BELIEVERS WALKING TOGETHER IN UNITY!

TEXT: PSALM 133:1-3

Unity means being united; harmony; agreement - a complex which is a union of related parts; continuity of purpose, action, etc.  Synonyms include oneness; indivisibility; individuality; inseparability; homogeneity; consolidation; accordance; reconciliation; being joined or combined, as one man!

WHAT IS OUR “ONENESS” OR “UNITY” BASED ON?

CHRIST:  

• Romans 12:4-5  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  

Being “one unit” is not determined by denomination (Baptist; Catholic; Methodist; Presbyterian; etc.) but by “CHRIST”!   

• Acts 7:48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet.
• 1 Corinthians 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.  

Temple is from the root word naos’, meaning to dwell.  God dwells (lives; resides; abides) within your physical body.  

Man is the “invisible” God made “visible”!  Or shall I say, “God” is “man” in physical form!  In relation to these statements, I like using the molecule as an example to describe GOD.  A molecule is the simplest structural unit into which a substance can be divided and still retain and maintain its identity.  The Spirit God put on flesh as a man and yet retained and maintained His identity as GOD!!!

• Revelation 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  

Tabernacle is from the Greek word “skene” which is a tent or “cloth hut”; a habitation.  It’s also from another word, “skeu’os” which is a vessel; implement; equipment or apparatus (literally or figuratively; specifically a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband).  The CHURCH is the wife of the Lamb, Jesus the Christ.  

• Revelation 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying , Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

The “church”,  of whom He is the Head, is the wife that reproduces and brings forth the sons of God (male & female) from the seed of her husband, Jesus the Christ!  

• Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;  and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This lets us know that God is not sitting out somewhere beyond the blue in some great big high-back chair, but He dwells within His people right here where we are in the earth!!!

OUR “ONENESS” OR BEING “ONE UNIT” IS BASED ON THE “NEW BIRTH” (origin; creation; inception [beginning of something; start]; reproduction).

• 2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Ktisis is the root word for “creature” or “creation”, which means the return to one’s original formation.  This means being “in Christ” causes us to return to our “original” formation or what we were with the Father in the beginning before the world was.  

• St. John 1:1-2: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   The same (that was US) was in the beginning with God.  (Verse 14)  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.  

As Jesus was made “flesh” so were we made “flesh”.  

• 1 John 4:17  As he is, so are we in this world.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17  Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.  

The synonyms for “new” are fresh; revived; renovated; new blood; restored.   

• Ephesians 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones!

We must come into the knowledge and understanding of who and whose we are!!

WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT OUR “FOUNDATION” FOR UNITY IN CHRIST’S BODY!

St. John 3:3  Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  

First of all we must understand what and who the “kingdom” is:

1. “WHAT IS “KINGDOM”?  It’s from two words:  King and domain.  A king rules and the domain is the territory in and over which the king rules.  Kingdom is from the root word basiei’a, meaning royalty, i.e. rule, a realm.  It extends to another root word basileus, which is a foundation of power.

• 1 Corinthians 4:20  The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power which is du’namis meaning force; specially miraculous power (usually a miracle); mighty work; strength; ability; abundance; worker of miracles].
• Romans 14:17  The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

2. “WHO IS THE KINGDOM”?  The “kingdom” is a person, the Man Jesus the Christ!  

• Mark 11:9-10 (this is when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem) And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:  Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord:  Hosanna in the highest.

Jesus was “the Kingdom” or the “power” of God walking around on two feet!!  

• Matthew 6:33  Seek ye first the “kingdom” of God, and “his” righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Now back to St. John 3:3  Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

See is from the root word ei’do, which means to know by perception; be aware; consider; have knowledge; understand.  Another root word hora’o (Strong’s # 3708) means to discern clearly (physically or mentally); to experience.  

One can never be aware of, have knowledge or the understanding of, nor discern clearly, or even consider experiencing the “kingdom” of God without the new birth.  The birth is the “gin’omai”, which is to cause to be generated (or “re-gened”).  We must go through a metamorphosis or regening process and become the total of who God is or who Christ is in the earth!

• 1 John 4:17  As he is, so are we in this world.
• St. John 10:34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?  
• Psalms 82:1  God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods (elohiyms’).  Verse 6  I have said, Ye are gods (elohiyms’); and all of you are children of the most High (elyown’; the Supreme; uppermost; the highest).
• St. John 3:5: Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

This water is not “H2O” – but it is the “word” of God!  

• Ephesians 5:26 (Paul speaking of Christ & Church)  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the “WASHING of WATER by the WORD”, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The only thing that can really wash us clean is not physical water, and that’s good for personal hygiene, but to be spiritually cleansed. we need the “Word of God” to do that!  

• Psalm 51:2  Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  (Verse 7)  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:  wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  

This kind of washing and cleansing can only be done by the Word of God and the blood of Jesus!

• Hebrews 9:22  Without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness of sins).  
• Titus 3:5  (speaking of “faith and works”)  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

The “Spirit” (pneu’ma) is defined as wind; breath.

Genesis 2:7  the breath of life the LORD God breathed into man (awdawm’) was the mind of God: wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, might, life, eternity, dominion, authority, power.  It was the very blood of God that was breathed into the “man” (awdawm’) which was both “male and female”.  Adam, or Awdawm, means “to show blood in the face”!

• Leviticus 17:11  The life of the flesh is in the blood!  
• Ezekiel 37:8  (The valley of dry bones)  there was no breath in them.  

Ezekiel had to prophesy to the bones.  Prophesy (naba’) means to speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse - talk or conversation.  Inspire (L. spirare) to stimulate or impel, as to some creative effort; to motivate as by divine influence; to arouse a thought or feeling in someone.

That’s what God needs in this day, “inspired speakers”!  Those who will speak with the voice of God Himself saying to His people what they need to hear and not what they want to hear!

HOW IS “UNITY OF BELIEVERS” EXPRESSED?

BY BAPTISM

• Ephesians 4:4-5  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are 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.

Synonyms for “ONE” as an adjective are:  individual; sole; only; solitary; single.  

This “one” baptism has nothing to do with “H2O”, but this particular “baptism” can only be made by the Spirit (breath; wind) of the living God!  

• 1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.

We must totally be “immersed” (plunge into and be absorbed of and by God) in God!

We must be baptized with the “washing of water” by the “Word” of God.  

• Ephesians 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.  
• St. John 4:24  God is a Spirit!  
• St. John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God.
• Matthew 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:  but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:  he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.  
• 1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

UNITY IS EXPRESSED IN BELIEVERS BY HAVING ONE MIND

• 1 Peter 3:8  Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.

Mind:  Strong’s Concordance # 3675 - homorph’ron meaning like-minded, i.e. harmonious and Strong’s Concordance # 3674 - homou’ meaning at the same place or time: together.

• Philippians 2:2  Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded (to know; be aware; understand), having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind [phrone’o meaning to exercise the mind; be (mentally) disposed (in a certain direction); be of the same].
• St. John 10:30  I and my Father are one.
• St. John 17:11  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 one.
• Ephesians 4:13  Till we all come in the UNITY  (harmony; agreement; oneness; consolidation; accordance) of the faith, and the knowledge (epig’nosis meaning recognition, ie full discernment; acknowledgement) of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of CHRIST.  

Christ is the “Anointed One” and His anointing!  This is what He has given us that we might walk in total dominion, authority, and power over all the power of the enemy.  (Luke 10:19)  

LORD MAKE US ONE!!!

~ Pastor Gracie Perry