despising the church of God and humiliating those who had nothing (11:22). Rather, a “man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (11:27-29). The context requires us to understand that “the body of the Lord” in this verse is the church. (Of course, the “body and blood of the Lord” in 11:27, does refer to the crucified body. For the connection between the two, see Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 2:20.
Paul discusses our unity as we partake of the Lord’s Supper in a more positive way in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17: “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” The word translated participation is literally, a “fellowship” (koinonia), and is often translated, “sharing” or “communion.” It refers to something held in common. Therefore, it might be better to translate it as a joint participation, especially in light of the fact that it is symbolized in “the one loaf.”
When necessary, although the Scriptures do not speak of this possibility, we might celebrate—yes, that seems to be a most appropriate word—the Lord’s Supper on our own or with our own family, but the teaching of Scripture is clear that it was intended to be the primary weekly practice of an assembly of believers, and thus of the believers themselves.
Conclusion
By remembering these three purposes for partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we can draw closer to Christ and to one another. Our faith in the love, the power, and the wisdom of God is thus strengthened. In addition, we have an added incentive to avoid living by the standards of the world in which we must live, living daily in the Spirit of God.
New Hope Christian Church, 5/24/26
God has always looked at His people, not as individuals in relation to Him, but as a community of people who stand in a right relationship with Him. For example, Isaac blessed his son Jacob, “‘May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of people’” (Genesis 28:3). The word translated “community” is qahal, assembly. When God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, He told him, “‘I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you’” (35:11), again qahal. The Greek translation (which was used by the Jews in Jesus’ time) used the word synagogue (assembly) in these two passages. In 2 Chronicles 10:3, the phrase “all Israel” was translated in the Greek with the words, “all the assembly of Israel,” using the word ecclesia (assembly). The same word is used in Acts 19:39,41 to refer to an assembly of the citizens of Ephesus.
On the Day of Pentecost, AD 30, God’s Law (Deuteronomy 16:9-10) had called together Jewish people living in many nations (Acts 2:1-11) to that annual festival. He chose that time to send the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28. Upon this occasion, the apostle Peter, along with the other apostles of Jesus, proclaimed His crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and coronation upon the throne of David. In response to his command that the people repent and be baptized upon the Name of Christ for the remission of their sins, “about three thousand were added to their number that day” (2:41). Shortly after, the numbers grew by leaps and bounds, for “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47). At first, they were all Jews or Jewish converts, “God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven” (2:5), but later Samaritans and then Gentiles were included. These penitent, baptized believers came to be known as “the church” (ecclesia).
Jesus had issued a call: “‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’” (Matthew 11:28-30). When explaining what the Greek word for church, ecclesia, means, it is often defined as “those who are called out” from sin and the world. However, that’s only part of the meaning. It is important for us to know that the word ecclesia involves more than being “called out.” As shown in the above examples, it refers to people who are called out and then called together.
Matthew 28:18-20 reveals three purposes of our being called together in Christ.
Discipleship
First, we are called to be disciples of Christ: “‘Therefore go and make disciples . . .’” (Matthew 28:18). We often draw from the Great Commission that the duty of Christians is to go (preach the gospel), but those who respond to the gospel are called “disciples.” The call of Jesus (see above) is to become His disciple. We sometimes confuse “disciples” with the apostles of Christ—after all, in the gospels they are often called “disciples.” All apostles were disciples, but not all disciples were apostles. What is the difference? An apostle was specifically selected, authorized, and empowered to bear witness to Jesus and His resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:21-26). A disciple, on the other hand, was a follower of Jesus, not just one who followed Him around, but one who desired to be and was trained to be like Him, like an apprentice. Hence, the disciples eventually came to be called “Christians” (Acts 11:26), a word that implies one who belongs to Christ and is becoming like Christ.
A disciple is one who accepts the authority of Christ in all areas of life. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore . . . .” A disciple (Christian) does not just believe in Christ as the Savior but also accepts His Lordship. What He says, goes. We do not look to Him just to keep us out of Hell—we trust Him to know what is best for us at all times. Jesus once described this attitude in three ways:
* “‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple’” (Luke 14:26). Of course, He did not mean “hate” in the way we think of it, but rather in the Biblical concept of choosing against; that is, when faced with a choice between Jesus or anything else, we must choose Jesus. (Compare Matthew 10:37; Romans 9:13.)
* “‘And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple’” (14:27). Some (like Peter) have had to apply this literally, but Jesus meant that we have to make the same choice He had to make in Gethsemane: “Not My will but Yours be done.”
* “‘In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple’” (14:33). We are not required to divest ourselves of our possessions but rather to acknowledge that they now belong to Jesus, and we are to use them in a way approved by Him.
Being a disciple is easy—”For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”—but only as we put our trust in Him to know what is best for our lives.
Baptism
By being baptized (immersed in water upon our faith in and obedience to Christ) into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, a person is identified as a disciple, someone who has been taught to obey everything commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20).
In addition, by being baptized we are accepting the call into the family of God: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). This new family relationship is described as a new birth (John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; James 1:18; Titus 3:5), an adoption (Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5), and a marriage (Romans 7:1-4; 2 Corinthians 11:2).
Furthermore, when our bodies are baptized in water, “having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience” (Hebrews 10:22), our spirits are baptized in the Spirit of Christ: “For we were all baptized in [NIV mg., also ASV text] one Spirit . . . and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The result of the Spiritual aspect of baptism is described by Jesus: “‘whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life’” (John 4:14); and again, “‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’” John explains, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (7:37-39). Six months later, at the Pentecost festival, Peter explained that the promise of the Spirit had now been fulfilled as a result of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, ascension to Heaven, and coronation upon the throne of David (Acts 2:23-33) and is promised to all who repent and are baptized in the Name of Christ (2:38-39; see also 3:19). (That he was talking about water baptism is demonstrated in other references that specifically mention water [8:36-39; 10:47-48; Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22]—as well as the references to counting believers [Acts 2:41; 4:4], implying that there was a way to identify those who had been baptized. Furthermore, Paul asserts that there is only one baptism [Ephesians 4:5]).
Finally, we are baptized “into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free . . .” (1 Corinthians 12:13). No one joins the church; rather, when baptized into Christ, a person is automatically included in His body. And as members of His body, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7); and, “From him the whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16). Therefore, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever” (1 Peter 4:10-11).
One cannot claim to be glorifying God if not in service to Christ, as a member of His body.
Mission
Being called to discipleship and baptism into the service of Christ is for the purpose (and the privilege) of participating in the mission of Christ, “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Our mission is recorded in Scripture (Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Romans 16:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20) but especially in Matthew 28:18-20, “‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them [into] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
The prophets of Israel had spoken of the Messiah’s mission of salvation to the Gentiles as well as to the people of Israel. For example, “all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:17), and, “And now the Lord says . . . , ‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Isaiah 49:5-6). When the high priest who had attempted to justify the death of Jesus by asserting, “‘You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish,’” the apostle John pointed out the irony of that statement: “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” (John 11:50-52).
The apostles were the first to be sent out to carry on the mission of Christ, but they could not do it alone: therefore, it became the mission of all who come to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15,17-20):
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. . . . Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.)
The aging Paul, nearing his own martyrdom, commissioned Timothy: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). In other words, the mission is to be transmitted from each generation to the next.
Conclusion
We have been called to become disciples of Jesus by being baptized into Him and into His church, for the purpose of bringing His message of salvation to the world. In order to do that, we must prepare ourselves by reading, studying, and following God’s word (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
No Christian is excepted from participating in this calling, for Jesus asserted, “‘He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters’” (Matthew 12:30).
New Hope Christian Church, 5/17/26
What is a Christian Church? Of course, church historians call the church, in general, the Christian Church or the Church of Christ. But what about the local churches that call themselves, “________ Christian Church,” for example, New Hope Christian Church? And, why do these churches not belong to a denomination? You can be a member of New Hope even if you have disagreements on some of the statements made in this sermon, but we need to understand the reasons why we are not only nondenominational but also undenominational (to be explained below).
Although all churches claim to honor the Biblical mandate for unity, churches like New Hope view unity in ways that are different from the way most others view it, particularly in the following three ways in which our view of unity is different from that of most other Christian groups.
Scriptural Unity Is Observable.
We have previously considered three layers of unity within the church (in the Spirit, in the congregation, and with other believers in other congregations). Given the Biblical mandate for God’s people to be one, how has the historical church become so divided? Those who bear the name of Christ often affirm that, just as the Bible says, there is only one body. By that, they mean that Biblical unity is spiritual—that God looks at us as one body. After all, Ephesians 4:4 says, “There is one body,” not that there should be one body. Those with this mindset toward unity argue that we do not need to talk about healing divisions.
Churches like ours agree that spiritually (layer one) we are one—that’s the way God sees us, as His children, the disciples of Jesus, who make up the one body. However, we understand that unity exists on several layers, not just as an ideal or in an invisible fashion (spiritual unity, visible only to God). And just because churches sometimes get together for “unity services,” that does not negate the fact that normally they are not united. They not only meet in different locations, they have different theologies (understandings of Biblical teaching regarding salvation and church ordinances), systems of government, and views of others who also claim the name Christian.
Biblically, the unity of the body of Christ is not just in the Spirit but also observable to human beings. After all, the verse before Ephesians 4:4, verse 3, tells us, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” If it requires “every effort” to keep that unity, then it must be possible, in some sense, to break that unity. And throughout history, this is exactly what has happened. Indeed, if Jesus had told us to keep on dividing from one another, it is hard to see how we could have be any more obedient to that theoretical command than we have done. Scriptural unity is observable, but so is division—and that is exactly how the world views us, not as one body but as many divisions: “How are we supposed to know the truth if you Christians cannot agree on what truth is?” Good question!
Observable unity is necessary first of all in order to be true to New Testament teaching. Paul chided the “saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2) in Corinth, who had been called into fellowship with Jesus (1:9), “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1:10). (“United in mind and thought” does not mean that they should agree on everything, a human impossibility, but rather in the matter he was about to discuss.) They had divided themselves into groups centered around various teachers that they had known: Paul, Apollos, Peter, and even Christ. “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1:13). No, they had all been baptized into Christ, and thus they should call themselves only by Him. “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26).
Secondly, observable unity is necessary for loyalty to Christ’s desire for His disciples: “‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another’” (John 13:34). This love was not just a feeling toward one another, for it had to be observable by outsiders: “‘By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’” (13:35). A disciple is not just a learner; rather it is an apprentice, one who learns from the master in order to become like the master—think, Karate Kid. Christ’s disciples were not to think of love for one another (as well as for outsisders) as just a command to be obeyed but rather as a lifestyle to grow into. And when we love like Jesus, others will notice.
Third, observable unity is necessary for effectiveness in attracting others to Jesus. In other words, perhaps we have not been as effective as we would like to be in leading others to salvation because we have not been loving one another (as well as others) as we should. The unity bound together in love (Colossians 3:14), arising from a common loyalty—faithfulness—to Christ and His teaching (in His own words and also through His Spirit-inspired apostles), is essential to our mission (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.”
Do you want to experience the glory of God? Do you want those who are headed for an eternity in Hell to find life? According to Jesus, a unity among Christians that can be seen by the world is indispensable in attaining those goals.
Denominationalism Is Contrary to God’s Plan.
Christianity Today, a magazine directed toward Bible-believing Christians, once called us (Christian Churches and Churches of Christ) “the Undemonination” (like 7up is the un-cola). They had picked up on some of our literature in which we said that we sought to be undenominational, not just nondenominational. What is the difference? The prefix “un-” implies more than just not belonging to a denomination; it means to be opposed to the concept of denominationalism. Our plea for unity looked toward a time when churches would no longer separate into denominational structures.
Our position is that it is contrary to God’s will for his people to be divided into separate sects or denominations. “Factions” are a work of the flesh, the sinful nature. Paul’s list of such works includes discord, dissensions, and factions (Galatians 5:20). That last word, factions, used to be translated (KJV), “heresies”; but unfortunately heresies are associated in modern times with false doctrine. The Greek word refers to sects or factions, groups that separated themselves from others.
Now, you might ask about 1 Corinthians 11:19, where Paul writes, “No doubt there have to be differences [literally, factions] among you to show which of you have God’s approval.” This verse is often used to justify factions, sects, and denominations; but how could Paul be approving of a work of the flesh? Certainly, he was not; rather, he was speaking satirically or ironically, as he does elsewhere (for example, 1 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:1; 12:13,16; Galatians 5:12). He was most likely simply stating what he anticipated to be their rationale for their divisive behavior. Otherwise this verse would contradict what he says elsewhere about unity—and even in this section of chapter 11 in which he is criticizing, not approving divisions.
What about people in the denominations? Does God hold them accountable for the divisiveness of denominationalism? Those who don’t know better—probably not. Those who intentionally divide the church or support division? “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; see also Romans 16:17-18; Titus 3:10-11.)
The Simple, New Testament Church Has Only One Basis for Unity.
So how should the church be defined as one? It must stand on only one foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11): Jesus Christ. “On this rock I will build my church.” What is that rock? Not Peter, but rather the truth revealed to Him by the Father, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16-18).
Down through the centuries, man-made creeds (statements of faith) have been introduced in the historical church for the purpose of promoting unity, attempting to determine which doctrines are necessary for salvation and therefore membership in the church. However, these creeds have been responsible for more division than unity, for it has never been possible to get agreement on every item in each creed. Every one of those creeds listed current understandings of Scripture rather than just the statements of Scripture. (Do you know what it means that the Son of God was “eternally generated” or that He descended into hell? Those were very common items in many of the creeds.) Someone has said that for every creed produced, a new division occurred.
Matthew 16:16-18 is our only creed: “Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the Living God.” It is a thumbnail sketch, including the doctrine of the person and work of Christ. His Person? He is the Son of God, who is God and who is with God (John 1:1). His work? The Messiah died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, was buried, and arose from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures, being seen by many witnesses (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; the “Scriptures” here refer to Old Testament prophecies, but, of course, the New Testament Scriptures teach the same). We believe that no other doctrine or belief is necessary for salvation, and that no other doctrine or opinion should be the basis for church unity. Of course, Christians should always seek, for their spiritual growth and usefulness in service, to come to a proper understanding of the rest of Scripture; but this additional understanding comes as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), not to be used as a basis for unity or rationale for division.
Unity, then, requires that we must treat as our brothers and sisters all who believe in Him and have been united with Him.
Conclusion
Wherever God has a child, we have a brother or sister; and we have no right to divide into groups on any other basis. In addition, when we find ourselves meeting together with other believers, we must never let our differences of opinion divide us in heart.
New Hope Christian Church, 5/3/26
When was the last time you went with other New Hope members to participate in a special program at another church? Too many Christians never interact (in a church function) with believers outside their local congregation—failing to realize that God’s plan is worldwide, with worldwide consequences. Biblical unity of the body of Christ extends beyond attending the local congregation. Here are three facets of this beyond-our-church unity.
Nature
What is meant by beyond-our-church unity? First we need to understand that, in a Biblical sense, this kind of unity is not referring to promoting a denomination (a group of churches under a common name and organizational structure). Nor does it refer to interactions limited to a particular kind of church (a sect or group of churches that sees itself as the totality of God’s “true” or “faithful” church). Both of these, rather than promoting unity in the one body of Christ, actually demonstrate the divisions among those who proclaim allegiance to Jesus. In the first century AD there were no denominations or sects; however, the seeds that led to them had already begun to sprout. The apostle Paul condemned such divisions that had sprung up in God’s church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:10-13):
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
What did Paul mean by being “perfectly united in mind and thought”? Both Scripture (see Romans 14:1; Philippians 3:15) and experience show the absurdity of insisting that we all must agree on everything, even if we limit the “everything” to spiritual matters. Paul’s context makes it clear that, in this case, he is referring to our discipleship. Whose disciples are we? There is only one Lord and one church of the Lord. Any church, group of churches, or individuals within a church who do not count as brothers and sisters all who have obeyed the gospel are not getting the whole picture. (Who has obeyed the gospel? See, for example, Galatians 3:26-27.)
Inter-congregational unity also does not refer to merely social involvement, although it should include it. Helping people in need is essential to the church’s work—see the next point—but it is not the primary purpose of the church. Paul gives us a thumbnail statement of the church’s purpose: “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Of course, that was not all that Paul preached (see 15:1-8 as well as his sermons in Acts), but it puts the emphasis on the importance of helping people find eternal life. Everything else we do should help attract people to the love of God and His offer of salvation through the cross. Helping people with their this-world needs must be seen as furthering the cause of the cross—“For God so loved the world . . . .”
Partnership
So what should we do in connection with other Christians and/or congregations in the name of beyond-our-church unity? We should see ourselves as individual disciples in one congregation reaching out in partnership with individuals who attend other congregations, pooling our energies and our resources so that we can achieve exponentially greater results than we could ever hope to accomplish ourselves. Partnering in these “missions” falls into two broad categories, both related to the mission of making disciples for Jesus.
Paul instructs us that “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). Benevolence missions, helping people with this-world needs, demonstrate the love of God for both His people and also for those who have not yet become His people. Yes, we have the message of salvation and the abundant life in Christ, but, as the saying goes, they don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care. And the church at work is the only way to show that God cares. Very few people just pick up a Bible or walk into a church service all on their own. This is the reason for the work of benevolence missions. We show those in need that God cares. And we do that most effectively, on a grander scale, when we join forces with others.
This partnership is also for the benefit of believers who are not part of the local congregation. While on his third missionary journey, Paul solicited financial help for those in need in the church in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-27):
Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings."
Another example can be found in Acts 11:27-30.
Partnering with believers outside of the local congregation also furthers the spread of the gospel by planting churches and training leaders. Some of those who had been scattered by the persecution of Saul established a church in Syrian Antioch. The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to assist them (Acts 11:19-24), and then Barnabas brought Paul (Saul) to help in the teaching of the great numbers who were turning to the Lord (11:25-26). (It was there that the believers began to be called Christians.) Later, the Spirit directed this church to send out Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey (13:1-5). Another example of believers going to new areas to spread the word is found in 3 Jn 5-8. The apostle John commended Gaius, the recipient of this letter:
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.
Working together for the truth: that’s what partnership in the gospel is all about. Being financial partners with believers in other places can accomplish much more than local churches can do on their own. That’s why Paul was grateful to the church in Philippi for their support of his work: “Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need” (Philippians 4:15-16).
Fellowship
The third facet of this beyond-our-church unity is fellowship, that is, shared benefits. First, we gain understanding. We learn from as well as share with others outside of the local church regarding why, as a local congregation, we are here, as Paul wrote, “I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:4-6). Our work is not just local—our own ministry for Christ is part of (fellowship in) the mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).
Furthermore, each of us senses a purpose for our own individual existence. We see the big picture, expanding our vision of the church (Colossians 1:3-6):
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you.
Paul then adds, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth” (1:6). Note that this world-wide spread of the gospel was derived partly from their own faith in Christ and love for fellow believers.
Therefore, seeing the big picture encourages us by expanding our vision of the church when it seems like the local church or even area churches appear to be making little difference in our world. Knowing what is happening in the kingdom of Christ in other places shows us that millions of people are being saved. Compare reports from missions around the world with the vision of John in Revelation 7:9. He saw “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.” Revelation 3:7-8,11-13 reminds us that even small congregations are part of the big picture:
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. . . . I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
They had little strength, but they were participants in the big picture.
Conclusion
How often do you take part in other-church activities that we promote here at New Hope? (And we hope to offer many more opportunities.) Are you kingdom-minded or just my-church-only minded?
New Hope Christian Church, 4/26/26
Many Christians hold two misunderstandings (among others) about church attendance: (1) that God doesn’t care how often you attend church, and (2) that those who attend church do not need to interact with others who attend the same local church. What does God think about your relationship to the church?
The Biblical concept of church always includes a personal relationship with Christ and also a personal relationship with fellow believers, particularly with those who have banded together as a local congregation. All disciples of Jesus are members of His universal body, yes; but the local congregation (church) is also considered to be His body. As the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:2, “Now you [the church of God in Corinth] are the body of Christ, and each one of you [who have been baptized into Christ] is a part [member] of it” (12:27). The individual believers are members of the local expression of the body of Christ as well as members of the universal body. It is scriptural, and therefore essential, for us to remember both aspects of this truth: (1) Every true follower of Jesus is a member of the universal church (throughout the world and through all the ages). When you were baptized into Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:26-27), you automatically became a member of His church; and, at the same time, (2) you automatically became a member of His church in the vicinity in which you live. (The concepts of joining or choosing a church and of dividing the church into denominations are contrary to Biblical teaching on the unity of Christ’s church.)
Here are three keys to this second layer of unity, unity within the local congregation.
Unity in the congregation is demonstrated when the members share with one another.
Unity and fellowship are closely connected in the Scriptural use of those terms. Fellowship (koinonia), in the general and broad sense (as in 1 Corinthians 1:9), refers to sharing eternal life together in Christ. This fellowship is with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, as a consequence of sharing in His life, we are to share in more particular areas. In the first church, we are quickly introduced into the concept of sharing material resources with fellow believers. (In fact, some interpreters think this is what is meant by the word fellowship in Acts 2:42.) In Romans 15:26, the word often translated as contribution is actually koinonia! Acts 2:44-45; 4:32; 6:1-6; and 1 Timothy 5:3-10 all speak of the generosity of these first Christians in making sure none of their fellow believers were in need. 1 John 3:17-18 says, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” See also James 2:15-17.
In addition to material goods, members of the body should find ways to share their time with one another. This may constitute one of the greatest failures in the modern church. Traveling distances and full daily schedules certainly keep us from imitating the very first church to the fullest degree: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46). The excitement of the coming of the Spirit and the church’s beginning would soon wear off, especially as they encountered persecution; but they continued to spend time together around the Lord’s Table each week, even eating a full meal in their meetings (see Acts 20:7,11; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34—an example of failing to follow the expected practice). How often do 21st century Christians make time for one another? What? We don’t have time? Most people find time to do what they really want to do. Has church merely become a convenience store? Have we let our culture (work, school, hobbies, leisure time) take priority over our Lord and His family?
Members of the body of Christ also share in fellowship with one another by sharing (giving/receiving) the wisdom that comes from those who have more experience in living for Christ. Hebrews 13:7 urges, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Especially in a larger congregation many people, in addition to the preacher and the elders and their wives, have much to share about working one’s way through life in many different areas (such as faith, work, family, health). That’s why Paul wrote to the Roman believers, “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (15:14). (“To one another,” especially in Paul’s writings, does not necessarily imply that everyone has something to teach or do for everyone else. For example, the brand new Christian is less likely to understand Scripture as well as the seasoned teacher. Or, “submit to one another” in Ephesians 5:21 does not mean that all are on an equal level in terms of leadership.) This sharing of wisdom and experience is especially important as one generation is succeeded by the next: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).
Unity in the congregation is demonstrated when the members encourage one another.
The second key to unity within the local congregation is encouragement. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). Occasionally, we witness someone in a race fall, unable to get up, and others in the race or a family member pick up the fallen one and help him or her to the finish line. That’s how we should be with one another. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). This encouragement is not limited to someone being “caught in a sin”: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2). Even our spiritual leaders sometimes need encouragement, for example, “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor” (6:6).
Encouragers lift up their fellow believers: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). They “bear with one another” (Ephesians 4:2). That means they put up with things they do not like about the other—regarding that the person is a disciple of Jesus is more important than individual quirks or shortcomings. Therefore, they forgive one another: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Unity is enhanced when, instead of criticizing one another, we encourage one another in the service of the Lord—in addition to remembering Jesus in the Lord’s Supper, this is a reason for meeting together each week. (There is no mention in Scripture of the church ever assembling for “worship”!) “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Could the failure to understand this priority of encouraging others “toward love and good deeds” be the reason for our churches having so little impact on people’s daily lives? When you come to church, do you look for someone whom you can encourage?
Unity in the congregation is demonstrated when the members work together.
The third key to unity in the local congregation is working together for the Lord. 1 Corinthians 12:14-25 discusses the importance of all members doing our part as the Spirit of God works in each of us for the common good, which is, the fulfillment of the will of God in discipling all nations. Whatever your abilities are, God expects them to be used in furthering the spread of the kingdom of Christ. Romans 12:3-10 makes the same point, adding that we are to measure our efforts, not by how we measure up to other people, but by how much faith we are exercising as we serve Christ.
Leadership in the church is not just a matter of who gets to decide what needs to be done. Rather, it is a necessary part of discovering, sharing, encouraging, and working alongside one another in spreading the gospel of Jesus. For this reason, Paul wrote to the congregation in Thessalonica, “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). Then, he charged those who were “over them in the Lord”: “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (5:14 ). He would later write to Timothy, an evangelist whom he had personally trained, these words that would be applicable to all church leaders: “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
Conclusion
Such a community of disciples who share with one another, encourage one another, and work together attracts others. The very first church demonstrated this fact as they were “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Having solved their first squabble, over feeding the widows (6:1-6), Luke records, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith” (6:7). Even Jewish priests were impressed! No church is perfect—if you find one, stay out or you’ll ruin it! But the congregation that works toward unity is one that will be effective for the Kingdom of Christ.
New Hope Christian Church, 4/19/26
Christian unity occurs on three levels (see previous study, 4/12/26): (1) Every immersed, penitent, believer in Christ (Acts 2:38) shares a common bond (Galatians 3:26-27) with all other such persons, in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. (2) These persons gather together in local congregations for the purpose of spreading the gospel in their geographic areas. (3) These persons, often through their local congregations, are partners with those in other congregations as they work to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) as well as providing material help to their brothers and sisters in need. A proper understanding of Christian unity requires us to understand each of the three layers of this unity, and our responsibility in each. This current study considers the basic layer, unity in the Spirit.
Jesus’ commission to the church reminds us that those who have been baptized into the Name (singular, not plural) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are privileged and obligated to keep in step with the Holy Spirit as we seek to obey every teaching of Christ which has been passed down through the ages from His Spirit-inspired apostles (in the New Testament). As we follow Him, we will discover the beauty of the unity of the Spirit. The apostle Paul wrote of the importance of that unity: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called” (Ephesians 4:3-4). A genuine Christian unity is expressed in at least three ways in our fellowship with the Spirit of Christ.
Christian unity is expressed in our baptism in the one Spirit.
Christian unity is expressed in our baptism in the one Spirit: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body . . . and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The expression “by one Spirit” is more accurately translated “in one Spirit.” (The original Greek word can be translated in, with, or by, but when it follows the word forms related to baptism, it always refers to the element in which one is baptized and never to the person performing the baptism.) Paul mentions two results of being baptized (immersed) in the Spirit. For one, we are baptized into one body, that is, the church, the body of Christ. Church here is not an individual congregation but rather the universal body of Christ. When baptized, a person becomes one with Christ and, in Him, one with every other baptized believer. We become “members” of the church, not by joining, but by virtue of our membership in the body of Christ. (“Member” in the New Testament refers to a body part, not to a voluntary joining of an organization or association.)
The second result is that in baptism we are “given the one Spirit to drink.” Jesus had spoken of this result on several occasions. When the “woman at the well” asked Jesus to give her “‘this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water’” (John 4:15), she was responding to His promise that “‘whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life’” (4:14). Following His later discourse on “the Bread of Life,” Jesus, without referring to water—although in this context He had spoken of eating His flesh and drinking of His blood—He said, “‘The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing’” (6:63). Combining all of these thoughts at the following Feast of Tabernacles, He said, “‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him’” (7:37-38). Commenting on these words, John explained, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (7:39). Christ’s apostle Peter would later add the conditions for receiving this Spirit: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38), “‘whom God has given to those who obey him’” (5:32) by trusting Him, repenting of one’s sins, and being baptized into Him (see Acts 22:16).
What is the significance of being baptized in “one” Spirit? Peter hinted at the meaning in his reference to the gift of the Holy Spirit in his Pentecost sermon: “‘The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call’” (Acts 2:39). It seems that he did not, at that time, fully understand what he was saying; for it was not until about ten years later that he fully came to understand it as God led him to introduce Gentiles to the gospel. After having Cornelius and company baptized in water in the name of Jesus (10:46-47), Peter defended his actions to his critics back home (Acts 11:15-17):
“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized [in] water, but you will be baptized [in] the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?”
He thus signified the importance of being baptized in one Spirit: therefore, all such persons are in fellowship with one another because they are in fellowship with (share in) the same Spirit. See Philippians 2:1, literally, “fellowship [koinonia] of [the] Spirit.”
This fellowship in the Spirit is expressed by His dwelling in each of us as a member of God’s family (household) and temple: “For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household . . . . And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18-19,22).
Christian unity is expressed in our sanctification by the one Spirit.
Christian unity is also expressed in our sanctification by the one Spirit. Peter addressed his first letter to “God’s elect . . . who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work [literally, sanctification] of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood” (1 Peter 1:2). The sanctifying work of the Spirit includes three aspects. (1) Upon the coronation of Christ, He received the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured out the Spirit “upon all flesh” (Acts 2:17,33), first, upon Jewish believers on the day of Pentecost, and later, upon Gentile believers (Acts 10:45; 11:15-17). Sanctification refers to setting aside someone or some thing for service to God. (It also refers to making someone or some thing suitable for service to God. See point 3 below.) Through the coming of the promised Spirit, believers in Christ were assured that they were acceptable to God. This sanctification, although it was evident through miraculous events on Pentecost and with Cornelius and company, was basically a sign that God’s salvation was now available to all: “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” (Ephesians 2:17-18).
(2) The Spirit’s presence in the individual believer sets the him apart for service to Christ by signifying that he belongs to Christ: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14), uniting the believer with all other believers.
(3) The Spirit also works throughout our lives to make us holy, not just in our status as a child of God, but also as one who is growing in Christlike character (Romans 8:9-14): “For . . . if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (8:13).
Walking in the ways of the Spirit is a serious matter: “How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:28-31).
On the other hand, the sanctification of the Spirit results in a continuous growth in Christlike character, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Finally, Christian unity is expressed in our being gifted for service by the one Spirit.
Those who are living by the Spirit will express their unity with all other believers through their participation in the ministry of the church. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4). The Spirit has given each of us one or more special abilities (“gifts”) to be used in the work of the church. God, the Father, works in us—gives us the power—(12:6) when we give ourselves to the service assigned to us by Christ (12:5).
Hebrews 13:20-21 refers to “the God of peace,” which most likely refers to the Holy Spirit: “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever” (emphasis added). The Spirit equips us and works in us to fulfill our call to serve Christ. We can only be effective when we work together: “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians12:7), or, as in Ephesians 4:16, “as each part does its work.”
Conclusion
Unity of believers resulted from the death of Christ (John 11:51-52; Ephesians 2:13-18). He did the hard part. But it takes effort on our part to maintain that unity: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
Have you been born of water and Spirit? Are you living in accord with the Spirit?
New Hope Christian Church, 4/12/26
What is the difference between Christianity and all other religions? There are several differences, but at its very core, inherent in its nature, Biblical Christianity is not a religion but rather a relationship. One of the reasons Christians do not appreciate, enjoy, and give their ultimate allegiance to their faith is that we do not understand how awesome this relationship is. “One in Christ” is not just a nice phrase but rather sums up an awesome relationship that begins with God, in all three Persons, and then expands into a relationship with all other believers (disciples or followers of Jesus, that is, Biblical Christians). Christian unity as taught in Scripture reveals that awesome relationship. The apostle John, in his first letter, declares the primary message of the early church: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (1:1-2). Not only did the life appear, as the apostles of Jesus had seen Him and testified to Him, but they proclaimed in Him “the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us” (1:2). The purpose of this proclamation was that we also may have fellowship with them. “And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete” (1:3-4).
As we examine this awesome relationship, we discover three layers described in the New Testament.
Unity in the Spirit
In the first layer of this awesome relationship every immersed (baptized), penitent, believer in Christ shares a common bond with all other such persons, in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 6:17 this unity is described as being united with the Lord, “one with him in spirit” (in contrast to being one in the flesh with a prostitute, 6:16). Being one in Christ is described in 1:9 as fellowship, that is, sharing a common life (koinonia) with Christ. This relationship is described as being one in the Spirit in 12:13, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (A more correct translation in this context would be “in one Spirit” [ASV, RSV], for the Greek preposition en, following “baptism” always refers to what one is baptized in, such as water, fire, or the Spirit, never to the one doing the baptism).
This unity in the Spirit is also referred to as one in Christ: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28). It was the death of Christ that made this unity possible, beginning with His breaking down the barrier between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:17-22):
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
This unity procured by the death of Christ is therefore made evident by the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Christ.
Therefore, there is only one church, as exemplified in the apostle Paul’s regret over his attempt to destroy the whole church, not the “churches”: “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13).(By the way, there was no other all-out effort to destroy the whole church in the first century, although there were localized efforts by Emperors Nero and Domitian, as well as the Jewish persecutions in much smaller geographic areas.)
This first layer of unity is a given, not something to be achieved or maintained by Christians. All who have the Spirit of Christ are one in Him, even though we too often do not act like it. Unfortunately, this given unity, which cannot be broken, is not the case in the next two levels of Christian unity.
Congregational Unity
The second layer of this awesome relationship is the unity that we share together in a local congregation. These persons gather together in local churches, working together to spread the gospel in their respective geographic areas. During their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas led many people to Christ; but as they returned from city to city, we learn that they had not just left their converts to fend for themselves. These, who had found unity in the Spirit, had obviously been gathered together into local congregations: “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church” (Acts 14:23). Those who had obeyed the gospel—see 1 Peter 4:17—and thus received the Spirit (5:32) were considered members of the local church, gathering each first day of the week to “break bread,” that is, to remember, as they jointly participated in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16-17), what Christ had done for them, ever mindful that some day He would return (11:23-26).
Although the primary purpose of the meeting was to partake jointly of the Lord’s Supper, they also “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Human beings are not known for always getting along with one another, but for the local congregation to accomplish its purpose, it is necessary that they learn, in the Spirit of Christ, to be of one heart and mind: “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had” (4:32). To the degree that this unity is genuine, any one particular congregation is “the body of Christ” in their geographical location, just as Paul regarded the church at Corinth, in spite of their many flaws: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Inter-congregational Unity
The third layer of this awesome relationship with God and one another is the unity that we share with believers in other congregations. These persons, sometimes through efforts of their local congregations, are partners with those in other churches as they spread the gospel and, as needed, provide material help to their brothers and sisters. Again, the foundation is the unity in the Spirit. This unity is not an organizational union but rather a unity of identity (“in Christ”) and purpose (fulfilling the Great Commission). As we reach out to work with Christians in other congregations, we are in partnership (Philippians 1:5) with one another as well as with Christ.
For example, John wrote to his friend Gaius, probably an elder, about his congregation’s support of some evangelists (missionaries, church planters) who had stopped along the way (3 John 5-8): "Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth." See also Paul’s thanksgiving for support from the church in Philippi (Philippians 4:15-18).
Another example, this one in regard to meeting the needs of believers in Jerusalem, is found in Acts 11:27-30: "During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul." See also Romans 15:25-27: “Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.”
This inter-congregational level of unity is a unity of spirit, not of organization. There is no room for denominations and mergers of groups of churches, for such efforts have historically resulted in factions or sects. Paul classified factions as a work of the flesh (or sinful nature) in Galatians 5:20. Beginning as early as the second century with single bishops being placed over multiple congregations, corruption in the church eventually resulted in the present divisions and the false doctrines that usually accompany divisions.
Conclusion
The essential bond in all three layers of unity is the truth of God’s word (John 17:17-20) and love for one another: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14). God’s people are all part of the heavenly family. “God is my Father, and Jesus is my brother, and the blessed Holy Spirit is my guide. The devil’s no relation, for I’m a new creation; I’m a member of the family in the sky.”