The Power of One. . .

Psalms 133:1

A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Ephesians 4:3

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:13

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

For the watch night service this year, my Pastor assigned several of the men involved in ministry in our church different verses to speak upon for a few minutes. The above three verses are those verses. They are the only verses in the KJV where the word ‘unity’ appears.

He gave us the verses first and then a few days later assigned each of us small snippets of each of the verses to speak upon New Years Eve. Before I knew what I would be speaking on, I spent a couple of days meditating on ‘unity’. . .the apparent theme of our watch night service verses. The following are some of my thoughts on ‘unity’ which arose during my meditations:

The Power of One. . .

In mathematics the number 1, is the lowest of the whole numbers. But for its diminutive stature, It has a range of unique properties. For multiplication and division, the number 1 is the identity element. Any number multiplied or divided by 1 returns itself. Few think of that as being particularly interesting. Most learn of this feature of the number 1 early in their education and promptly forget it, but in mathematics the number 1 is also known as the unity element.

Therefore it can be said that if you compare any number to the element of unity you will be given the identity of that number. The number 1 represents the whole, with nothing taken away or added.

In mathematics the identity element is unity. I believe also that spiritually speaking, the identity element is unity. Clearly we are to be spiritually unified. The body of Christ is to be a whole body. . .not a fragmented body. . .not disjointed. . .not an incomplete body, but a whole body. We can be speaking of the unity of a church of 5,000 or the unity of 3 joined together interceding in prayer for someone. Unity doesn’t speak of size, but only of entirely and completeness.

For your identity, run the spiritual equation of comparing yourself to the spiritual identity element. . . self / unity = the spiritual identity of self. . .The greater the unity the less identity of self there is. . .The less the unity the greater magnitude of self. . .We must decrease that He may increase. . .We must decrease that the unity of the body of Christ may increase. . .

In the body of Christ are many parts, but not all parts are represented as individuals. What saint of God might claim to be the body of Christ’s nervous system??? One might claim to be a nerve, but some elements of the body are not easily dividable. . .some elements must be taken as a whole. . .

I believe that the body of Christ’s unity, might best be thought of as that body’s skin. The skin is physically the body’s identity element. Our appearance is determined by our skin. The skin holds the body together. Very importantly. . .the skin is the body’s first line of defense. A parting of the skin. . .a wound gives grave risk to infection, as does any disruption of the unity of the body of Christ.

Any separation of the unity of the body, is a potential avenue for the start of a deadly infection. Any gap between the elements of the body, may allow dis-ease to grow and foment. . .The skin is alive. Unlike hair and fingernails and teeth, the skin grows and is renewed from birth to grave. As we age we value our skin more greatly. We know of its importance. As we age it dries and wrinkles. . .in the cold weather our older skin cracks and chaps with ease never known in youth. In cold weather, I now find myself applying lotions and creams, which I would previously have scoffed at as being only for sissy’s or for women. . Humbled with age. . .I laugh at myself, for now I regularly apply them in an attempt to keep my skin from cracking and bleeding in the cold dry air of winter. . .

In maturity of years, we learn to more greatly value and care for our skin. . .we must likewise grow in maturity to more greatly value the unity of the body. Gaps in the unity needs careful tending to. . .wounds to the unity must be anointed and prayed over. . .Healing of the skin is best under conditions of openness and light. . .left confined in the darkness wounds may fester and go septic. . .

Continual effort must be given to unity or it will disappear and the body will sicken or even die. . .
The Greek word for unity. . .henotēs means oneness. . . We are to have oneness of Spirit. . .

Ephesians 4:1-6
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, (2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (3) Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

We are to be one. God isn’t happy with a fractional, fragmented and disjointed body. . .He expects His bride to be virginal and whole and complete. . .

Place high value on our unity. . .Keep it close to you as something precious and dear. . .never let it get away. . .protect the unity. . .

I love you my God. . .
I love you my Lord. . .

Dave