THE SPIRIT MAKES US ONE
by Dallas Burdette

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all” (Eph. 4:16).

The key verse to an understanding of this epistle is 1:10. “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him.”

Who are these people whom Paul is exhorting to maintain peace in their unity? The answer: “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins” (2:1). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of your selves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (2:8-10). These are the ones who have been regenerated. These are the ones to whom Paul said, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.” (2:13-16).

This unity of which Paul speaks is brought about by the Holy Spirit—“the unity of the Spirit” thus fellowship is the domain of the Spirit.

At the heart of koinonia is the basic word koinos, which means common. And the nouns koinonia (fellowship) and koinonos (a partner), together with the verb koinoneo (to share) all bear witness to what we have in common. Christian koinonia is our common share in God’s great salvation. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians said, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1:9). Fellowship is a state in which we are bound together by a common tie. Many brothers do not understand the nature of fellowship, for they think that we have to be of “one mind” in order to be in the fellowship. But “being of one mind” is not essential to being in the fellowship, but being in the fellowship is essential to becoming of one mind. We are in the fellowship because we are in one Person, and because we are in Him we strive to achieve harmony. We have forsaken the unity of the Spirit because we have forgotten the spirit of unity. Our problem is that we have been in the Spirit’s way, rather than in the way of the Spirit.

Carl Ketcherside has pointed out the fallacy of saying that fellowship in Jesus is contingent upon agreement of opinions. “If we come into fellowship by agreement upon opinions, then how many things must we agree upon, and which ones, before fellowship commences? If we must agree upon all views and opinions then no fellowship at all exists today for no two persons are wholly agreed. If we need not agree upon all, who is to determine which ones we may eliminate from the area of agreement without impairing fellowship: if we decide which opinions and views we must agree upon to learns more on some point and changes his mind? Shall he be put out of the fellowship for “growing in knowledge?”

Brothers, my plea to us all is: “Warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified.”—2428 Elsmeade Dr., Montgomery, AI. 36111

What are all histories but God manifesting himself, shaking down and trampling under foot whatsoever he hath not planted.—Oliver Cromwell