One body, and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God
and Father of all.
This pretty well takes care of all the ways that are at odds with how
God really wants them. There is one and only one body, spirit, Lord,
faith, baptism, God and Father of all. As followers and believers, we
need to make ourselves subservient to the will of God, and not to our
own will, popular will, or the will of those who we perceive to have
a much better handle on what the will of God really is.
How good it would be now for God to let us individually know how we
are tainting His will and plan with our own garbage so that we could
quickly ask for forgiveness.
God is not going to allow us to decide that our own special group or
idea is better than those of different or almost-like faith. We are
the clay.
Ephesians 4 (KJV) as written by Paul:
(1) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
(2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing
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, even as ye are 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.
And in Colossians 1 (KJV) talking of Jesus:
(15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
every creature:
(16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that
are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions,
or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for
him:
(17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
(18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
(19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness
dwell;
(20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things
in earth, or things in heaven.
And in Romans 15:5-7 (KJV), further asking for unity:
(5) Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded
one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
(6) That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(7) Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to
the glory of God.
In Romans 12:4-5 (KJV), we see another aspect of how we are one in
body with Christ, even though we have different roles:
(4) For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not
the same office:
(5) So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members
one of another.
I Corinthians 8:6 (KJV) adds to this as well:
(6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things,
and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and
we by him.
And in Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV), even more on the subject:
(13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ:
(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ:
(16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by
that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying
of itself in love.
In Romans 1:11-12 (NIV), Paul talks of being mutually encouraged:
(11) I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift
to make you strong
(12) that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's
faith.
Paul is talking of working together toward the same goal, not in trying
to keep others separate so that he can move ahead of them spiritually.
In Romans 1:15-16 (NIV), Paul talks of "a" righteousness
that is lived by all who have faith:
(16) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then
for the Gentile.
(17) For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness
that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The
righteous will live by faith."
In Romans 2:9-10 (NIV), we learn that God does not show favoritism.
(9) There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does
evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
(10) but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for
the Jew, then for the Gentile. (11) For God does not show favoritism.
In Hebrews chapter 2 (KJV), we see more of a looking at one or all:
(6) But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that
thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
(7) Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him
with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
(8) Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For
in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is
not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
(9) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the
grace of God should taste death for every man.
(10) For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom
are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
(11) For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all
of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
(17) Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the
people.
In Romans 3 (NIV), we are told:
(27) Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On
that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.
(28) For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing
the law.
(29) Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too?
Yes, of Gentiles too,
(30) since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by
faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith
Likewise in 1 Timothy 2:5 (NIV), we read:
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus,"
In I Corinthians 12 (NIV), Paul discusses the gifts, service, and working
as coming from one Spirit,
one Lord, and one God:
(4) There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
(5) There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
(6) There are different kinds of working, but the same God works
all of them in all men.
(7) Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the
common good.
(8) To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom,
to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
(9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of
healing by that one Spirit,
(10) to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing
between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,
and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
(11) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he
gives them to each one, just as he determines.
Paul writes of singleness of heart in fearing God in Colossians 3:22
(KJV)
"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh;
not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing
God;"
In Philippians 1:27 (KJV), we see that we should be steady in one spirit
and with one mind striving together:
"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:
that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your
affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together
for the faith
of the gospel;"
However, simply believing in one God is not enough as per James 2:19
(NIV):
"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe
thatand shudder."
Your bible is your best resource. In addition, you can also check for more informative insight.
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