III. The Concept of Oneness (4-6)
Almost all of the commentaries accepted that Unity is experience. Unity is a very beautiful word and it’s really necessity in the body but it cost a lot. Form verse 4 to 6 Paul has given us most important areas of unity in the body of Christ. If we understand the structure of the Military unit it will help us to understand this concept, and yet we are also the soldier of Christ. In the Military unit, it has one leader, it work as a unit, it moves in one direction, it receives its orders and obeys them. All those in it work well together because they have been trained to do so. Sometimes individual members of the group don’t like what they are called to do, but they do it anyway for the greater good. Therefore, they are able to accomplish a great deal because they act as one. Thus, Jesus say, “and the glory which thou has given me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one,” (Joh.17:22).
Here, Paul mentions seven points of oneness. The following points will helps us to understand how we are related to each others.
(A). One Body: All believers are the body; the head is Christ He Himself. 1Cor.12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” For it is the body nature, the integral parts, or members of it, are many, yet the body is but one; so it is in the spiritual body, the Church, which is that mystical body of which Christ is the Head. The member of the church may be many, and there may be in several members of the church a diversity of gifts, of administrations, and operations, yet the church is but one.
(B). One Spirit: the self-same Spirit of Christ in that body by which all the members live and act. On the other hand, there are many gift but one spirit 1Cor.12:8-13.
(C). One Hope: There are many gifts and different function in the body but we have only one Hope: the blessed hope, the coming of Christ or one inheritance in heaven. Inheritance means not as wages to hirelings, but as an inheritance to children born of God, and adopted to Him. This also means that glorious future to which we are all called.
(D). One Lord: Jesus already warns us not to serve two masters. Christ is the lord, Head, and Husband of the Church, to whom we all belong. When Christ becomes lord of our life we must subject to His lordship. When Paul talk about Lordship he refer to the one and true lord, Jesus.
(E). One Faith: This point is very difficult to verify what Paul wants us to admire.. According to records in this present time we have over 37000 denominations in the whole world. Possibly, Paul wants to keep us the work of Christ in Calvary, the gospel of Christ. Paul also claims that he knows in whom he believed, that is Christ the redeemer of the world. We also can understand through his life-long preaching, that is one act of trust in Christ, the same for all (Jew or Gentile), one way of being saved.
(F). One Baptism: There is one act of baptism for all (Jews and Gentiles) who confess that Christ is lord. In this state, I have some arguments on the practices of some Churches’ baptism. Now days there are several ways to be baptized, something like Immersion, Sprinkling, Pouring, baptized infants and children etc. Out of Immersion, the rest are started by Church father. Because of introducing new ways of baptism during middle age of church history we can see so many divisions among churches. Personally I strongly believed Immersion is the right way to be baptized, because Jesus, John, Apostles and our author Paul also used immersion.
(G). One God: God is our father who keeps us for eternity. God is here taken personally for the Father, the other two Persons being before mentioned. Ver.4,5. And Father of all; of all believers. Who is a above all; not only in the excellencies of His nature, but especially in His sovereign dominion over the church. And through all; by His special providence, through all the members of the church. And in you all; by inhabitation, and the conjunction of believers with Him. Though the former two may be applied to God’s universal dominion and providence over all the creatures. Everything is for His sake alone. They are of Him, without any other motive. All are live under His care, under His shadow, in His presence, and by His gifts of grace. Not a separate God for each nation or religion. One God for all men.
Thus, no one is greater than another one, God alone is worthy of honor and praise.
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