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2Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. 3Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. 4All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people.
*Ephesians 4.2-4, CEV
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In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist, if he did not. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.
"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold."
"Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers; he says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"
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The Ephesians text speaks of unity. Note the ingredients that foster the unity, for unity is not something accidental, like, "Oh, we show up at the same place, smile at each other, sing hymns, ..., so we are, obviously, in unity." No, not obviously. Or, "We really like one another, and we have no major conflict - we even enjoy a periodic social event -, so we are, obviously, in unity." No, not obviously.
Paul begins, referring to "humility" and "gentleness." We are to "patiently" forbear with others. We are to "love each other." We are to be humble, gentle, patient, and loving. Unity cannot be or remain without these qualities that arise within us. However, external structure and events and ways encourage unity; for inner and outer order complement each other.
We are to be dedicated to cooperating with Love in keeping us in oneness. We cooperate by living in peace with each other. Such acts as arguing, blaming, criticism, gossip, and malice block the Spirit of unity joining our spirits as one organism.
The theological-existential foundation for the potential of two or more persons to live in spiritual unity is that they are already a single body. The potential for thinking and acting as one is that there already exists unity waiting to be lived out. Disunity is the denial of the unity that is given already as who we are as a spiritual body.
This is a reason disunity, or lack of harmony among ourselves, causes such distress ~ such is a denial of the preexisting unity, such is like walking against a strong, wearying wind. If we surrender to the unity we are, we are moving with our essential, spiritual nature as one body. We find our relationships more ordered, more at ease, more healthful.
Also, we share one hope. That hope was given to each of us with incorporation into one body. We do not have many hopes, we have one hope, form the one Spirit. Hope is a vital positivity about life, present and future that helps hold us together in Love.
One of the major traits of much church is socialization and participation, but failure to be in unity. We often seem to assume getting along and showing up, and smiling, and greeting each other, ... is unity. Jesus did not call the Church to be a collection of splintered parts enjoying each other's company once a week or occasionally, or when things are going easily; we are called to be and act as one body, in all circumstances.
We need unity, possibly most, when the spiritual body is struggling, even as the members of the physical body unite to assist one part when suffering. To deny the spiritual body in struggle is to fail to embrace the oneness implied in baptism into Christ and the Church.
What is a source of disunity? Well, read the Ephesians passage, again. Often these traits of spiritual health are lacking among us Christians and the general public. Often these traits are lacking in our government, our homes, and our own hearts.
Among us Christians, we can conceal disunity subtly in our religiousness. We can have the outer parade of spiritual family, yet really have no idea of who we each are as persons and in Christ. We know names, we interact with diverse personalities, but we frequently have no idea of who the other really is in his or her irreplaceable distinctiveness. Yet, that distinctiveness is the very means of expressing, again, an irreplaceable part of the one body.
Likely, many churches, when struggling to thrive or survive, would do best by shutting down all efforts to make things work, come together, pray, talk, and get to know each other as persons, as Christians, as beings alike, yet beautiful and precious in each one's unique way. How can we enjoy spiritual unity if we know about each other but do not take the time and express the patience to know each other? Indeed, we can keep the church “program” running efficiently, but still be strangers to each other, for we share words and acts but not ourselves. Unity consists in sharing ourselves, not just things, however noble and right.
This applies in marriage. I have a wonderful wife. We just celebrated our first anniversary. We are learning together to get know each other, and we have learned that this is vital and central to a marriage. This requires all the qualities Paul mentions above. To manifest the unity a wedding ring is the sign of requires us to practice, daily, an intent sacramentalized by the Spirit of unity. We know, also, that we cannot take a day off or a vacation off from nurturing this unity as a spiritual body, husband and wife.
Christian unity, which is unity-in-Christ, is a spiritual oneness that can only be experienced in-depth by spiritual persons. Unity in the Christian sense is a spiritual oneness, not merely a religious or moral one. As we in Christ become more spiritually-minded, more spiritually-hearted, and more-spiritually sensitive, then unity grows, we become in practice more the unity we are already in Christ.
Until more of us Christians become spiritual persons, there will be a major struggle with unity among us. We may seek to hold together our systems of church and religion, family and government, but we will lack the unity to keep us one-in-Spirit. We may have polite socialization and cooperation, but we will not have unity.
And, again, the most frequent disunity is not major conflict, but failure to live out positively the fundamental fact of being one body, a spiritual body. Sure, we may have worship, missions, programs, fellowship events, committees, ... but we will lack the oneness we are as offspring of God.
We must affirm and live who we are as one, we must guard it and nourish it with the qualities we see in the opening Ephesians passage. In the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist we sign on, so to speak, to deny ourselves as separate autonomous persons. We enter into covenant, not merely contract.
Contract says I agree to this deal between or among us. Covenant says I give myself freely, honestly into a sacred unity and shared responsibility with and for you, for us all. This sense of shared covenant as a sacred deposit fosters one body to act as one body, not many separate parts
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In your own words define “covenant”?
Describe a time when you felt unity in a group?
What is meant by socialization without unity?
What qualities are essential to nurture unity?
Why must a person be spiritual to experience Christian unity deeply?
How do you contribute to unity in your relationships?
Are you in a relationship or group lacking unity? What might you do to help?
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*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in the continuance of his work of ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers, or through the Cokesbury on-line store, at www.cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox lives in Punta Gorda, FL, and Clearwater, FL, with his wife, step-son, and two beloved dogs. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry focused on Christians living as spiritual disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a vowed, contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with God-in-Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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