We are One in the Spirit

This afternoon while having coffee with a friend, the topic of unity in the church came up.  I shared my thoughts that although sometimes God may give a new vision to some of his congregation that for the favor of God to rest on the church that unity in the church is required, that unity is a gift of the Holy Spirit not something we can manufacture on our own.

Some of my beliefs on unity originate from the spiritual practices I’ve learned from elders in my church who have shared the practices of Camp Farthest Out’s council ring with our church.  The council ring will pray until all members of the council ring are unified in their decisions.  

In the past year, I listened to a Dallas theological Seminary message by Dr. Tony Evans entitled “Kingdom Race Theology”.   He shares from Ephesians chapter 2 how Christ has reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to God through the cross.  That we have become one Spirit being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Holy Spirit, just as the Lord's prayer implores "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".  Dr. Evans shares that without our unity, shekinah glory of God, God's favor, the Holy Spirit fully unified with the Father and Son in the Trinity will not rest upon us.

This past week, I completed a study by Francis Chan preaches out of John 17 how Christ has prayed for his disciples and future followers to be unified so that they may see Gods glory, shekinah glory, the glory that was present in the Temple in the Holy of Holies.  With Christ's death and resurrection, believers now have access to God's Kingdom here on earth through our faith in Christ.  As described in Tim Keller's book, "King's Cross", Keller describes how Christ's death has given us access to the Garden of Eden, God's Kingdom, presence with God.  I his death, Christ faced the flaming swords guarding the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23-24). 

In the little church I have attended for over 20 years, we often sing "We are One in the Spirit"  before we have communal prayer.   This simple worship song is a way for our hearts to become in tune with each other in Spirit, welcoming the Holy Spirit's presence into our presence. 

We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity
May one day be restored

And they’ll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians
By our love

We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news
That God is in our land

All praise to the Father
From whom all things come
And all praise to Christ Jesus His only son
And all praise to the Spirit
Who makes us one

Make us one, Lord!

Make us one, Lord!