11 min - Unity_They May Be One I would like to take a moment to talk to you about the unity of the body of Christ. I submit to you that unity in the body of Christ is important for a number of reasons. What I am going to focus on today is, unity in the body of Christ among the saints as it relates to the words of Jesus, "that they may be one, as we are one", (John 17:1). How is God and Jesus one. How are we the saints expected to be one. How are Adam and Eve one. To varing degrees all three are one in the same way. According to webster unity is "the quality or state of being made one", continuity without deviation or without change in purpose or action. According to the bible: • Jesus and God are one in that Jesus is the image of an invisible God, the exact likeness or a perfect copy. (Colossians 1:15). • Jesus and God are one in that for in Jesus dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. - Godhead is defined as God's personality and Deity. (Strong's concordance). - Oneness also refers to God's power in, "All power is given unto Jesus in heaven and in earth". (Matthew 28:18). - Oneness also refers to God's glory in "That all men should honour Jesus, even as they honour the Father". (John 5:23). - Oneness is also referred to in "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father". (John 14:9). Jesus's statement that all power is given unto me, is accurately summerized in the Athanasian Creed which says: So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty. The bible's statement that in Jesus dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and the Strong's Concordance definition of Godhead as being God's personality and Deity, is accurately summerized in the Athanasian Creed which says: The deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory and coeternal in majesty. The bible's statement to honor the Son as you honor the Father, and its statement that, "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord", is also is accurately summerized in the Nicene Creed which says: "He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father" These examples of the oneness of God and Jesus represent the upper extremes of oneness, perfect harmony, continuity without deviation, without change in purpose, without change in action, the exact likeness, a perfect copy, same in personality and Deity, or equal in power and glory. The concept of oneness implies that God and Jesus are one dispite their differences or seprateness, whatever they might be. This may be a little hard to see. Nevertheless, John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. "With God implies separateness" and "was God" implies oneness. This is accurately summerized in the Athanasian Creed which says: For each person, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is distinct, but the deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory and coeternal in majesty. ------- Finally, we use the term one God in three persons, but frequently we do not all mean the same thing. Thus we have a creed, which records what people mean when they use language. Creeds serve a simular purpose as a dictionary. It records how people use language. John 1:1 says In the beginning was the word. The word was with God, and the word was God. With God speeks to separateness, and was God, speaks to sameness. Because the critic does not understand the Athanasian Creed's concept of "One God In Three Persons", they take what they think the creed was trying to say, and hand it back to us. Often times we accept their definition of terms and try to defend the arguement that they gave us. The critic esentially refutes his own argument. This is called a straw-mans argument. In order to understand what the writers of the creed and the writers of the bible meant we must first look at an unpopular relationship definition of person. Then we apply that relationship definition of person to the definition of God. What we end up with is God is the relationship of three persons with many attributes in common. That many, amounts to all atributes that have any significance. If you happen to find an attribute somewhere that they do not share, that attribute does not amount to a hill of beans. ... he that hath seen me hath seen the Father (John 14:9). ----------------------------- To help clarify this let us look at the definition of person. This concept acts as a transitional concept, between the oneness of Jesus and God, and the oneness or sameness among the saints. A person like God, is often defined as separate entities. Yet, there is a less popular, but equally valid definition of person. This definition defines person not based on their differences, but is defined based on their relationships or things that they have in common. This relationship definition is found in the concept of the first person and the second person, the plaintiff and the defendant. The plaintiff consists of several individuals without change in purpose or action, all defined as one person. For example the board of executives. It is this concept of person that is used by the Athanasian Creed. One God consisting of three individuals or three persons. The point being, the phrase "that they might be one as we are one" uses this concept of oneness. This oneness is defined based on what we have in common, dispite our differences. The idea is that, what we have in common is so significant that our differences really do not matter. This is how we the saints are expected to be one. This concept of oneness is further expressed in sameness. How can two things that are different be the same or equal in every way. Generally speaking, they are not absolutely equal. Their sameness is based on what they have in common, dispite their differences. For example, synonums or two words that are pronounced differently but mean the same thing. What things do we the saints have in common, so that our differences realy do not matter. I submit to you that there are about seven principles that must be considered, when establishing sound doctrine, maybe a few more, but definately not less nor significantly more. They are: 1. We know and acknowledge that the Word is inspired by the Holy Spirit. 2. The Word is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness. 3. The Word does not contradict itself. 4. any doctrine of men that conflicts with even one relevant passage in the Holy Bible, must be revised to satisfy that relevant passage; or else, it must be discarded, for it is a half-truth doctrine. 5. the WORD is truth. 6. the scriptures must be taken as a whole. 7. the context in which a passage is found must be considered in interpreting scripture. I am not saying that these are all the principles, but they are certainly important. Furthermore, an extended list, such that it is extreemly difficult, for people to aggree on all the points, borders on works of the law rather than works of faith. This concept of oneness being defined based on the strength of what we have in common, dispite our differences, is imbeded in the concept of equality. No two things are exactly equal. Nevertheless, a perfect copy, is about as close as you will get. When the Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal, in that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. Among these rights are, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness. Their equality in these areas, is what defines them as being equal. We have to move past rebellion before we can get to faith. In summary it is this oneness or sameness concept that Jesus is addressing when he says "I pray that they might be one". It is this denominationalism that he is attacking. It is this focus on difference, rather than giving due consideration to what we have in common that is being attacked. Ask yourself, is there any other denomination other than your own, that you consider yourself one with? If so then why? If not then why? I hope that these words tho quick, have been profitable for your understanding. For what saith the Word, "and they are written for our admonition". Grace and peace be unto you, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.