How To Have Unity In the Church (Part 1)

There is only one way to have unity in the church.

By "the church," I mean those who gather together under the Lord's authority, for his glory, with Him actually among them.  His presence alone, in this way, unifies.  Yet there is a specific condition that must be met for there to be unity. 

There must be a divine commander giving a divine command to bring unity to the church.

Follow me from Acts chapter one to Acts chapter two.

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. Acts 1:1-2 ESV

Here Jesus is obvious The Divine Commander giving His divine command, through the Holy Spirit.  This is very significant.  Jesus was born of the Spirit, then at the age of 30 He was filled, led, and empowered by the Spirit for His ministry.  Now, after rising from the dead, by the Spirit (according to Paul,) Jesus is still dependent on the Holy Spirit to give commands to His apostles. 

We who are born of the Spirit through faith in Christ must be just as dependent on the Spirit as Jesus was, even after He rose from the dead.  This dependence on The Spirit will reveal Christ as our Divine Commander.  Following His Spirit is what reveals the Lord's divine commands.  The divine command of the Lord Jesus to his apostles and followers was to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Remember this command, and from whom it came.

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.  Acts 1:14 ESV

Notice the words "with one accord." You will see these words again.  They mean complete unity in purpose.  No divisions.  No dissentions.  No separate opinions.  One mission expressed in one action:  prayer.  If the church knows nothing else, it should be prayer.  If there is nothing else we can agree to do, at the same time and place, it's pray.  This is the easiest unifying action we can take.  But to take this unifying action, we must have a divine commander unifying the followers by a divine command from the Lord.  They all were unified by obedience to the command of the Lord: Wait for the Spirit.  So they waited, devoting themselves to prayer until the time of waiting was over.  But notice something else that happens:

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.  Acts 1:15-16

This will happen again and again.  Peter, or Paul, or some other leader in the church, will stand up, and in doing so, unify the body, under the Lord's authority.  He will speak words that unify everyone listening. 

Now stay with me as we move to Acts Chapter 2. (Click here.)