ONENESS AMONG THE SAINTS
John 10:14-16; Romans 15:1-7; Philippians 2:1-5
I would like to speak about oneness. The scripture in John 10 speaks about one flock and one shepherd. In Romans, we have “may with one accord, with one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. In Philippians, the well-known passage says, “that ye may think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking one thing”.
Mr Raven remarked that the principle of unity amongst the saints is emphasised in every epistle1. In the reading earlier, a brother referred to unity, involving the saints being subject to the same Lord and moving in the power of the same Spirit. We could have read many scriptures that refer to oneness and unity. I have read these because I was thinking particularly of how we might promote unity and oneness amongst the brethren. In John 17, the Lord three times expresses the desire, in different contexts, that the disciples may be one. He adds, “as we are one” (v.22), when speaking to the Father. It is a remarkable thing that the Lord should speak in this way of the divine standard of oneness. Paul says, “For God is one”, 1 Tim.2:5. God is love, but also God is one. These are two absolute statements, eternally true.
What a matter to consider, that the Lord’s desire is that the saints should be one. His prayer in John 17 as to oneness was answered at Pentecost, when the Spirit came. At that point, there was a powerful testimony in the oneness of the saints. We sang in our hymn of the time to come when:
‘... all Thy saints, now scattered far and wide,
Shall be without one shade of variation,
All like thee, Lord, united by Thy side!’ (Hymn 421, v.2).
The Lord desires that there should be oneness amongst the saints now. The testimony publicly is in breakdown, and we are part of that. But I think the Lord desires that the feature of oneness should be seen among those available to us in practical fellowship. We all have responsibility to promote it and maintain it. As Paul says to the Ephesians, “using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace” (chap.4:3).
I was impressed by these words in John, “one flock, one shepherd”. John’s gospel was written for our times, for this day of breakdown. The Lord has not given up the thought of one flock and one shepherd even in a day of breakdown. I was thinking particularly of how oneness would be promoted. The scripture speaks of the sheep hearing His voice and following Him. That is what marks the sheep in John’s gospel. They do not go astray, they hear His voice, the voice of the one Shepherd. It is very close to what we have been considering as to Christ being the Centre, the Object of the saints, the One who is to be followed and whose voice we are to hear. These things would promote oneness among the saints.
The scriptures we have read also provide examples of persons who promote oneness. The man in John 9 is often spoken of as an example of John’s sheep. We also have the woman in John 4. Up to chapter 9 of John’s gospel, we hear largely of individuals, but from chapter 10, John brings in the flock. The man of John 9 is an example: he merged into the flock. He was obedient to the Lord’s word, he was in subjection to the Lord. He was told to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, which interpreted is Sent (v.7). The Lord Jesus in John’s gospel is presented as the sent One. He was obedient to the Father’s will. In the man in John 9 there was moral correspondence with Christ.
The scriptures we have read bring out moral features that would promote oneness amongst the saints. The first feature is subjection, and obedience to the Lord’s word. How ready the blind man was to obey the Lord’s word. We are often slow to be subject. Naaman the Syrian was told four times to go and wash, and we are often like that; but this man was ready immediately to obey the Lord’s word. That is a very fundamental matter. There can never be any oneness if our wills are allowed to operate; that would be impossible. It is the will of God that is to govern us. The man in John 9 was very readily obedient. He also recognised the Lord as a prophet; he recognised the Lord bringing in the divine mind. He could also give an account of what the Lord had said to him. He heard the Lord’s voice and took in what He said. It is important to recognise what comes from Christ. He is a prophet. He is, of course, more than a prophet. The man’s appreciation of Christ increases throughout the chapter and at the end he believes on Him as the Son of God.
John’s gospel speaks much about His voice, His words, His commandments, His word. All these things are important, and they have to be recognised if there is to be oneness among the saints. There could not be oneness on any other basis. If there is this feature of hearkening to His word among the saints, that is very pleasing to the Lord and it provides a moral basis for oneness. These moral features are to be seen in the saints. Another thing that marks the man in John 9 is that he was faithful to the light he received. “One thing I know” (v.25), he said, and he could not be moved from that. That is another very important matter for us, to be faithful to the light that we have received. How favoured we have been in being provided with light – light as to Christ, light as to the assembly. The Lord would look for faithfulness to the light we have been given. Many believers have not had the same light, but many are faithful to the light that they have received, and the Lord would commend that.
Then he fitted in or merged into the flock. He recognised the Lord’s speaking. On the mountain Peter’s mistake was to say, “let us make here three tabernacles”, Matt.17:4. That approach would never bring about oneness. The Father’s voice was, “This is my beloved Son ... hear him”, v.5. Every thing we know of divine love and divine Persons is through the Lord Jesus, and through hearing Him. He is the One who has made everything of God known to us. There is only one voice, the Shepherd’s voice. He is the Prophet. The woman in John 4 is remarkable, too. We often speak of that woman and the blind man in John 9 together. She also recognised the Lord as a prophet, so there was oneness there. They were both examples of the Lord’s sheep. She came to the same conclusion as this man: “I see that thou are a prophet”, John 4:19. She recognised and appreciated His speaking.
The Lord says in Matthew “if two of you shall agree”, chap.18:19. We are reading in Matthew’s gospel locally, and we noticed that he recounts in chapter 20 that two blind men were healed at Jericho. Mark and Luke refer to one blind man. Matthew has the assembly in mind. The two blind men who were healed followed Jesus, so there is unity there, which is in principle an expression of the assembly. The number of course can be increased. Every believer in the Lord Jesus who has received the gift of the Holy Spirit belongs to the assembly, but there can be an expression of the assembly in even two or three believers who are following the one Shepherd and hearing His voice.
The man in John 9 is an example of one who merged into the one flock. It involved the Lord’s death, if there was to be the one flock. He speaks of that in John 10, He lays down His life for the sheep (v.11). Jew and Gentile were brought together: what a triumph of divine grace! We spoke of shepherds earlier, but none can be compared with the one Shepherd. John’s sheep are following the same Shepherd and are hearing the same voice.
We read in Romans 15. The context here is the weak brother. Paul speaks of this in chapter 14: “him that is weak in the faith receive” (v.1). This would apply particularly, at the time it was written, to Jewish believers who were not fully established in divine grace. I think the principle still applies, that those who are strong are to bear the infirmities of the weak. He goes on to speak about response to God: “with one accord, with one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The moral feature that I would like to highlight from this section of scripture is that Christ did not please Himself. As was remarked in the reading, the Lord always did the things that pleased the Father. If the Lord did what was pleasing to Himself, it would always have been right, but His motive was never to please Himself, and He is the model for us in this.
Paul says, “For the Christ also did not please himself”. In Philippians 2 we have the word, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”. The word “also” shows that He is the model for us. This feature of not pleasing ourselves would certainly help to promote oneness amongst the saints, leading to a united response to God. Romans gives us the teaching of the glad tidings. Oneness amongst saints flows from acceptance of the glad tidings. I thought of Luke’s gospel, where the glad tidings are illustrated. In Luke’s gospel there are many illustrations, and one of the themes there is that persons give glory to God. That is the effect of divine grace. Persons who know divine grace in their souls give glory to God. How often that is the case in Luke’s gospel.
Paul goes on to speak of response to God in this paragraph, “that ye may with one accord, with one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. What a united response! Romans gives us the teaching of the kingdom, but there are hints as to the assembly in this description of a corporate response for divine pleasure. This flows, I think, from the moral feature of not pleasing ourselves. Christ did not please Himself. We might do what we think is right, but we may be pleasing ourselves. Self-pleasing would always hinder oneness amongst the saints. The context in Romans 15 is that the strong bear the infirmities of the weak. We all need to be carried sometimes. It is like bearing one another’s burdens (Gal.6:2). How the Lord bore burdens and carried the weak. Even at Ephesus Paul speaks of the weak. You would not think that there would be any weak persons there, but, as we are told in Acts 20, “we ought to come in aid of the weak” (v.35). This may involve sacrifice on the part of those who are strong. Otherwise, there might be something that the enemy could take advantage of. The weak brother is not wilful, we must always remember that; he is not displaying his own will, but he is weak in the sense of not fully appreciating the liberty of sonship, the greatness of divine grace, and will be greatly helped through the display of the spirit of Christ in those who are strong.
I think following the principle of not pleasing ourselves would greatly enhance oneness amongst the saints. It involves a supply of grace. We have all been shown grace: “where sin abounded grace has over-abounded” (Rom.5:20), but there is a continuing supply of grace needed, so that we are not on the line of pleasing ourselves but of pleasing our neighbour and considering for one another. May we be encouraged to pursue this. Again, it was a moral feature seen in the Lord Jesus. There can only be oneness according to God as these features of Christ are seen in the saints. Romans 16 also gives us a list of names of saints who did not please themselves. They were examples that Paul could bring forward, and he makes various brief comments about some. We speak of them as boards of the tabernacle, all contributing to oneness amongst the saints. It says of one, “who has laboured much in the Lord” (v.12). Another is spoken of as “a helper of many” (v.2). These saints were not pleasing themselves but were considering for others.
What we have in Philippians is a very attractive local company. Paul takes account of what was seen there. He mentions four things: “comfort in Christ”, “consolation of love”, “fellowship of the Spirit”, “bowels and compassions”, then he adds, “fulfil my joy”. Then he speaks of another four features. There was room for further promoting this feature of oneness in this company which was already marked by oneness, a very attractive company. Again, we have examples in Acts of persons who were in Philippi – Lydia and the jailor (Acts 16:14,27). Paul proved this, the comfort that was there – the fellowship, bowels and compassions: he proved that in Philippi. What marked Lydia was that she attended to the things spoken by Paul (v.14). One thing that has caused division among believers is not listening to Paul. It has been said in ministry that Christ is the test for every man, and also that Paul’s ministry is the test for every believer2. There could only be oneness according to God as Paul’s ministry is listened to. We are to attend to the things spoken by Paul. Paul brings the greatest truth before us. Lydia was marked by attending to these things. How often discord comes in when something in Paul’s ministry is given up.
Paul was encouraging the saints to further promote oneness amongst them. He could take account of those sisters who did not think the same way (chap.4:2). Sisters have a great place in Philippi. When Paul came to the city, it was to Lydia that he came. He says in verse 2, “fulfil my joy”, showing that he desired to see oneness amongst them. His desire was very much in line with the Lord’s own desire and longing “that they may be one, as we are one”, John 17:22. That was the standard that the Lord had before Him. Paul had the same standard before him in his ministry.
Paul speaks here of thinking “the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking one thing”. It is a high standard of oneness: thinking “one thing” could only be as having Christ before us. As has been said earlier today, the Spirit is the power, the binding power, amongst the saints. In the tabernacle, the middle bar (see Ex.26:28) would speak of the unity of the Spirit. We have all been baptised into one body by the Spirit (1 Cor.12:13). What an encouragement for us, and what resources are available. The feature that Paul is drawing attention to here is lowliness of mind, particularly expressed in valuing what is of Christ in others – another blessed feature of Christ. Any element of pride would bring in discord, but lowliness of mind is a beautiful feature so fully seen in Christ, one who is meek and lowly in heart.
These features highlighted in the scriptures we have read – subjection to the Lord’s word, not pleasing ourselves, and lowliness of mind – would promote oneness amongst the saints. All these features are displayed perfectly in Christ, and my desire is to draw our attention to them, in order that we may be formed in them and thus promote oneness.
What divine blessing flows from oneness! The Psalm says, “how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”, Ps.133:1. The psalmist goes on to speak of life: “there hath Jehovah commanded the blessing, life for evermore” (v.3). It is eternal life conditions, and these can only be enjoyed as there is oneness amongst the saints. It is for God’s pleasure too. Romans says, “with one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. What an example we see of oneness in the service of God. The Lord’s supper too is an expression of oneness – one loaf, one cup – an expression of oneness that delights the Lord’s heart. In the service of song too, there is oneness expressed in the hymns we sing together. Young brothers give out hymns in the service of God that promote oneness by providing an opportunity for the saints to praise God as one. What pleasure there is for divine Persons in this. May we be encouraged in it.
The Lord speaks in John 10:12 of the sheep being scattered. How much scattering there has been, but the Lord desires that this feature of oneness should be seen amongst His own. We always have to keep in our minds the whole assembly; we must keep that in our affections as Paul always did. We have to keep that in our minds and affections, but as we are often reminded, we live in the day of small things (Zech.4:10). The Lord appreciates oneness amongst His saints even in such a day. It is pleasing to Him and is according to His own longings.
May we be encouraged and blessed in these things, for His name’s sake.
Address at Strood
27 April 2024
Allan Grant