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John
17:11 – “And now I am no more in the
world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep
through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be
one, as we are.”
| This concern for the survival of
the church down through the ages provides the explanation for the
anguished tones of Jesus’ prayer. He knew that if the church
should fail to demonstrate community to the world, it would fail
to accomplish its mission, because the world would have reason to
disbelieve the gospel (John 17:21, 23). According to that prayer,
the most convincing proof of the truth of the gospel is the
perceptible oneness of his followers—Gilbert
Bilezikian. |
| No member of the Godhead ever works
independently of the other two. They act in perfect harmony. The
Godhead is perfect fellowship. The essence of God is community. |
Genesis 1:26-27 – And God said, Let
us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
If God said, “Let Us make man in
Our image, after Our likeness,” God created man to be very much
like Himself. Humanity is created in the image of the Triune God.
Therefore humanity is called to live in unity, as the Triune God
lives in perfect unity. This image is not one of aloneness. Humans
were not created to live alone; we were created to live in
community with each other and with God. |
Satan well knows that success can only attend order and harmonious
action. He well knows that everything connected with heaven is in
perfect order, that subjection and perfect discipline mark the movements
of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed
Christians just as far from heaven's arrangement as he can; therefore he
deceives even the professed people of God and makes them believe that
order and discipline are enemies to spirituality, that the only safety
for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially
distinct from bodies of Christians who are united and are laboring to
establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts made to
establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful
liberty, and hence are feared as popery. These devoted souls consider it
a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently. They
will not take any man's say-so. They are amenable to no man. I was shown
that it is Satan's special work to lead men to feel that it is God's
order for them to strike out for themselves and choose their own course
independent of their brethren. (Testimonies to
Ministers – 29)
It is not a great number of institutions, large buildings, and outward
display that God requires, but the harmonious action of a peculiar
people, a people chosen by God and precious, united with one another,
their life hid with Christ in God. Every man is to stand in his lot and
place, exerting a right influence in thought, word, and deed. When all
God's workers do this, and not till then, His work will be a complete,
symmetrical whole. (8 Testimonies – 183)
The methods and plans by which the work is to be done must be after the
Lord's order, not after your individual ideas, and the results will more
than compensate for the outlay. Missionary effort will become more
general, and the example of one zealous worker, working in the right
direction, will influence others, and they also will go forth to preach
the gospel. The missionary spirit will pass from house to house, and the
brethren will find something to talk about of more interest than their
grievances. They will be interested in displaying the jewels of truth
which the Bible contains, and churches will be established,
meetinghouses erected, and many will come to the help of the Lord. The
brethren will be united in bonds of love, and will realize their unity
with experienced Christians in all parts of the world, as they are one
in their plans, one in the object of their interest. An advance step
taken by those at the head of the work will be felt by those in this
country and in all lands, and those in foreign countries will respond to
the effort made at the center of the work in following our great Leader;
and so, through the conversion of souls to the truth, a volume of praise
will rise to Him who sitteth upon the throne. (Fundamentals
of Church Education – 208)
It should be understood that perfect unity among the laborers is
necessary to the successful accomplishment of the work of God. In order
to preserve peace, all must seek wisdom from the Great Teacher. Let all
be careful how they introduce ambitious propositions that will create
dissension.
We are to be subject one to another. No man, in himself, is a complete
whole. Through submission of the mind and will to the Holy Spirit we are
ever to be learners of the Great Teacher.
Study the second chapter of Acts. In the early church the Spirit of God
wrought mightily through those who were harmoniously united. On the Day
of Pentecost they were all with one accord in one place. (9
Testimonies -196)
| We are to demonstrate to the world
that men of every nationality are one in Christ Jesus. Then let us
remove every barrier and come into unity in the service of the
Master. |
Unity existing among the followers of Christ is an evidence that the
Father has sent His Son to save sinners. It is a witness to His power;
for nothing short of the miraculous power of God can bring human beings
with their different temperaments together in harmonious action, their
one aim being to speak the truth in love. (9
Testimonies -194)
Our Saviour follows His lessons of instruction with a promise that if
two or three should be united in asking anything of God it should be
given them. Christ here shows that there must be union with others, even
in our desires for a given object. Great importance is attached to the
united prayer, the union of purpose. God hears the prayers of
individuals, but on this occasion Jesus was giving especial and
important lessons that were to have a special bearing upon His newly
organized church on the earth. There must be an agreement in the things
which they desire and for which they pray. It was not merely the
thoughts and exercises of one mind, liable to deception; but the
petition was to be the earnest desire of several minds centered on the
same point. (3 Testimonies - 429)
The Lord desires His chosen servants to learn how to unite together in
harmonious effort. It may seem to some that the contrast between their
gifts and the gifts of a fellow laborer is too great to allow them to
unite in harmonious effort; but when they remember that there are varied
minds to be reached, and that some will reject the truth as it is
presented by one laborer, only to open their hearts to God's truth as it
is presented in a different manner by another laborer, they will
hopefully endeavor to labor together in unity. Their talents, however
diverse, may all be under the control of the same Spirit. In every word
and act, kindness and love will be revealed; and as each worker fills
his appointed place faithfully, the prayer of Christ for the unity of
His followers will be answered, and the world will know that these are
His disciples. (9 Testimonies - 145)
1 Corinthians 3:9
– For we are labourers together with God…
Psalms 133:1-2 – Behold, how good
and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is
like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard,
even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.
Acts 2:1-4 – And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared
unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. |
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