Review/ Introduction

Scripture: Ephesians 4.1-16

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 25

Article 1, 2

The church spoken of in the confession of faith:

• it is a universal catholic church.
• it has unity.
• it has holiness.

Thesis

• Unity is found in Jesus Christ alone.
  • This is a call to oneness of mind.
  • This is a call to the oneness of spirit.

True unity is unity only because it is united to Christ.

Last week we said we wanted to:

• Raise Up Our Affections for the Church of Christ
• Raise up our desire for Unity.

Our desire for unity is the same as our desire for truth.

The church's unity must be founded upon the truth of her Lord:

• or it is not her true unity that we pursue.

What Do The Scripture Teach?

We must remember:

• There is one God.

If we are serving this one God:

• we ought to be united in that service.

There is one way to serve Him:

• the way that He has commanded.

If we are serving Him in other ways:

• outside His commands.

If we are obeying Him in other ways:

• outside of His commands

While we might call that obedience

• it is not obedience to God.
• It is obedience to something else.

The fundamental principle and means for unity in the church is the word of God.

New Testament Scripture

1 Corinthians 1.2

Sanctification brings unity in Christ.

Here is our redemption.

• called to be saints.
• called with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord of theirs, and ours
• The unity is of those who are the communion of saints, through Christ.

The unity is in Christ.

• who leads us to the church,
• who is the head of the church,

It is not the church who leads us to Christ,

• it is the church that teaches and trains us to the full measure of the fullnes of Christ.

If unity was applied to only one local church:

• then unity would belong to that one local church and no other

Unity is among all the believers who partake of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1.10-13

We are to be of the same mind and the same judgment.

There is not to be division.

• but unity.

This passage speaks of division going against the unity of the church.

• There must be oneness of mind.
• There must be oneness of spirit.

There is the same mind and the same judgement.

What else could give oneness of mind

• but the word itself?

If it were not founded upon the unshakeable truth of God’s Word

• it would be left to the dictates of men.
• It would be left to the imaginations of men.
• There has to be one, body, unified in Christ.

Philippians 2.2 & Ephesians 4.3-6

There is an emphasis of the unity:

• in one mind,
• in one spirit.
• In one faith,
• In one body.

Oneness of spirit is emphasized by Paul to the church.

The church itself really should never be viewed as only a local church:

• but as one church

Presbyterianism is uniquely distinct.

• it sees itself as a whole church.
• It sees itself as within the whole church:

There are regional churches:

• regions in which the church exists.

Within those regions:

• there are specific locations in which the body assemble.
• Yet those bodies assemble into wider bodies representing the whole Church:
  • Presbyteries and general assemblies.

The emphasis is that we are to have a whole body:

• unified in mind and spirit in Christ.

We don't look at the church:

• from the local church upwards

We look at it as a wider assembly.

We look at it downwards:

• into its lower manifestations.
  • within regions
  • within locations.

When we act contrary to that

• we are going to have divisions.
• we are going to have differences.
• we are going to have distinctions.
• we are going to have things that are more important than the unity of mind and spirit.

Ephesians 4.7- 15

These offices are given in the context of one church.

The apostles were quite unique.

• They were apostles not to a local church.
• They were apostles to the whole church.

Every church is recognized by their local, regional, or wider body:

• These early churches all recognized the authority of the apostle.
• The apostle came with authority to the whole church.

These are the teaching offices.

• for the equipping of the saints
• for the work of the ministry

These teaching offices are not for just one particular church:

• but for the whole church

These teaching offices are not for edifying of the body of just one particular church:

• but for the edifying of the entire body of Christ
• until we all come to the unity of faith.
• until we all come to the oneness of mind

The purpose of the ministry, of these teaching offices is to edify the body,

• so that they can have oneness of mind
• so that they can have oneness of spirit.
• so that they can have the knowledge of the Son of God
  • to a perfect man
  • to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

In Paul’s writing, we can see the continued emphasis:

• the purpose of church and its ministers are to bring us to unity of mind and spirit.

Ministers that fail in this purpose:

• of equipping the saints for this work.,
• of edifying the body, that we all may come to the unity of faith, under the knowledge of the Son of God…

Ministers that fail in this purpose deny the very essential attribute of unity.

An autonomous or independent or isolated church:

• does not bring us to the unity of faith.

An autonomous or independent or isolated church:

• is divisive in its very nature.

An autonomous or independent or isolated church:

• does not contribute to the gratification and to the glory to be given unto God.

Churches can maintain their distinctives.

• yet walk in unity.

1 Corinthians 10.17

• We are a part of the body of Christ.
• We are partakers of the body of Christ as one.

1 Corinthians 12.12-26

We ought not act like we are divided.

• yet the church has done just that.

It's sad to say that in many churches:

• we rejoice when they suffer.
• we suffer when they rejoice.

Romans 16.17-18

Paul is writing to the church in Rome.

• Regarding those who are divisive
• Regarding those who are causing divisions
• Regarding those who are schismatic.
• Regarding those who would seek to divide rather than to unite

Often, we limit this to people that come into a local church and try to take over:

• or remake the church in their image,
• or destroy a local church,
• or tries to do bad things to other people,
• or rries to get a division in the church.

But what about looking at this on a higher level?

• someone who says we are our own church,
• someone who says we are our own body,
• someone who says we will not fellowship with you.
• someone who says we will not submit ourselves to the officers of the church or to another.
• someone who says we will not work towards the unity of faith:
  • of being of one mind of one spirit.

Can any individual or a pastor in a church be autonomous and not be schismatic?

• I don’t think that is possible.

The very nature of autonomy is total independence.

Paul just said mark those who cause divisions.

• It is not just those who are doing evil.
• It is anything that would be divisive to the church.

The only true reason that division should come in the church:

• is for the perfection and purity of the Word of God being defended on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ

There will never be a perfect church.

There will never be a church without sin.

• The Westminster confession of faith reminds us that there is no church that does not have corruption in some form or fashion.

As long as there are going to be men involved:

• There is going to be corruption.
• There is going to be problems in the church.

The ideal church:

• will maintain purity.
• will maintain harmony.
• will maintain unity.

It is a violation of Scripture:

• for any church to seek to be divisive.
• for any church that doesn't seek to have:
  • unity and accountability,
  • oneness of mind and oneness of spirit.

If a church does not have the attribute of unity:

• one would question whether it really is a part of the true church.
• one would question their interpretation and understanding of the Scriptures we’ve read.

Galatians 5.19-23

Note the emphasis that Paul puts on these manifested fruits of the flesh:

• variance → contentions
• emulations → jealousy

Jude 19

There are sensual people who cause divisions not having the spirit.

• One of the things about division is usually it is a testimony of the lack of the Spirit.

There is Biblical Division

The Bible does call for division at times.

• When people apostatize and do not maintain their true confession, their true creed.
• When people act contrary to the word which could result in devastation within the body of Christ.

Biblical Causes for Separation

There is a separation from others to maintain discipline:

2 Corinthians 6.14

2 Corinthians 6.17

• There is a separation from others who are unclean, the unbeliever.

2 Timothy 3.2

• There is a place for separation from others because of unrighteousness.

Matthew 18.17

1 Corinthians 5.11-13

Conclusion

We must remember that there is one God.

• In the worship of this one God
  • we ought to be united in that service,
  • there's one way to serve Him:
    • the way that He's commanded.
  • If we serve Him in other ways
    • outside of his commands,
  • Then we cannot call that obedience.
    • It's not obedience to God.
  • So, the people of God are bound together
    • in the worship,
    • In the service,
    • In the belief
    • In the practice of the one true God.