Unity
Summary
The spiritual oneness of believers based on their common relationship to Christ through one faith, one baptism, and one indwelling Spirit.
☩The Unity of God as Foundation
Against all polytheistic or dualistic systems, apostolic thought posits the unity of God as its first truth. This ensures a unity in nature and history. The Divine nature is ethically a unity—light in which there is no darkness at all. God is faithful and unchangeably self-consistent. His Law is an ethical organism expressing the same principle throughout, to violate which in one point is virtually to violate the whole.
☩Unity of the Church
As a theological term, unity signifies oneness of sentiment, affection, and behavior. The 'unity of the faith' is an equal belief of the same great truths and possession of the grace of faith in similar form. The 'unity of the spirit' refers to union between Christ and His saints by which the same divine Spirit dwells in both, producing the same disposition and mutual affection.
☩Unity and Diversity
Unity in the New Testament does not mean uniformity. As in the physical body, a rich diversity of gift and function is necessary for the complete expression of organic life. It is only in its complex collective unity that renewed humanity can reach its divine ideal. Christians possessing such fellowship with God in Christ have a unique spiritual affinity transcending racial and social distinctions—Jew and Gentile, bond and free.
Related Verses16 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.James Hastings (ed.), "Unity," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 2.John McClintock and James Strong, "Unity," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. X (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).