The Spirit of Unity (1 Cor 12:12-28) by: Ptr. Edward Vincent Barcial

The UAE has just celebrated their 40^th National Day last Dec. 2, 2011.  They had chosen the theme “SPIRIT OF THE UNION.” Wikipedia.org has an article of the history of this nation and states the following:

Prior to independence in 1971, the UAE was known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman, in reference to a 19th-century truce between the local sheikhs, hereditary rulers of the territories, and the United Kingdom. The term Pirate Coast was also used by some to refer to the emirates from the 18th to the early 20th century, owing to the preponderance of pirates operating from emirati ports.

The Trucial States (also known as Trucial Oman, the Trucial Coast, and the Trucial Sheikhdoms) were a group of sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf.

The sheikdoms included: Abu Dhabi (1820 – 1971) Ajman (1820 – 1971) Dubai (1820 – 1971) Sharjah (1820 – 1971) Umm al-Quwain (1820 – 1971) Ras al-Khaimah (1822 – 1972) Dibba (1871 – 1951) Hamriyah (1875 – 1922) Fujairah (1902 – 1971) Kalba (1903 – 1952) Heera (1915 – 1942)             

The sheikdoms permanently allied themselves with the United Kingdom by the Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853, until in 1892 they entered into "Exclusivity Agreements" with the British - following on from Bahrain in 1880 - which put them under British protection. This was an unclear status which fell short of a formal protectorate, but required Britain to defend them from external aggression in exchange for exclusive British rights in the states. Until 1969, the Indian rupee remained the de-facto currency of the Trucial states as well as the other Gulf States such as Qatar, Bahrain and Oman until these countries introduced their own currencies in 1969, after the great devaluation of the Indian rupee. In 1952, the Trucial States Council was established to encourage co-operation between the seven remaining sheiks.

The Treaty of 1892

Primarily in reaction to the ambitions of other European countries, the United Kingdom and the Trucial Sheikhdoms established closer bonds in an 1892 treaty, similar to treaties entered into by the UK with other Persian Gulf principalities. The sheikhs agreed not to dispose of any territory except to the United Kingdom and not to enter into relationships with any foreign government other than the United Kingdom without its consent. In return, the British promised to protect the Trucial Coast from all aggression by sea and to help in case of land attack

End of the Trucial States

The United Kingdom announced its intention to end its protectorate over the Trucial Coast in 1968. The sheikdoms attempted to establish a federation with Qatar and Bahrain, but it ultimately failed to materialize. The British government terminated its treaty relationship on 1 December 1971, leading to the independence of the seven states. The next day, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain united to form the United Arab Emirates. Ras al-Khaimah joined on 11 February 1972.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trucial_States)

If the Arabs were able to unite in spite of their differences, how much more we, The Body of Christ, are able by His Holy Spirit to come together as one.  All we have to do is to believe what the Bible has already told us who we are in Him.

1 Cor 12:12-14

     ¹² For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many.

We need to uphold the unity of the Church. There is a difference between union and unity. You could tie the tails of two cats and have union but definitely no unity between them.

There are three things the Spirit of Unity can bring in our lives:

1.    The Spirit of Unity Defeats the spirit of inferiority that brings meaning and purpose (1 Cor 12:15-18)

¹⁵ If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? ¹⁸ But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. ¹⁹ And if they were all one member, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.

If you feel you are less than a Christian compared to others, don’t separate yourself from the body but rather join the fellowship of those who are stronger and better than you. You will then be one with their strength. Realize you have a purpose and function that nobody has and you will see your value. You have something to offer on the table. God is well pleased to set you as a member. Just discover how you could contribute your talents and gifts for the glory of God and for the building up of the Church.

2.    The Spirit of Unity Defeats the spirit of superiority that leads to honor and modesty (1 Cor 12:21-24)

²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." ²² No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³ And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, ²⁴ but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it

The opposite could happen to the Body. Some of us may feel so gifted that pride comes in and in the process disregard other believers. By uniting ourselves to others who seem to be less honorable, we become modest and learn to acknowledge other believers as essential. No one is a do-it-all and a know-it-all.

3.    The Spirit of Unity Defeats the spirit of division and solitary suffering that leads to solidarity care and joy (1 Cor 12:25-26)

²⁵ that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

One great test to see whether we are one in Spirit or not:  If one suffers, all should feel it. If one is honored, everyone rejoices (no jealousy in anyway will take away our joy). Unity is reflected by the care we share to someone within the Body who is suffering. Exercising care for each other actually brings greater unity in our midst.

Conclusion: How do we maintain the Unity of The Spirit Within the Body of Christ?

Now that we know the benefits of the Spirit of Unity, how then could we establish this? Is it through organization? Is it through politics, or intimidation?  God has already have the blueprint in His Word:

1 Cor 12:27-28(NKJV)

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

Eph 4:11-13 (NKJV)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

The fivefold ministry is established in the Church today to bring about unity of the faith among Christians. The Apostle Governs and brings order. The Prophet Guides us with the revelation of His Word. The Evangelist Gathers lost souls and brings them in the church. The Pastor Guards over them and provide care and fellowship. The Teacher Grinds the sheep with discipleship and training so they can function properly and be of great use for the Master. When they are united, they build up the Body until they have the fullness of Christ.

The five fingers in one hand represents the fivefold ministry. Separeted they are vulnerable, but folde together to form a fist, they become a powerful weapon to strike anyone with a blow.  This is best illustrated by a comic strip called “PEANUTS”   by Charles M. Schultz

In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "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 and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?" 

Both Lucy and Linus are children in the cartoon. They always have sibling rivalries.  The Bible says that unity should bring us to maturity, growth and love:

Eph 4:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ—¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Let us pray that the Lord will raise up Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers in our midst. It is unfortunate that not all Churches believe in the fivefold ministry. Until that day that the Lord will establish them in our midst, the Body of Christ will continue to suffer divisions. Let us pray for the Church’s restoration.   Let me end by quoting from a verse from Haggai:

Hag 2:1-9 (NKJV)

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the Lord; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the Lord, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the Lord of hosts. 5 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!' 6 "For thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the Lord of hosts. 8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of hosts. 9 The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord of hosts."

The Book of Acts is a record of the glory of the former Church. Before Jesus returns, we will see the greater glory of the latter Church of Christ doing great things in our day.  May it be so, Lord. Amen

Pastor Edward