Unity—oneness—is significant to God, seemingly as important to His grand design as are His order, perfect coordination and consistency. His righteousness, mercy, and justice. This theme of “One” echo’s through His Word. Here’s some of that scriptural drumbeat:
The Godhead
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” (DU 6:4)
“I and My Father are one.” (JN 10:30)
Each believer individually
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?...he who is joined to Christ is one spirit with Him.” (1CO 6:15.1,17)
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ” (GL 3:26-28)
Every believer corporately—that is, the Lord’s “church”
“For we are all members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (EP 5:30-32)
“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” (HE 2:11)
The unity of the Spirit
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were 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.” (EP 4:4-6)
Unity in the congregation
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers…Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple…” (AC 2:42,44-46.1)
“…if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort in love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (PH 2:1-2)
Finally as the beat builds to a crescendo, consider the ultimate unity which Paul calls “The mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself:”
“That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” (EP 1:9-10)
His own together with their Father God in His heaven forevermore!