The Lord has been dealing with me for the last few months concerning unity in the body of Christ. Coming together to help further the kingdom of God with the gifts and talents that He has given us. I am all about equipping believers so that they can walk in unity with one another and so that true evangelizing can go fourth; because thousands in my generation are turning their backs on the Lord and it’s our turn to make a change and bring them back to God.  I look forward to seeing what God is going to do this year and beyond and I am excited to be a part of a movement that is Kingdom-Minded. Some may think that coming together can be the reason why your ministry blossoms to the fullest potential that God had promised it would. But God has specifically placed certain men and women of God in your life to ensure that you would continue on the path that He has placed you on. Unity may be in prayer, encouragement, sacrifice, love, and humbleness and I hope you enjoy what God has put on my heart for THE BODY and that you would continue to follow the Holy Spirit in all your actions.

Part One

HERE IS WHY WE FEEL SO MOVED BY WHAT WE ARE DOING!

SOME THEOLOGY ON UNITY!

BY LIL PROPHET & DR. STEVEN D. KELSIE.

UNITY IN THE BODY!! “STOP THE PREJUDICE”

Unity: The state of being united or joined as a whole; harmony or agreement between people or groups.

Subject: Unity Ephesians 4:1-16

Focus: Ephesians 4:1-4

1) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation where with ye are called.

2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3) Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4) There is one body, and one Spirit; even as yea is called in one hope of you are calling;

Paul is declaring unity to all believers, specifically to the Jews, who thought Gentiles were not equal, who were in Christ.

Gentiles could become Christians without having to conform to Jewish traditions.

Some thought that they were not true followers of the Messiah unless there were first circumcised, than obedient to the Law of Moses.

Paul thought that they should view the Gentiles as their brothers in Christ, on an equal.

God is sovereign over all races, cultures, problems of humanity, (social and family and situations) and even unseen beings.

Read Ephesians 3:9-13

Today all kids of people come to the body. There are all kinds of people that are saved.

Believers with different backgrounds, Brought up all different ways;

Something grabs my attention though. So many personalities, some good, some not so pleasant, but all believe it is the right way, and not getting anywhere!

Many want but cannot attain because of not giving up what needs to be put aside to inherit what is there.

People are so busy trying to make others understand their traditions. Letting precious time go by and not fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives.

When you come into the body there should be unity. “There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling.” Ephesians 4:4

But everyone wants to bring their bad attributes and ways, believing that the body can get somewhere. The goal is to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, while you are walking in your calling.

Read Ephesians 4:7-13

This passage elaborates on the “unity of the Spirit.” This oneness among Christians refers to having one body- the body of Christ, the Christian Church; one Spirit- the same Holy spirit who imparts the same spiritual life to all believers; one hope- all Christians share the same future certainty and are headed toward the same heavenly destination; one Lord- all submit to the same divine ruler, Jesus; One faith – all believers have placed the same trust in Christ for salvation; One baptism- Holy spirit baptism at the time of salvation and one God and Father- all believers in Christ have the same God and heavenly father.

But draws a sharp contrast with the preceding “unity,” expressed in the sevenfold “one” of verses 4-6 and in the fourfold “all” of verse 6. The contrast in verses 7-16 shows that gifts within, given for the church’s benefit. Grace is a spiritual gift. Every one of us has been to the measure of the gift of Christ: Jesus determines both what gift each believer is given, and the amount (measure) of that gift. Two persons may be given the same gift, but one may have greater measure of that gift than does the other.

Psalm 68:18 are cited as an illustration of Christ’s bestowing spiritual gifts on His church. The Old Testament text pictures God as a victorious warrior returning to Mount Zion (he ascended up on high) leading Israel’s defeated foes in triumphal procession (he led the captivity captive. He then distributes to Israel the spoils of war (gave gifts unto men). Similarly, when Jesus returned to heaven (“he ascended up on high”), He conquered Satan and all his demonic horde (“he led the captivity captive”), and distributed spiritual gifts to His Church (“gave gifts unto men”).

Jesus’ ascension into heaven signifies that He previously descended from heaven and the person who cared enough to descend for man’s redemptions the very same person (namely, Jesus) who was equally concerned forth church’s well being, so that, upon returning to heaven. He equipped his church with all the spiritual gifts prerequisite for her growth.

This verse identifies some of the spiritual gifts given to the church. These are the God-given abilities enabling some Christians to have functioned as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and others in the role of pastors and teachers. The Greek construction for the last mentioned should be rendered pastors-teachers. This indicates that pastor-teacher has a dual function: he pastors in overseeing his parishioners’ spiritual lives, and he teaches by instructing them in the Word.

This discloses the purpose for the gifted individuals of verse 11. The irresponsibility is the perfecting of the saints, that is, to train and equip the rand-and-file Christians to do the work of the ministry. The aim of this ministry of Christian service is for the edifying of the body of Christ that is to build up the church numerically and spiritually.

The edifying of the church is to continue until we all come in the unity of the faith, that is, until all Christians attain spiritual maturity. Since new believers are constantly being added to the church, this objective will not be realized until the Lord returns.

God has set people in the church to help equip the saints in their gifts, but if the saints will not drop their old ways, they will never possess for the glory of God in Christ.