UNITY
[p. 294] UNITY
Summary of Reading The epistle to the Ephesians, whilst presenting salvation, enlarges on the thought of the headstone. The thought of unity is found in Romans and Corinthians, but the unity of the Spirit and the unity of the faith are found here, They have a remarkable bearing in view of the conditions that have arisen, The saints are in a world that is in need of unity; they are apt to be drawn into that which is moving in the world. What fortifies us is to see what God has brought us into by our baptism, then in the fellowship of God’s Son and fellowship with one another, leading to practical unity of the Spirit.
In Zechariah 4, we learn that he that builds the house should put on the headstone. The finishing is so interesting, because it is finished in the headstone. The Lord would bring us to that now, that we should have that bond of unity. We have two thoughts in connection with the headstone: one is that it binds, and the other that it is ornamental. It is the same general idea as the chief corner-stone. The foundation is firm, the firm foundation of God stands, as Paul says. The stones may not necessarily be very beautiful, but the point is firmness. What I think helps us in regard to this is that salvation is connected with the resurrection of Christ. It is a question of the power of God. He wrought in Christ when the whole power of evil was against Him at the cross, and He raised Christ from the dead. The whole power of the world was against God at the cross. The seal on the tomb was representative of the power of the world, but the angel sat on the stone signifying that all the power of the world combined could not interfere with the work of God.
A kindred thought is in Zechariah. The great [p. 295] mountain is the world power; it becomes a plain before Zerubbabel. God must deal with the political system. The angel sitting on the stone was a testimony that God could deal with it. No political condition can interfere with the work of God. We are apt to think that present conditions are so extraordinary that the work of God is hindered. Faith knows that it is not so. The power of evil was then at its height, and God wrought. It is said of us, that we are raised by faith of the operation of God that wrought in Christ. The foundation of God stands; it is firm.
This was exemplified in Paul, the prisoner of the Lord. He was detained for the accomplishment of the purposes of God. Ephesians 3 is a question of God’s purpose, ending with “to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages”. Christ held Paul as a prisoner. In Ephesians 4 it is the Lord that detained him; it is a striking suggestion of the supremacy of Christ. Instead of being at Jerusalem, where he wished to be, the Lord would have him in Rome. All these epistles emanate from the prison where he was held in Rome. This epistle brings out the supremacy of Christ. It does not speak of the world power like Romans; Romans recognises the world power. Ephesians only recognises the power of Christ, as superior to the powers of darkness. All the political powers of the day are subordinate to the administration of Christ for the furtherance of His own ends.
The last chapter of Matthew is in keeping with it. Matthew brings in the administration of the gospel. We are apt to look to the future when we think of the Lord’s authority; that is, outside the assembly. Angels are said to be ministering servants. It does not say exactly of whom, but obviously it is of Christ in relation to the saints. “On account of those who shall be heirs of salvation”. Their ministry may not [p. 296] be directed towards me; it may be in relation to the government of the country in which I am, but it is all on account of those who are heirs of salvation.
We can reckon on the angelic ministry; it is not the ministry of the Spirit, but it is a ministry that is under Christ, and He is using it now on account of the saints, so that the angel sitting on the stone signifies the supremacy of God, the superiority of God in regard to every other power. It tends to stay the heart in view of the upheavals that go on. Things occur that seem so disastrous in the world. It must have been a harrowing time for the powers of the world lately, but the Christian is restful, not indifferent, but restful. He sees that it turns out for the furtherance of the gospel. The administration of Christ will be carried out in spite of the opposition. The angels are governmental and providential in their service. They ministered to the Lord, but they are not limited to the individual ministry. In Acts 12 the angel takes care of Peter, and also deals with Herod; he smote Herod.
The world would not know that, but we do. He led Peter down the street and left him. Peter found his way after that. The angels had to attend to other things. He did not need to lead Peter up to the saints’ door; he could find his way. The angel gives you food and clothing: that is all he will give you. He gives what is sufficient. Like an attendant ushering you into the drawing room; he leaves you at the door. That is all he has to do in regard to you. There are much higher privileges for you. The angels are here in that way as ministering spirits in regard of us, not occupying themselves with our highest privileges. In Acts 8 the angel takes Philip so far, and then the Spirit comes in. The angel speaks in verse 26, but the Spirit speaks in verse 29. Philip has come now to his spiritual service. All this is foundational, the power of God that wrought in [p. 297] Christ; that goes on. The ministry of angels deals with outward things that are against us.
We have instruction in the beginning of Ephesians 4 as to what should mark us in our relations to one another. Chapter 3 is the administration of the mystery, chapter 4 is the administration of the Lord. There is the unity of the Spirit and the unity of the faith. The first is, that there was unity in spiritual affection, and then they were united in the truth; they did not hold the truth in any partial way. The unity of the faith, assures that we are known as believing the same thing. It is not a written creed which we subscribe to, but that which is held in faith. There is a connection between Paul being the prisoner of the Lord and our walking as saints; they were to walk worthy of the calling wherewith they had been called, with all lowliness and meekness; that walk would be in accord with Paul’s condition as a prisoner. He was suffering on account of the truth, as he says, “for which also I suffer”. He was bound with chains on account of the truth.
The unity of the Spirit is the unity of spiritual affection. You might have unity in an outward sort of way, with those you specially like, but the Holy Spirit is impartial. The affections which He promotes are such as include all the saints. The way things have turned out in the world, where suffering has been the part of many, tends to bring home to us what the early Christians had to endure. Being simply a Christian and asserting your loyalty to Christ brings about peculiar suffering. It almost implies that one is unfit for the world. The condition of the apostle is becoming more appreciated now, showing the truth involved at the beginning is held by the saints and the affections that go with it are there. This has come home to me very distinctly lately. I believe it is intended that the present conditions should promote these affections. The [p. 298] Holy Spirit has produced affections that are universal.
In Thessalonians the apostle had been as a nurse with them; then he brings in the word of God, which works effectually in those who believe; and then through it they had become imitators of the assemblies of God in Judea; they became catholic through the word of God. They came to recognise the principles that governed the assembly elsewhere and imitated them. We come through the word into these affections. We are saved from nationalism by the Spirit. Spiritual affections are not to be limited to local interest; they are universal. The unity of the Spirit is the result of those affections which the Holy Spirit produces. The world is aiming at centralisation and unification, but the angels seem to be thwarting that. Binding the tares into bundles is the work of God. The enemy may suggest it, but it is really of God that men are prevented from forming a general confederacy; they will do it, but not till God lets them. But He is promoting this unity of the Spirit, unity of spiritual affections. It is the same in all countries, and unaffected by national feeling; it is a catholic idea.
Lowliness and meekness show how it comes about, but even with those, diligence is enforced. The doctrinal ground is that there is one body, one Spirit, and one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. These are truths that apply everywhere. The unity of the faith is connected with intelligence as to the truth, but the unity of the Spirit is more connected with the affections. The fact of the Holy Spirit being here ensures the unity being here potentially, but what the apostle looks at more is the unity of spiritual affections. We are to keep it in the bond of peace. You have the Holy Spirit and I have the Holy Spirit, then what about the relationship that should exist between us? That makes it practical. We are brought back [p. 299] to original conditions. The effect of all this has been to put the saints where they were at the beginning to some extent. The difference between a true Christian and the world has become most pronounced. The reproach tends to drive us together and to give us a desire for the fellowship and the love that we find in the Christian circle. So you have a kind of headstone in that way. He who has laid the foundation finishes it. God turns the world upside down. Christianity is finality. There is no idea in it of coming short; the divine end is reached.
We have the additional thought of the administration of Christ in the gifts, so that we should arrive at these things; but it is very comforting to know that it will be finished; the Lord will do it. There is a working up to a correspondence with what was at the beginning, not in bulk, but in quality. The headstone is what Christ is in the affections and intelligence of the saints, according to what He is in His beauty. The Lord’s supper is intended to bring about this result; it brings in Christ according to what He is for God and what He is to us. That is what is to be seen; that is to cover it; it is to be Christ. The things the Lord says to Philadelphia show that they had a great appreciation of Him personally. He says of the overcomer, “I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God”. (Revelation 3: 12) That is what the overcomer gets.
Mephibosheth is a type of an Ephesian Christian; all he wanted was that the king should come back. Let the servant have the land; he was thinking about the king That is what the Holy Spirit produces in our hearts Ziba did not love David; he only regarded him for the sake of the goods. Christ is regarded by many for the sake of the advantages He confers.
The unity of the faith is a very important point, because whilst we may talk about our affections, we may not be agreed the truth, and the Lord’s desire [p. 300] is that we should be agreed in the truth. It is the system of truth that has come out in Christ, that has to be held in faith; it is not to be held in books. It is not what we have in books, not even the Bible, because when this was written the Bible was not all written. The dispensation of God is said to be in faith. In the Mosaic system the things were written down. Romans 10, says that the righteousness of the law was laid down in writing by Moses. That is not Christianity. We have holy writings, but Christ is the righteousness of faith. The doctrines of Christianity are in faith, and we have obeyed them from the heart; we have the outline of sound words in faith. This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. It refers to the system of truth which the apostles promulgated. The Jewish system fitted into the world system, whereas the Christian system does not fit into the world. It gets the victory over the world. The great thing for us is to have the outline of the truth, but not in books. The library will not do, however good it is. The gifts from Christ are in view of this; that the saints should arrive at the unity of the faith. If you depend on the library you are not a full-grown man. The truth must be effective in the soul. The thing is to be sure that you have it in faith. There will be no disagreements between us if things are held in that way. In Christendom things are put down in a book, The thirty-nine articles may contain the great doctrines of Christianity, but they are not in faith. He that cometh to God must believe that He is; that is your individual faith. In Jude the faith that we have is to be contended for. We are to be all holding the same thing; if we disagree there is something wrong. One does not like to be on the ground of mutual concessions; the thing is to have things in faith.
There is a difference in growth, in stature and in [p. 301] intelligence, and a brother may not have reached a very high standard, but what he has will fit in with what is more advanced. He and the brother who is more advanced may get on very well together. “Till we all come ... ... at the full grown man”. It is the end to be attained. I have no doubt that at Ephesus there was something very near it. The Ephesians began with about twelve men; they all received the Spirit at the same time. The principle throughout Christianity is equality: what you lack I supply, and what I lack you supply. It is according to the measure of each part. The headstone binds, and it is ornamental. Paul as a wise architect had laid the foundation; so he says, Let every man take heed how; that refers to the plan; and what he builds, which refers to the material. You have the plan and the specifications before you. “Till we all come”. I do not suppose anyone could take it all in. The heavenly city is the full result of all this; it is the measure of a man. You do not lower the standard because of the conditions.
Verse 14 would show the urgent need of what we have spoken of; because we see people carried away by everything that comes along. Systematised error is a dreadful thing. It is framed to deceive the people of God, whereas all that we have been looking at is to prevent it, and to build us up in love. We are to arrive at the knowledge of the Son of God. Paul says in Romans that Christ was “declared to be the Son of God with power ... ... by the resurrection from the dead”. (Romans 1: 4) He came out in that way in raising the dead, so that what is revealed is for us, His dignity and power. Such things bring to light that He is the Son of God. As Head He is Man, as Son of God He is presented in power and dignity, and for God’s pleasure. I think Philadelphia answers to Ephesus, only, of course, it is limited. “A little power”, instead of much power.