This writing is reprinted from “Just What the Bible is All About” by William M. Roberts © 1979 (temporarily out of print).

Unity of Believers and the New Testament Church

When we get saved, we are born into the family of God, and become a child of God or a son of God.  The other members of this household of God are our brothers and sisters.  This universal   family of God or household of God makes up the universal church, the church of God.  The term “church” according to the Bible means an assembly of “called out ones”.  Old Testament Israel was a nation called out to be a peculiar people, a chosen nation unto God.  Romans 2:28-29 and 9:6-8, teach that the true believers are spiritual Israelites or the New Testament Israel.  New Testa­ment Israel or the New Testament church is called out of sin and the world to be holy. Peter says to the “people of God” in I Peter 2:19 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  So, the universal church is that entire company of “called out ones” in all ages that are in heaven and on earth.

VISIBILITY OF THE CHURCH

In the Bible, when a body of these believers assembled together at a certain geographical location to worship God, they made up a visible congregation of the church of God.   Thus we read of “…the church of God at Corinth,” (I Cor. 1:2) or “…take care of the church of God,” (I Tim. 3:5).      The seven church­es in Asia Minor, recorded in the book of Revelation, were not different churches with different names and different creeds; but were simply local congregations of the one uni­versal church of God.   The reason Paul could preach and ordain elders “in every church” was because they were all alike, (Acts 14:23).  Quite a contrast from what we see today in what is called Christianity with all its various denomi­nations and different names and creeds.  How this all came about is explained in “Evil spirits in Church History” available from this publisher.

REASON FOR VISIBLE UNITY

John 17:21 “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE that thou hast sent me.”  Verse 23 “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect in one; and THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”  So we see the reason that believers must “dwell together in unity” (Psm. 133:1) and must “all speak the same thing” (I Cor. 1:10) is to convince unbelievers of the truth of Christianity.   That is why divided Christianity breeds unbelief and is why division among God’s people is so severely condemned by the Word of God.

UNITY OF BELIEVERS

The true born again experience, which brings us into a relationship with Christ, also brings us into a vital relationship through the Spirit with all others who have re­ceived a like experience. As we said, when we are born again we are born into the family of God and become a child of God or a son of God.  The other members of God’s family are our brothers and sisters.  We may differ in age, sex, intelligence, nationality or social background, yet if we are tru­ly saved “…we are members one of another,” (Eph. 4:25).

PAUL TEACHES UNITY

Speaking to the saved, those who “…have put on Christ”.  Paul says in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”   In Philippians 1:27, he tells them to “…stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”  He goes on in Philippians 2:2, to say “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”  In Romans 15:5-6, he says “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one to­ward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God…”   He admonished the Ephesians to endeavor “…to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” (Eph. 4:3).   He goes on to say in Ephesians 4:4-6, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

UNITY ENJOINED - DIVISION CONDEMNED

So complete and perfect is the Bible standard of unity among all the saved, that they are declared to constitute “one body in Christ”.  Every principle of truth in the Bible on the subject of unity enjoins that God’s people be united; and division is everywhere condemned.  In Romans 16:17 Paul says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine [of unity] which ye have learned; and avoid them.”  In I Corinthians 1:10 he says, “Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye speak [teach] the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

UNITY IN PROPHECY

Jeremiah 32:40 tells us the Lord “…will make an ever­lasting covenant…” with His people. (The book of Hebrews teaches that Christ is the mediator of this new covenant.)  The Lord says in Jeremiah 32:38-39 “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, And I will give them one heart, and one way…” David says in Psalms 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

CHRIST DIED FOR UNITY

Unity is so important that Christ taught, prayed for, and died for the unity of His believers.  One purpose of Christ’s death was that “…He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad,” (John 11:52).  Jesus, in John 10:15-16 said, “…I lay down my life for the sheep.  And other sheep [Gentiles] I have, which are not of this [Jewish] fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”  We read how these two classes were made “one new man” in Ephesians 2:11-22.  The Gentiles (Vs 13) were “made nigh by the blood of Christ.”  Both Jew and Gentile were reconciled unto God in one body (Vs 16) by the cross.”   “…Both have access by one Spirit (Vs 18) unto the Father.”  Paul tells the Gen­tiles (Vs 19) “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”  He goes on to say (Vs 22) “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

CHRIST PRAYED FOR UNITY

The seventeenth chapter of John records the great prayer Jesus prayed to the Father.  In verses 20 and 21 He says, “Neither pray I for these alone, [His Apostles] but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [believers today] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”  He goes on to pray in verse 23, “…That they may be made perfect in one…!!  

CONDITIONS FOR BIBLE UNITY

It could be said that Jesus’ great prayer in the seven­teenth chapter of John contains the outline for Bible unity.   First of all, we see that Christ prayed (Vs 9) “…Not for the world but for them thou hast given me; for they are thine.”  So then the first condition for Bible unity is:

WE MUST BELONG TO GOD

Christian unity is possible only for true believers, only for those who are “in Christ”.  This means those who have been saved from sin and are “not of the world”.

WE MUST RECEIVE AND KEEP GOD’S WORD

In John 17:6 Christ said, “…they have kept thy word.”  This signifies continued obedience to the entire Word of God.

WE MUST BE SANCTIFIED ­

In John 17:17 Christ prays, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”  This is that second experience of power and heart cleansing, also termed, the baptism with the Holy Ghost.  All who meet the above Bible conditions can be “made perfect in one”. 

WE MUST BE KEPT IN THE FATHER'S NAME

In John 17: 11 Jesus prayed, “Holy Father, keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”  He said in the next verse that He “…kept them in thy name…”  The Father’s name is God.  The New Testament church obeyed this, hence were called the “church of God”.

NAME OF CHURCH

Paul also tells us in Ephesians 3:14-15 of this whole family in heaven and earth that is named after the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Father’s name of course is God, thus the name of the church in the Bible is the “church of God,” and is called just that several places in the New Testament.  Again in John 17:11-12, Christ prayed, “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name.”

ONLY ONE CHURCH

The Bible only speaks of but one true church.  It is the one Jesus said He would build in Matthew 16:18.  Christ is the door of the church and says in John 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…”   In Acts 2:47 we learn that the Lord added to the church those that were being saved.  The Bible defines the church as the body of Christ.   Christ being the head and all the saved people being members in particular, making up the one body of Christ, (I Cor. 12:27, Col. 1:18).

ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT Of THE CHURCH

This one church of the Bible we read about was not or­ganized or governed by mere men or committees.  I Corinthians 12:18 tells us, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”  Then Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”  Therefore the gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversity of tongues, (languages) and other gifts of the Spirit were divided amongst various ones at each local congregation, as God willed, to enable the church to function as one body.

UNITY OF THE CHURCH

This early church did function as one body, for Acts 4:32 says they “…were of one heart and one soul…”   In Acts 2:46 we learn they were “… with one accord…” and “…singleness of heart.”

UNITED IN DOCTRINE

They were united in doctrine, for Acts 2:42 says, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship…”

UNITED IN NAME

They were united in name, the Father’s name, as Christ prayed in the 17th chapter of John.  The “church of God” of course is the name they were united in.  The unity of the New Testament church is also taught in I Corinthians 12:12-13 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.   For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

HINDRANCES TO UNITY

Now while the born again experience automatically puts one in the kingdom of God or family of God and automatically unites them with all other saved people to a certain extent, there are still problems that prevent that perfect unity that we see displayed by the New Testament church.

CARNALITY HINDERS UNITY

One problem that hinders unity is that indwelling carnal nature that still remains in the heart after one is saved.   This is the reason there was division between certain bre­thren at the church of God in Corinth; they were “yet carnal” (I Cor. 3:1-5).   Many times the church at Corinth is used by some to excuse or allow division between God’s people.  How­ever the problem that existed there was by no means excused by Paul as he dealt with them very severely.

SANCTIFICATION SLAYS CARNALITY

As was mentioned, entire sanctification, or the bap­tism of the Holy Ghost, purifies the heart and destroys car­nality; therefore enables the people of God to be “perfect in one”.  This is one reason this second experience has been so severely contested by the devil.  False prophets have tried to teach people that entire sanctification cannot be obtain­ed in this life, or that you grow into it, or that you re­ceive it all at once in the first work of grace.  It has also been counterfeited by those claiming you receive it when you speak in an unintelligible jargon, which they call tongues.   Others have denied the cleansing aspect in this second experience in an attempt to keep one from paying the full price to obtain this definite experience.  Likewise, some teach it on paper, but soft pedal the true conditions to receive this most essential second definite work of grace.  I say most essential in that this is the experience that not only gives us boldness to witness, but it supplies additional power to resist temptation, thereby helping us to keep our first experience.  This is also when we receive the “Spirit of Truth” that “guides us into all truth,” (John 16:13).  Then of course, this is the experience that destroys heart carnality, thereby enabling us to be “perfectly united”.   We would remind you that this experience is for believers only (not for the world) and is received by faith when we completely surrender our holy bodies for service to God, (Rom. 12:1).   So we ask as does Paul in Acts 19:2, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?”   If you are truly saved and not yet sanctified, we hope that you will go on and receive this experience that is for all of God’s children.  We also hope by exposing some of these false theories, that you will be able to keep from being deceived. Hebrews 2:11 tells us, “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.”  Yes, entire sanctification will enable believers to have perfect unity.   Without this experience that destroys heart carnality (the very root of division) there cannot, and will not be perfect unity.  As we had mentioned, Jesus prayed for His disciples to be sanctified that they be “made perfect in one,” (John 17:17-23). We see the results of this prayer manifested in the New Testament church.  For they “...were of one heart and of one soul…,” “…were of one accord and singleness of heart…”  “They continued steadfast in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship.”

 FALSE DOCTRINE PREVENTS UNITY

In Acts 2:42 we just read of the reason these early brethren were united. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship.  There can be no real Bible unity unless there is unity in doctrine.  Not man-made doctrine (which is false doctrine) but the “apostles’ doc­trine”.  The apostles’ doctrine came from Christ, who re­ceived it from God the Father.  In John 17:8 we read “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them…”  In verse 6 above this, Jesus said, “…they have kept thy word.”

PREACHER EXALTATION HINDERS UNITY

The Bible presents a standard of spiritual equality for all those who are redeemed.  I Corinthians 12:13 says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free…” Galatians 3:28 also adds, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”  In the New Testament church there was also equality among the ministry.  Paul says in Ephesians 3:8, that he was “…less than the least of all saints…”   John considered himself just one of the brothers and says in Revelation 1:9 “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ…”   Jesus taught against one preacher exalting himself above another and says in Matthew 23:8, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”  Therefore, preacher exaltation is another problem that has greatly contributed to scattering God’s people and preventing them from being “perfectly united in one” as Jesus had prayed for in the 17th chapter of John.   For when man wants the preeminence, he forms his own ideas on how the church should be organized, governed, operated, etc.  Then another man’s idea conflicts with this, so an­other sect is formed calling itself a church and naming it a name derived from the mind of men.  This results in divi­ding and scattering the flock.  Preachers wanting the preeminence is the way the Papacy developed. This will be explained more fully, as well as the development of the various denominations in “Evil Spirits in Church History”.   For now, I’ll just say that man rule got so bad that people came to think that certain men could impart spiritual grace through various rituals; leading to all kinds of false ideas on water baptism, communion, etc.  

ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT IS COUNTERFEIT UNITY

The Ecumenical Movement is full of false doctrine and even the most conservative within this movement compromises Bible standards. The Ecumenical Movement is a counterfeit and a hindrance to true Bible unity.   Any council of church­es banding together without being united in true Bible doc­trine, is not Bible unity.  It is only a union of false re­ligions trying to claim unity.  There are two spiritual gatherings presently taking place.  Besides the gathering of the deceivers and the deceived; God is also calling His children into a oneness of perfect unity.  This true unity call is based on Bible standards and is not a compromise for the sake of togetherness.   Perfect unity is already a present reality and is growing as this true unity message reaches the saved that have been misled and scattered throughout man-made churches and relig­ious confusion.

PRACTICAL REASONS FOR UNITY

To be able to live righteously one must first be saved.  Then to live it consistently he needs to be sanctified.  Furthermore, he must also be united with those of kindred spirits.  Here are some reasons why: When we get saved we are called out of sin and the world.  We are in the world but not part of the world.  Our goals, our desires, our thoughts are different from those in the world.  If one was to try to have fellow-ship with the “old crowd” it would not be long until he would be part of them again.  Jesus said His followers, “...are not of the world…” (John 17: 16).  Now while we need fellowship and a support group, it cannot be with those who are not teaching and standing for all the truth.  So while the Bible teaches believers are to be united, they are to avoid those with doctrines contrary to the truth.  The book of Revelation symbolizes the religious maze of confusion we see today as “Babylon”.  God has and is calling his people out of “spiritual Babylon” to the true church of God. Just as there are those who call themselves Christians who are not, there are places called “Church of God” who are not standing for all truth.  However, I believe if one is earnestly seeking truth, God will lead them to the right place eventually.  There is yet a remnant of God’s people living as the Bible teaches.  There is still a real God, a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ that supplies power to make one Christ-like; power to enable one to live righteously.  The reward for so doing is “…an hundred fold, now in this time… and in the world to come eternal life,” (Mark 10:28-30).

FIGURATIVE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE CHURCH

The church is also compared to as a building, as the Bride of Christ, as a flock, a city, and so forth.  As a building, the apostles and prophets are the foundation, Christ being the chief cornerstone, and the members are fit­ly framed together growing into an holy temple in the Lord, (See Eph. 2:19-22, and I Pet. 2:5).   In Acts 20:28, the church of God is represented as a flock, and we learn was purchased with the blood of Christ, and that the Holy Ghost appoints the overseers.  As a city it is symbolically termed Zion or New Jerusalem. Hebrews 12:22-23 states, “But ye are come unto mount Sion, [or Zion] and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”  Then the church as the Lamb’s wife, or Bride of Christ, we see in Ephesians 5:25-27 that “… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it [her]: That He might sanctify and cleanse it [her] that He might present it [her] to Himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it [she] should be holy and without blemish.”

THE CHURCH IN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY AND “TYPE”

The New Testament Church is prophesied of in the Old Testament and seen through types and shadows.  The church of God is often referred to as the house of God, His spiritual dwelling place on earth.  In Old Testament times the house of God was an earthly structure, the tabernacle, the temple, etc.  In New Testament times God dwells in His people and we, His people, are the temple of God.  “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (I Cor. 3:16). The Old Testament prophets predicted the coming of the Messiah and said that He would build another house of God, which would be a spiritual house.   Jeremiah 23:5-6 is prophecy concerning Christ calling Him “The Branch”. Then Zechariah 6:12-13 informs us that “…the man whose name is The Branch…shall build the temple of the Lord…”   Christ fulfills these prophecies and says in Matthew 16:18 “I will build my church…”   Christ is the foundation of this spiritual temple and I Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”  Hebrews 9:1-14 also teaches us the Old Testament house of God was a “type” or “figure” of a “… greater and more perfect tabernacle…” (Vs 11) intro­duced by Christ and dedicated by His own blood.  

SUMMARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

So we see according to the scriptures that the word “church” refers to a spiritual institution, rather than a literal building or human organization as it is commonly used today.   We see that the church of the Bible is named “church of God,” (Acts 20:28, I Cor. 1:2, etc.) We also see that this one and only (Rom. 12:4-5) church of the Bible is pure and holy, (Eph. 5:25-29) for only truly saved people, those who are living free from sin, are members; as salvation through Christ is its only mode of entrance, (John 10:9, Acts 2:47).  Through gifts of the Spirit, (I Cor. 12:18) God organized and governed (and governs today) this church by enabling various ones to teach, pastor and so forth.  Someone didn’t just decide they would like to be a pastor; but they were divinely called of God and given that specific ability, (Eph. 4:11-12).  The other saints, being spiritually minded; simply recognized they had that divine gift.  Most of all we see in this New Testament church of God a “perfect unity” displayed by these believers.   Acts 4:32 says they “were of one heart and one soul”.   They were also united in name and doctrine.  The church we read of in the Bible did not just develop because some people with a mutual interest banded together.   The church of God was in the mind of God before the founda­tion of the world, (Eph. 1:4-5).   The prophets of old uttered predictions of this divine institution hundreds of years in advance.  God’s church was built by God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and purchased by His blood.  He is still her only head, gov­ernor and mode of entrance.  There have been many things that have happened since Christ founded His church in approximately A.D. 33.  God’s true church has been through many battles and at times was almost obscure in visibility; but thank God, she shines forth yet today.  Matthew 16:18 “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  God’s church and her battles down through time is also described through symbols in the book of Revelation. This is detailed in “Evil Spirits in Church History” and available from:

Gospel Truth and Publications, P.O. Box 142, Jackson Center, Oh 45334