THE HIGHER GROUND.
An Introduction to Spiritual Unity Today.
by
Dr. Marc S. Blackwell, Sr.
Dedication: to my Irish Brethren.
EPHESIANS 4:3 “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (nkjv)
The unity of the Spirit is a relationship with the Spirit and a Biblical truth that can take us to genuinely “higher” or truly edifying “ground" if maintained in the “bond of peace.”
By suggesting "higher ground" as a goal, I am suggesting "going forward" - as David Livingstone was known for saying: 'Anywhere, so long as it is forward.” Livingstone was committed to this idea in both the geographical and the spiritual sense. We join him, in this study, by considering the spiritual applications of “reaching forward to those things that are ahead.” Looking back may seem useful but it is certainly not the principle focus of those who are endeavouring to maintain the ‘unity of the Spirit.’
Philippians 3:12
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (nkjv)
The blessings available to all those who minister in the Name of the Lord -- as a result of 'spiritual unity' -- will only be clearly observable in our ministries and teamwork efforts when and where we publicly and obviously demonstrate the principle of living peaceably with all men through Christian love, honest communication and reasonable cooperation.
Romans 12:17
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (nkjv)
We want to observe how (i.) effective communication, (ii.) cooperation, (iii.) planning and (iv.) strategic thinking are vital to any truly Biblical mission. These are Biblical behaviours and as such are organisational expectations that are believed by Christian leaders to be normal. Biblical truth is vital but Biblical attitudes are equally vital and necessary.
1 Corinthians 16:5
(i.) effective communication, “Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). 6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. (ii.) cooperation, 7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. (iii.) planning 9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (iv.) strategic thinking, 10 And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. 11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren. (nkjv) 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.
15 I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labours with us. 17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. (nkjv)
Not everyone’s personality will be easy for you to accept or for you to work easily with or especially to work along side of one another! Christian service and ministry require a desire to understand others and forgive others. The give and take that is born from mutual respect, honesty and love is essential. Living life under the control of the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18-21 and Galatians 5:22-26) calls for us to live on a higher level than that which we see in the world (Ephesians 4:-17-32.)
2 Corinthians 13:11
“…. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (nkjv)
Spiritual Unity results from, among other things, prayerful and humble reconciliation. Honesty of Christian Character leads us to be tender and kind toward each other and to be forgiving. Time does not heal, time only hides matters. Only God's grace in action in our lives by the Spirit and by working together and through the Word Of God can and will change our hearts. The “bond of peace”
Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (nkjv)
Biblical truth is not just a matter of doctrine but Biblical Truth also speaks of our living truly, or ethically, according to the revealed Word of God. Of course, we all recognise that all doctrines are not equally important to our Christian service or to our individual Christian teamwork. Our collective direction needs to be found in three dimensions of truth: the revealed Word, the applied Word and the declared Word. Understanding the need to “move forward” in our relationships with others is more than just sheer determination to ignore or or somehow to work around others with whom we by God's grace have been drawn to include.
Philemon, 4
“I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”(nkjv)
To be a consistent and conservative, Bible-believing Christian is to be committed to demonstrating our love and our true compatibility toward all other believers within a normal circle of sound Biblical fellowship.
1 Peter 4:7
”But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” (nkjv)
If we place others outside of our circle of communication, cooperation or fellowship due to: (i.) our frustrations with their inconsistencies, (ii.) our disrespect for their choices, or (iii.) even our concerns about their weaker theological views, we will only weaken overall all that we are attempting to do by the grace of God. If, for what ever reasons we might recognise or if due to whatever errors we ultimately can not resolve between each other, we become isolated - Satan wins that round.
2 Thessalonians 3:1
“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.
5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
To think honestly, orderly and efficiently we must deal with the real surface challenges in our live and ministries. Only by growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ can we improve our spiritual walk and our spiritual models. Only once we are willing to grow - [at what ever stage or age in life we might find ourselves] - can we foster further Christian dialogue and be a party to the nurturing of the personal vision of others with which we have to do. Only by the personal edification and the building of shared visions in concert with others - with family members, co-workers, others concerned and committed to Christ can we expect to know the blessings of the Lord on our ministries.
2 Peter 3:14
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (nkjv)
The collective or shared objective of any one of us who call ourselves missionaries should not be that 'unique' from all the others. The Gospel message needs be heard in simplicity! Christianity was never meant to be accomplished through our human complexities, academic influence or even our personal uniqueness. If the Gospel message is to advance it must do so by the Word and the Spirit and our submissiveness to the Lord and to our brethren.
The theory and method underlying our missionary work must demonstrate what is possible when Christians leaders, churches and organisations
… are willing to work together!
2 Corinthians 11:1
“Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” (nkjv)
2 Thessalonians 3:6
“But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” (nkjv)
Separation from personal and ecclesiastical compromise along with exposing heresy has its place, but a Christian's weaknesses, or judgment errors and personal inexperience are not matters of doctrinal heresy - not by any definition! Unless genuine Christian believers are also able to recognise the commonness of their basic beliefs - spiritual unity is a meaningless ideal.
2 Peter 2: 1
“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” (nkjv)
If we are not able to integrate our basic ministries and find a reasonableness in handling our organisational needs our isolation will 'speak' against us! The spirit of evangelism, outreach and unity in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles calls us to share with one another and care for one another! By serving together we can strengthen our ability to learn together and then we can lead our ministries and our brethren to a more responsible and even greater capability - one that brings eternal glory to our Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:1
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.
But let each one take heed how he builds on it.” (nkjv)
We need to consider one-another’s heart attitudes and also consider the need for resolution of any personal and ministry misunderstandings if we are to be responsible and prayerfully humble in accomplishing our ministry’s Vision for the Future. Christ is coming... soon! Will he find us faithful to our mission our calling and to the message of salvation, sanctification and hope?
1 Corinthians 4:1
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (nkjv)
Is it possible, rather that our Lord will find us inefficient, ineffective and frustrated by our circumstances? How can the Christians (and unbelievers) to whom we minister be able to ignore what they know is unresolved between their region’s leadership? Christians, young and old alike, can recognise ...in their hearts, when the state of our relationships is excluding the ‘Higher Ground ‘ that is taught in Eph. 4 or Phil. 2? How can they serve, commit and share the Gospel freely and with power while remaining under the cloud of a leadership seemingly incapable or unwilling to reconcile one with the other?
1 Corinthians 4:16
“Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” (nkjv)
Summary thoughts: Time does not heal, time hides but only God's grace in action in lives by the Spirit and the Word changes hearts. We must all agree that the Word of God by the Spirit of God can guide us all into what I am calling the ‘Higher Ground’ of love and service in Christ Jesus. The best term that describes this matter is the Biblical terminology: "the unity of the Spirit."
- Spiritual Unity results from, among other things, prayerful and humble reconciliation.
- living peaceably with all men through Christian love, honest communication and reasonable cooperation.
- Not everyone’s personality will be easy for you to work easily with or even more so to work along side of one another!
- (i.) Effective communication, (ii.) Cooperation, (iii.) Planning along with (iv.) Strategic thinking are vital.
- Biblical truth is not just a matter of doctrine but Biblical Truth also speaks of our living truly, or ethically.
- The collective objective of any one of us who call ourselves missionaries should not be 'unique' from all the others.
- If we place others outside of our circle of communication, cooperation or fellowship due to: (i.) our frustrations with their inconsistencies, (ii.) our disrespect for their choices, or (iii.) even our concerns about their weaker theological views, we will only weaken overall all that we are attempting to do by the grace of God.
- A Christian's weaknesses, or judgment errors and personal inexperience are not matters of doctrinal heresy.
- By serving together we can strengthen our ability to learn together and then we can lead our ministries and our brethren to more responsible and greater capabilities that can bring eternal glory to our Lord.
- Christ is coming... soon!
- How can the Christians to whom we minister be able to ignore what they know is unresolved between their leaders?
- ‘Higher Ground’ of love and service in Christ Jesus.
- The best term that describes this matter is the Biblical terminology:
"the unity of the Spirit."
—————————————————————————————-
