We are called to be in unity. We are to become one in Christ and each other:
Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (NKJV)
One of the problems of Christians today is that their entire focus is on the vertical relationship with Our Heavenly Father. The cross symbolizes two relationships: vertical and horizontal. The vertical relationship is the only focus of the immature. They need to be assured of their salvation and be reassured of their future destination of making it to Heaven. Until that reassurance is firmly planted in them, the horizontal relationship will be secondary at best. The Heavenly flow of anointing by Our Heavenly Father is to proceed from Above (the vertical) to each of us, and then flow out to our brothers and sisters (the horizontal).
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (NKJV)
Here, Paul speaks of the "vertical." We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Love. Now what? Paul expresses pleasure in their fruit (the horizontal):
:15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints (NKJV)
Later, in chapter 4, Paul beseeches us:
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (NKJV)
Unity is critical to expanding the Kingdom. How can the Kingdom come to earth except by unity! By two or three witnesses everything on earth is established. Those witnesses must be in unity. The Holy Trinity is in unity; there is no division. Jesus told us that a house divided cannot stand. How many denominations are there in the world today? Each denomination creates a wall of division to be separate from outsiders. Jesus never ordained that walls should keep the people out. After all, the veil was torn in two when He fulfilled the cross. He removed the barrier from the Holy of Holies so that each of us could come into intimate unity with Our Heavenly Father. However, that was not the end of the matter. Moreover, we are to promote unity among the brethren. We should look at what we have in common rather than exalt any differences and create alienation, resulting in division. In fact, there is only one Lord, one faith one baptism and one GOD and Father of all!
Unity is different from uniformity. We need not conform to the priorities and perspectives of others. We all have a unique and special calling by which we view life. Peter’s ministry focused on a different group of people versus Paul who was called to preach to the Gentiles. A bricklayer has a different set of priorities when compared to a salesman. However, both can and should be in unity as members of the Body of Christ.
Horizontal unity starts in the home. How can you promote unity among the rest of the world if you cannot achieve it in your household? In chapter 5 of Ephesians, Paul is promoting unity in Love:
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (NKJV)
Our Heavenly Father provides us with an excellent and primary example of how to interact with others: walk in Love. To give and to sacrifice are key ingredients to walking in Love toward others. Jesus did it, why can’t you? Can’t you give and sacrifice your "self" for others even though they may be unlovely? Jesus died for the ungodly and that included you and me. We were His "enemies" and were separated from Him. He made the ultimate sacrifice allowing us to achieve unity with Our Heavenly Father. At a minimum, we should do the same for our brothers and sisters… and enemies.
As Jesus declared in Matthew 5:
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (NKJV)
Okay, Love your brothers, sisters, enemies… who else is there? It sounds to me like we are to Love ALL! We are to bless ALL! What is our reward? It is that we may be sons of Our Heavenly Father. Love promotes unity among all of mankind, not just 5%, with the rest burning in hell forever.
Men, Love your wives:
Ephesians 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
:28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself (NKJV)
Paul was adamant about unity in the home. Christ gave Himself for the church, His bride, so shouldn’t we give ourselves for our wives as well? Isn’t our testimony as husbands fulfilled when we present our wives as holy and without blemish! As you men Love your wife, your Love shows maturity in your life. Until then, you have work to do.
: 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (NKJV)
Men, if you want your wife to respect you, Love her. As a result, she should and will respect you and reverence your walk. Women, did Jesus demand His rights? Didn’t He submit Himself to service? Demanding rights comes from the ego. It would have you believe that Our Heavenly Father cannot take care of your situation. If you would place the same energy and focus on your relationship with Our Heavenly Father as you do with your rights and privileges as a woman, you would not be in a position to demand anything; Our Heavenly Father would be your provision.
Greed is an enemy of unity. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of this issue:
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (NKJV)
When a person walks in greed, he is willing to sacrifice the wellbeing of the other person in whatever transaction he is participating in. Each of us should pursue value, but not at the expense of the other person. We should not pay too much, but yet we should make sure that we don’t pay too little for some product or service. We should conduct business with Love as the basis. This attitude will promote unity in our financial transactions and be a witness to all who observe our daily affairs.
The story of the rich young ruler provides us the most poignant perspective of greed. Jesus was approached by this young man in Matthew 19:
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is ,God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (NKJV)
Do you want to be perfected as well? What are you willing to give up to attain that perfection? In this case, Jesus told him to get rid of his "stuff." What was more important to the young man: unity with Our Heavenly Father or his worldly trappings? The young man had great possessions and was unwilling to part with them. He left full of sorrow. Unity demands a decision that requires us to prove what is most important to us: Love or "self." This is unique to each individual. Don’t think by simply selling your possessions that you will achieve eternal life. Each of us has a unique sacrifice to give up. For one it may be a reputation. For another, it may be a car. Whatever is an idol in your heart, it must be removed so that the separation created by it can be dealt with accordingly. Unity is only achieved once the idols are removed. In Mark’s account of the encounter with the young man, he included the fact that Jesus Loved the young man:
10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” (NKJV)
Do you think Jesus would punish the young man by having him sell his possessions as proof of his allegiance? No, He Loved him and wanted him to move his citizenship from the world to Heaven. He was to trade one treasure for another. One where moth and dust doth corrupt is replaced by the incorruptible.
Unity must begin with our relationship toward Our Heavenly Father. Who else better to trust than HIM! The first Commandment is one of unity:
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (NKJV)
Isn’t that the ultimate bond of unity? Your Love connects your heart, soul, and mind to the Divine Intent of Our Heavenly Father. That first commandment precedes all others. Once you become aligned with Our Heavenly Father, you can then align yourself in unity with others. Most Christians never fully commit to this first commandment. They don’t have a reverential fear for Our Heavenly Father. They trust "self" more than The Creator, and that is the ultimate deception.
Do you think you have satisfied the unity required by Our Heavenly Father? Let’s look at the second Commandment that completes the Law:
:39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
How many ways must Jesus describe the requirements of unity? All the Law and all the Prophets are based on the Divine intent of Love and unity. Unity cannot be achieved without Love. Love comes first, then unity. You cannot operate fully in the gifts of the Spirit without unity from Above. How and when would you know to operate in the proper gifts properly? You don’t know the source or root of the other person’s problems. You don’t know his or her heart, only Our Heavenly Father does. HE knows exactly what is required to resolve any and all issues of the person needing ministry. As we walk in unity with HIM, we can minister just as Jesus did, knowing when to deal with sin, or simply to minister healing. As you fully connect with HIS Divine intent, you will be fully fruitful in serving mankind. This is the intent of having the bond of perfection: Love.