Jeff Reynolds One desire: Unity. 5 Things It's Not. And It Is....?

In Christ through the Gospel....one of my favorite phrases.

But this one trumps all my favorites.....

"hemade known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." Ephesians 1:9-10

The powerful reality of the work Jesus finished and proclaimed in him through the Gospel is...

Everything seen, known, understood, everything ever made is coming into
Perfect
Complete
Harmony
With Jesus.
Into Unity and Submission to Christ
King of the Kings of the Earth. Rev 1:5

So when we talk about Unity,
we need to get to the power of Unity that is established in Jesus.
Not the weak, powerless, worldly versions of unity or even some of the good feeling affinity based unity believers experience from time to time.

So here we go. Here are 5 things unity in Jesus Christ is NOT.

1. Unity is not Affinity. Unity in Christ is not based in our affinities with each other.
Affinity is nice. It is good and pleasant to be with people "just like us" for a while. In the believing family we tend to identify people who are just like us. In many ways we build a life around us that requires no alteration or challenge to our world constructed in class, race, denomination etc. A world typically constructed in the norms of our culture should not be confused with a Kingdom unity. Affinity is like minded, liking the same likes, loving the same way of life, are the same in race, or prevailing culture, language or dress and mannerisms. The manifold wisdom of the Lord Jesus embraces every tribe, language and culture in the glory of God.

2. Unity is not Uniformity. Unity in Jesus is not One denomination or One culture, or One language, or One anything on earth. Pentecost brought the Gospel to many languages by One Holy Spirit. In heaven before the throne every tribe, tongue and language will be represented. Every culture on earth is valued and precious to God. Jesus is sending missionaries to every tribe for the fullness of his family on earth. Uniform expressions of faith that claim to be the fullness of Christ in the earth are surely missing the mark. In truth when each part does its work the love of God explodes and the church is built. Ephesians 4:16

3. Unity not whimsical spiritual feeling.
The new age unity is not the same unity found in Jesus Christ. In Christ the unity is established in a Kingdom and in the rule and reign of Christ. In the Kingdom a righteousness is revealed that is established in and through Jesus and in the Father and Spirit we love and serve. Unity in Christ is not whimsical. It's not a "great feeling" or some kind of mystical reality that we discover while we dance and sing together.   These can be encouraging experiences of commonality and creative agreement. Unity in Jesus is found in him, reflects his manifold wisdom and is rooted in righteousness.   A wisdom from above is revealed. James 3:17-18

4. Unity is not denominational domination.
In America our corporate culture carries a "one voice to rule them all" kind of dominance. Sadly, the church can grab a hold of this kind of thinking and totally miss the core nature of the Kingdom of God. Love, service, sacrifice all defined in Jesus our Master is the call for all the members of his church. This is how we know what love is Jesus laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our friends. I John 3:16

In the Kingdom everyone has....
A store of seed in the generosity of God - II Corinthians 9:10-11
Access to the answers of heaven for the resistance of the world, Devil and the flesh. James 1:5
Great and precious promises that are adequate to propel us to fulfilling the calling of our lives. 2 Peter 1:3-4

A great High Priest who knows us in our weakness and bestows on us his Kingdom with power, love and a sound mind. Hebrews 10:19-25;

"For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." 2 Tim 1:7

Boundless resources. The invitation is to lavishly spend those in love on the "least of these".   Instead we continue to value what appears valuable through the lenses of our culture vrs the realities of the Kingdom of God.

5. Unity is not a fond feeling for us to "just get along".
Just getting along or simply ignoring those family members we find lower, uncouth or simply not presentable is not the unity found in Jesus. The Kingdom and righteousness won by Jesus Christ is so much more than "just" anything.

It is prevailing powerful beauty unleashing the loving kindness and freedom of the Father. Loving kindness that brings people into tasting and seeing that He is good. It transforms dead spirits to living sacrifices and it quickens the dead to eternal life.

The Kingdom unity found in Jesus is founded in victory, overcoming grace and powerful love.

There is no sentimentality in it. IT is too gritty and real for anything sentimental.

It informs every relationship with a righteousness that breathes freedom for air and eats grace for food.

We can forebear one another, which roughly translated these days may mean ignore, with ease. In the manifold wisdom that speaks death to the principalities and powers and witnesses their complete demise a "just getting along" sentimental unity cannot stand up; its crushed.