Unity in the Body of Christ is fundamental to the success of any Christian organisation and so it is to the success of the Workplace Christian Fellowship.
It is the same in any field of endeavour as without it, failure is only a matter of time. Unity is what makes an organisation runs efficiently, it increases morale, productivity and sustains growth over a long period. You can read an example of a blog about the value of unity to an organisation in the corporate world at https://bit.ly/valueofunity
But, as usual, our focus is on what the Bible says.
Unity in the body of Christ – Scripture reference
The Bible shows that we are united in Christ the moment we are saved in Him. Therefore, all that is required is for us to maintain and build on it. On the other hand, the Bible states that “if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25).
The tower of Babel in Genesis Chapter 11 is sometimes used to explain the power of unity. A group of people wanted to take control of their destiny and be their own gods. They wanted to build a tower to reach unto heaven even against God’s direction.
Because they were united in one language, God Himself had to come down to confuse their language to stop the project from continuing! The important lesson in Babel is that it will be difficult to stop a united group of people from achieving its aim.
A better illustration of the power of unity can be taken from what happened on the day of Pentecost as described in Acts Chapter 2. On this day, the early disciples were all in one accord in one place. This time, the disciples were united in obedience to God. The outcome was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit such that three thousand souls were baptized and added to the body in one day!
An important reason for the unity of the body illustrated in scripture is the complementary aspect. God has given each of us a spiritual gift or talent for the edification and uplifting of the church. That is why scripture encourages us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. And then to grow into maturity as the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:1-16).
You can read more about the unity in the body of Christ from https://bit.ly/unityinthebodyinthebible
Is unity in the Body of Christ possible?
For centuries, Christians have been divided over doctrinal matters, such as how we view Scripture, baptism, style of worship, and so on. This makes many believers doubt if this unity is possible.
Our anchor scripture to examine this is John 17:20-23 where Jesus prayed for His disciples to be one just as He and the Father are one and that they may be brought to complete unity. The outcome was that the world will know that God had sent Jesus Christ and that the Father loved us as He loved Him!
The following are important aspects of the unity in the Body of Christ:
- Christian unity is based on a shared faith in Jesus Christ
The only mandatory area of the agreement should be in the essential truth for salvation. This includes the inspiration and authority of Scripture; the Trinity; the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ; His substitutionary death on the cross; His bodily resurrection; His bodily second coming; and salvation by grace through faith alone.
- Unity in the body is already achieved in the Spirit
From the scripture, we can understand that the unity of the Spirit is already a fact for believers. Jesus’s prayer for the unity of His Body was answered and demonstrated when the Holy Spirit was given to all who put their faith in Him. An example of this was shown on the day of Pentecost.
- Unity in the Body is a work in progress
This is the unity of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:3 ‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’’. The initial unity is a fact, but we must be diligent to preserve it. Hence Jesus’s prayer continued for perfect unity for believers (John 17:23).
- Unity in the Body is not about conformity
Being one body in Christ does not mean that we all must look alike, talk alike, and enjoy the same kinds of activities. The beauty of the body is that it functions as one body although it consists of many different members.
- Unity in the Body reveals Christ to the world
Unity in the Body is a major factor in our witness to the world, so that they may believe in Jesus Christ. Because Christ dwells in us through the Spirit, the Father also dwells in us. This means the Triune GOD dwells in us! As we grow more perfect in this unity, the world will see God’s glory through us. You might have heard it said that we are often the only Bible that people read. We are God’s ambassadors by our godly lives, by our verbal witness to the person and work of Christ, and by our visible unity with all true believers.
- Unity in the Body is expressed by believers’ common love.
Jesus makes the staggering statement that the Father has loved us even as He loved Him! Our response, after loving God, is to love others even as we love ourselves. The command for us is to love not only people who like or like us but also those who are unlike or hate us.
- Unity in the Body have one purpose, one mission
Our common mission is to fulfil the Great Commission, to make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, while we may differ with other believers over secondary matters, if they proclaim the truth of the gospel, we should rejoice that Christ is being proclaimed.
You can read more about the Christian unity based on John Chapter 17 at https://bit.ly/understandingchristianunity
Application of Unity in the Body to the Workplace Christian Fellowship
Firstly, while we must strive to love and accept all whom Christ has truly saved, we also must be careful not to compromise essential biblical truth. This balance needs to be always maintained. Anyone who brings a wrong doctrine and intention to impose such on others must be gently corrected in love. This is part of the job of a strong leadership team for the Workplace Christian Fellowship.
Secondly, walls of separation must be different on the individual and corporate levels. For example, we can encourage the participation of someone whose doctrine is slightly offline if they have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour. We can share a fellowship based on our common belief in salvation through Jesus Christ provided they are also open to accommodate different perspectives. But we must not associate with organisations that are openly against the Christian faith.
Thirdly, we must showcase this unity in the body through the outward expression of love. This may take different forms so long as it is recognised as coming from the Workplace Christian Fellowship. An example of how this can be done is through open outreaches, programmes for Easter and Christmas events or just putting up a stall to give free refreshment to colleagues and customers. The common goal is always to show love and bless the community, and if the opportunity provides, to share the gospel.
I hope you have benefited from reading this blog and if so, please share with others. Please also continue to send your feedback and comments to hello@fmministry.co.uk or use the comment box below. Next time we will look at another factor that can promote an effective Workplace Christian Fellowship.
Please note that Fishers of Men Ministry is interested in offering support and encouragement to individuals and workplace fellowship groups so please drop us an email if you need advice or support in the area. You can also check out our website to see how you can get involved in this work https://fmministry.co.uk/getting-involved
God bless you and let us keep growing in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ
Adesina