The Unity of the Faith

Q: What does the Bible say about unity in the faith?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of maintaining unity through humility and love among believers. Ephesians 4:1-16 highlights the call for believers to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, underscoring the virtues of humility, patience, and love as vital to preserving the unity of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul urges that we endeavor to maintain this unity, as there is one body, one Spirit, and one hope for all believers. This unity reflects the work of the Triune God and is essential for the effective functioning of the Church, which is named the body of Christ. Without unity, the body cannot grow, mature, or effectively fulfill its mission.

Q: How do we know that unity in the Church is important?

Unity in the Church is essential for spiritual growth and reflects God's character among believers. Unity is crucial because it aligns with the nature of God and the design of the Church. When we are united, we embody the truth of the Gospel, which communicates God’s love and grace to the world. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians by stating that all believers are part of one body and are called to work together in unity, underscoring the significance of spiritual maturity as a collective goal. Additionally, a fragmented Church is ineffective in its witness and can lead to divisions that detract from the Gospel’s message of reconciliation and love.

Q: Why is humility important for Christians?

Humility is vital for fostering unity and love among Christians, reflecting Christ's character. Humility is a foundational virtue in the Christian life that allows us to put others before ourselves, acknowledging our need for grace. Ephesians 4:2-3 urges believers to walk with all humility and gentleness, which cultivates an environment where love flourishes and unity can be maintained. In our relationships with one another, humility leads us to forgive and forbear with each other's weaknesses and failures. This posture not only reflects the character of Christ but is also essential for our witness and effectiveness in ministry.

Q: How can the Church achieve maturity in faith?

The Church matures in faith through the teaching of God’s Word and the exercise of spiritual gifts. Maturity in faith is achieved as believers grow in the knowledge of the Son of God, which is facilitated through the preaching and teaching of His Word. Ephesians 4:11-13 outlines that Christ has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the saints for ministry, enabling the body to grow and be built up in love. This maturity is characterized by unity in faith and an understanding that every member has a part to play, contributing to the overall growth and edification of the Church.

All right, let's open our Bibles
now to the book of Ephesians. It may have been better if I
had asked one of the elders to preach tonight because I'm not totally up to
par. But I've missed several services,
and I was reluctant not to be here and speak tonight. I wanted
to because I have something on my heart and on my mind. Generally, when a message is
born of an experience, it seems to be more profitable,
at least to the preacher. whether to the hearers remains
to be seen. But there's something that I've
thought about for several days, and I want to address it this
evening. The title of this message is The Unity of the Faith. The Unity of the Faith. I'm going
to read several verses now from Ephesians 4. And I want you to follow as I
read Ephesians chapter 4, beginning with verse 1. I therefore am the prisoner of
the Lord. This is the Apostle Paul talking. Not a prisoner of Rome or of
Nero, but I'm where I am by the providence of God, according
to the will of my Father and his good providence and purpose.
And I beseech you that you walk that you walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith you are called. Walk like believers. Talk like
believers. Act like believers. Walk worthy
in a worthy manner because ours is a high calling. We are sons
of God. Sons of God. Ambassadors of the
King. And our conduct and walk ought
to be in keeping with our calling. And walk with all loneliness,
humility, meekness, long-suffering, patience, forbearing, forgiving
one another in love, forbearing one another, bearing one another's
infirmities and weaknesses, failures. Love covers a multitude of faults. True, genuine love overlooks
false, no matter how severe they are, weaknesses, infirmities. Those we love, we forgive and
we bear with their failures. Endeavoring, verse 3, endeavoring
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, putting
forth every effort, endeavoring personally to keep that unity
of the Spirit, unity of the faith and the bond of peace, peace
between yourselves, among yourselves, in the assembly of God, in the
body of Christ, peace, joy. Keep out strife and divisions
and trouble. Live in peace with all men. There's
one body and one spirit Even as you're called in one hope
of your calling, there's one Lord, there's one faith, there's
one baptism, there's one God and Father of all, who's above
all and through all and in you all. But unto every one of us
is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
He gives to every man severally as he will. Wherefore, he saith, when he
ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also, our Lord,
descended first into the lower parts of the earth. He who ascended
is he who descended. He who went back to the Father
is he who came from the Father. He came here and accomplished
what the Father sent him to accomplish, and he went back to the Father
Verse 10 says, He that descended, this same Jesus, is the same
also that ascendeth up far above all heavens, that He might fulfill
all things. He ascended to the right hand
of God where He reigns, where He ever lives to make intercession. And He gave, He left on this
earth. He gave some apostles. He gave us apostles. Peter, James,
John, others. Gave some prophets. He gave the
prophets to the churches. Gave some evangelists, traveling
missionaries. Some pastors and teachers. He
put pastors and teachers in the body, gave them gifts, taught
them His Word, sent them to preach. Why? Verse 12, for the maturity,
the word perfecting is for the maturity of the saints. We grow in grace and the knowledge
of Christ. We desire the sincere milk of
the Word that we may grow. Maturity in faith, in love, in
all the graces comes through the Word. This is the meat on
which we grow and the bread on which we grow. Until verse 13
says, and this is all going to be till we all come in the unity
of the faith. Till we come in the unity of
the faith. Our Lord said, Peter, all his
ups and downs and ins and outs and struggles and difficulties
and bragging and impudence. The Lord said, when you're converted,
strengthen your breath. When you come to the unity of
the faith, to the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a mature
man, look at verse 13, till you all come in the unity of the
faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a mature man, unto
the measure, the stature, the fullness of Christ, an elder
in the faith, grown up, grown up, a pillar in the church, pillar
and ground of the church. That's what this preaching is
all about. That's what we're here for. That's
what God sent us to do. He sent us to do. His people
might grow up. Grow up. Be mature. Verse 14, that we henceforth
be no more children. caused to and fro, cared about
whatever wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive." We're supposed to be children
in one sense of the word. We're supposed to be children
in that we're willing to learn, in that we're willing to take
rebuke, in that we're willing to take instructions. Children
in that we're willing to forgive. children in that we're willing
to forbear children. I'm a child. Teach me. Instruct
me. Lead me. Lead me. We're to be
children in that sense. But we're not to be children
in the sense that we're untaught and immature and throw our tantrums
and divisive and act like babies. Don't quit acting like a baby.
You know, that's what I'm talking about. Be children in attitude
in that you're willing to learn, be taught and led, but don't
be a baby in the sense that you're not grown up. Verse 15, but speaking
the truth in love may grow up in the heel. in all things, in
every area grow up, which is the head, even Christ, from whom
the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supplied, the whole body, every member is essential, every
member is a part of the body, every joint supplied according
to the effectual working and the measure of every part Every
part of the body of Christ maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love. Now, look at that verse again,
verse 16, from whom the whole body fitly joined together. Christ is the head, and we're
the body of Christ. And every member of the body
is put there by the hand of God. It's like the stone in the living
temple. And every part of the body fitly
joined together, compacted by that which every joint supplies,
according to the effectual working and the measure of every part,
making increase of the body unto the edifying of the self in love.
We're not believers sitting out trying to be individualistic
apart from the body of Christ. Doing my thing. Going my way. except Jesus as my personal Savior
and pay no attention to anybody or anything that I wind up in
glory. And that's not it. It's a body. Put together by the hand of God,
by the amazing miracle wisdom of God. Every part. One part of the body is not without
the other. All fit together. Every joint
supplied. all essential. Now I've just
come back from preaching a few days for a church which has experienced
some problems. This church is no fly-by-night
operation. This church has been in that
area almost 40 years. I've been preaching down there
almost 40 years. They've heard some of the best
preachers in the country. This church has been true to
the gospel of God's grace in Christ all these years. There's
never been any Arminianism and free willism and departure from
the truth of God's grace. Most of these years, this church
has been under the leadership of the same pastor, a faithful,
godly man who knows and loves the gospel and always preached
it. And most of the members there I've known for all these years
and most of them have been there many, many, many years. Them
and their children and their grandchildren. Well some years
ago the pastor was stricken with poor health and he resigned. And they got a new pastor who
served there for Four or five years. And it was a difficult
four or five years. And there were disagreements
and there were divisions. Real or unreal, I don't know.
Troublesome. Many of the members quit. Quit
attending because of these differences. And trouble divided the church.
Some went one way and some went the other. And then this pastor
resigned and left. And they called another preacher.
And he's a man of grace, a man of the Gospel, a man of the truth,
a man of the Word of God. I've known him for many years. And he preaches the Gospel. He
preaches it with clarity. And I went down there this past
week and preached five messages, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
two messages. Some of the people who had quit
attending the church because of these differences and so forth
returned. They came back to the services.
Some came, I guess, willingly, some reluctantly, but some came.
However, some did not. Several did not. People whom
I've known for all these years, as long as I've known some of
you. People whom I call dear friends,
brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom I've sat at the table,
with whom I've worshipped, to whom I've preached, with whom
I've rejoiced, with whom I've prayed for 35, 36, 37, 38 years.
And they have not returned They would not return, and I
guess have no intention of returning. And they wouldn't come to hear
me preach. I know these feelings run deep, and I know divisions
and schisms and problems in churches run deep. And I know pride was
an awful, awful, awful enemy to face. Devastating. But here is a church in a community
preaching the gospel of God's grace, clearly preaching the
gospel of God's grace, where people, sons and daughters of
the King are meeting on the Lord's Day, where a pastor of many years'
experience and fellowship through the years has come down to preach.
And the great old hymns are sung, and the Word of God is read like
you read it tonight, and prayers are offered. for the saints,
and for the glory of Christ, and for the well-being of our
children, and our grandchildren, our community. And they can't come together
and worship. They can't come. They stay away.
They're upset with this one, or that one, or the other one.
They're troubled over this, that, or the other. They disagree with
this, that, or the other. But it's the same gospel. It's
the same preacher that's preached there for years. It's the same Christ, it's the
same gospel, it's the same glory of God. And they can't come. They can't worship, and they
can't rejoice, and they can't take part, and they can't forgive,
and they can't forbear, and they can't forget, and they can't
come together. Something's wrong. My heart is troubled. Something's
wrong. And I feel impressed to address
this type of thinking. And I feel impressed to sound
a warning to myself and to you and to anyone who will listen
to this message. Old Dr. McGregor said years ago, my best interest will be served
if I find out in my day the direction the sovereign Redeemer is moving
in my day. Find out where he is moving,
the direction in which he is moving. Find out in your day
and in your locality, in your area, the people who have his
gospel. They may be weak, they may be
frail, they may be just human beings, but if they have his
gospel, and they are honoring His Son, and they are reading
His Word, and they are meeting in His Name. You find out where
they are. And you find out the pastor and
preacher that is unashamed to boldly declare all of the counsel
of God. Find that congregation in your
area where God is worshiped, where God's Word is taught, and
you unite with them, whatever it costs. Whatever the
price you have to pay, whether your pride has to be swallowed,
whether your hurt feelings have to be forgotten, I'm telling
you, my best interest will be served by being where God is. Being where God is. You know,
I read here, turn to Acts chapter 2. I read here in the book of
Acts, the early church, I read here in the book of Acts where
these people, they were together. They were together. This body
of Christ was together. They didn't feel that they could
survive apart from the body. They didn't feel that they could
be nourished and strengthened apart from the body. They felt
they needed every part of the body. I like what Ruth said,
where you go, I go. Your God is my God. Your people are my people. Where
you die, fine. Where you're buried, I'll be
buried by God's grace. You can treat me not to leave
there. I'm not going to voluntarily
leave. Don't y'all run me off. That's what she said. Nobody's going to run me off
from God. Where God is, I'm going to be there, aren't you, John?
Listen here, Acts 2. Then, verse 41, then, Acts 2,
41, Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the
same day there were added to them about three thousand souls.
And they continued steadfastly. It takes a lot of forbearing,
a lot of forgiving, and a lot of overlooking. Not just on your
part, but on their part. Each other. But they continued
steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine of fellowship, breaking of bread
and prayers, and fear came upon every soul. Many wonders and
signs were done by the Apostles, and all that believed were together. A body usually is together. It usually is. and had all things common. And
they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all
men as every man had need. And they continued daily with
one accord. God help us to be in one accord. And you know I read over there
in the book of Revelation, every voice in heaven and earth, elders
and the beast and the four and twenty elders and that great
multitude which no man could number. Every one of them were
crying and singing with one voice, unity of the faith, unity of
the spirit, unity of the heart, unto Him who loved us and watched
us from our sin. Big glory. I don't want anybody singing
that song and me sitting at home with an unforgiving spirit. I'd
be afraid God's into the hell. And He ought to. And He ought to. Two questions
arise when I read this in Acts 2 about these people being together. And I read in the book of Revelation
about those people being together. Two questions arise when I think
of people who cannot, for whatever reason, worship with God's people.
who cannot meet with God's people, who cannot support God's preacher,
who cannot praise God with the frail earthlings like we are. But that's what they are too.
I think to myself, well, how are they going to do it there
if they don't do it here? It seems like you'd be awful uncomfortable
there. The same folks are going to be
there. Sinners saved by grace. Isn't that right, Chuck and Jonathan
and Frank? We're going to worship Him together
up there. Can't we do it here? I tell you, if we can't do it
here, somebody's missing the grace of God. Isn't that right? You said we're going to be changed.
We're supposed to already be changed. That's right. We're new creatures in Christ
now. I'll tell you another question that bothers me is this, and
I want you to listen to this. How small, how small must be
a man's concept of God's kingdom when he feels like that he is
more important than the body as a whole? That goes for us
preachers too. when a man or woman feels that
they, an individual, is more important and worthy
of more attention than the body of Christ. The
body of Christ is the most important thing. It's not me at all. It's His body. You know, actually,
if you'll review the grand design of God in Redemption, I believe
it was Jonathan Edwards, I'm not sure, it's immaterial, but
somebody gave this outline of the great design of God in redemption. And it's not just to save me
from my sins. What kind of thinking pictures
God up yonder in eternal glory and majesty and greatness and
covenant mercies dwelling on my well-being? That's pretty
selfish, isn't it? I'll tell you what, I'll tell
you like Edward said, this is the grand design of God in redemption. Number one, He's going to glorify
His name. That's the primary object of
God in the covenant mercy and grace is to glorify His name.
John, is that right? The Lord Jesus prayed that. He
said, glorify me that I may glorify thee. That's the chief end of
man to glorify God. That's the chief purpose of God.
And my part in the kingdom of God will be determined by my
willingness to glorify God. Think about that now. My part
in the kingdom of God is determined by my willingness to glorify
God. And secondly, He is going to
exalt and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. He said in Philippians
2, every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to
confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Every
knee in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. And if I understand
this scripture, it is clear that the purpose of the Father is
to exalt the Son. And my part in the kingdom of
God will be determined by my willingness in heart and soul
to bow to Christ, to glorify Christ, and to honor Christ. And thirdly, the Lord is going
to destroy every enemy of Christ. Turn to Psalm 110. Listen to
this. Every enemy of Christ, that is, every spirit, every
attitude, which does not give him the glory, is going to be
destroyed. In Psalm 110, listen, verse 1,
the Lord said to my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I
make thine enemies thy footstool. Every enemy, every spirit, every
attitude. Turn to Psalm 2, listen to this.
Psalm chapter 2, verse 10. Be wise now therefore,
ye kings, be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord
with fear, rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
and you perish from the way when His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him. The Son is
going to be magnified and exalted. His enemies are going to be cursed. My part in that blessed kingdom
is determined by this spirit and attitude. True and righteous
are His judgments. Unto Him be glory both now and
forever. All glory, all praise. That's
right. It's an attitude, it's a spirit. And if a fellow adopts some doctrines, and adopt some traditions of
religion, however accurate, however logical, which does not crush
that pride and that arrogance and that selfishness and self-will. The great work that needs to
be done is not done. Converted, except you be converted
and become as little children, you won't enter the kingdom of
heaven. Our wills have got to be broken. Our selfishness, our self-righteousness,
our individuality, we've got to be brought into Christ. Like our Lord Jesus prayed, not
my will, thy will be done. Not my way, His way. Not my thoughts,
His thoughts. We used to sing that chorus,
John, melt me, mold me, crush me, do whatever is necessary
to get this stiff neck and hard heart and my way and my will
and I won't. I won't. You will or God will
send you to condemnation. I will. He's going to glorify His name.
He's going to exalt and magnify His Son. He's going to stamp
out every enemy. Every enemy. He's going to crush
every enemy. The last enemy that will be destroyed
is death. But nothing will enter that kingdom
that worketh or maketh a lie. Isn't that right? And then fourthly, He's going
to restore all the ruins of the fall. And He's going to populate
the new heaven and the new earth with a people like Christ. This
is a great thing. This is a bright thing. This
is the kingdom of God. I want to be a part of it. I'm
not going to try to bring the kingdom down to this little circle
of mine, this little world of mine, this little way of mine,
these little thoughts of mine, have my way, my will, my way. My desire? I've got to be lifted from this
dunghill and selfish circle and become a part of that great innumerable
company who worship the King. And that doesn't go for the walls
of this building here. God's kingdom is bigger than
my way, it's bigger than my place, it's bigger than my service.
It's His kingdom! I'm telling the truth. His kingdom. And this little thing of that
so many, how ridiculous, ridiculous it is, how utterly ridiculous
it is, for this preacher to go stand in a pulpit somewhere,
where he stood for years, where he preached for years,
to people who shared tears and joys and happinesses and sorrows. And I've watched their children
grow up and seen their grandchildren born, and now their great-grandchildren. And they were just in my Word,
were just in my message. But this old enemy, this old
subtle adversary, just something in them where they can't come
and hear the gospel, that breaks my heart. I sit at home right down the street
because this old man has not been conquered. He can't forgive. He can't forget. I do know. I know what's wrong with us.
It's flesh, it's pride, it's self-will. And that's this conversion business. It's great, magnificent, indescribable. It's a mystery. It's a miracle
of God. It's where He becomes our life,
our love, and our hope, and our all. We can't survive without the
body. Can't do it. Anyone who can survive
without the body is not in the body. It's not too hard. It's just so, though. Just so.
And I said this to them. First, I stood in the pulpit,
the first service down there, and I said, turn to Romans 1.
You turn to Romans 1 a minute, will you? Romans chapter 1. Some of them came back. I hope they
really came back. I hope it just wasn't their bodies
that came back. I pray for them. Because God
looks on the heart. I saw their bodies there. God
saw their hearts wherever they were. I hope they were there. But here in Romans 1 verse 14,
the Apostle Paul of all people, he says, I'm a debtor. I'm a
debtor. I borrow that praise. I'm a debtor. Heavily, heavily
in debt. That's right, you are too. I'm
in debt to God who chose me to love Him, to serve Him, to glorify
Him. I'm in debt to Christ who redeemed
me. Oh, my, my, my. You're not your own. You're bought
with a price. What a price! The blood of God's Son. I'm in
debt to the Holy Spirit who called me. I'm a debtor to these men
who wrote these Old Testament Scriptures that I love. Types
and pictures of Christ. They suffered, they bled, they
died for what they believed. God used them. I'm in debt to
the apostles and the New Testament saints, those who gave us this
blessed Word. I'm in debt to the Reformers.
I'm in debt to the Bible translators, the men who took this out of
Greek and Hebrew and put it in English and printed the Bible
and died for what they did. I'm in debt to the old hymn writers.
I'm in debt to men who preached the gospel before me and wrote
books for me to read. I'm in debt to Brother Barnard
who came to Ashton and preached the gospel to this lost Southern
Baptist preacher. I'm a debtor to those faithful
men and women who've gone before, men and women who sat right here
in this congregation, who gave their money and their time and
their efforts and backed this preacher, loved him and supported
him. I'm in debt to them. I'm in debt
to you who are here now. We have this ministry God has
given us. He's put us in this ministry.
I'm in debt to you. But I'll tell you this, we're
all in debt to our children and grandchildren to keep this ministry
alive. That's right. Isn't that right,
Tom? Isn't that right, Ronnie? Isn't
that right, Ronnie? Michael, whatever I have to do,
whatever I have to give, whatever sacrifice I make, will be nothing
compared to the sacrifices that were made before me for my benefit
and my blessing. People died that I might have
what I got here. It won't hurt me to die to myself. Isn't that right?

The Unity of the Faith

What does the Bible say about unity in the faith?

How do we know that unity in the Church is important?

Why is humility important for Christians?

How can the Church achieve maturity in faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Joshua

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

The Unity of the Faith

What does the Bible say about unity in the faith?

How do we know that unity in the Church is important?

Why is humility important for Christians?

How can the Church achieve maturity in faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book