246. The Unity of the Believers

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Verses 11-16.

From this we see that reconciliation takes place through the cross where the enmity between Jews and Gentiles was put to death. No greater contrast exists than the one between Jews and Gentiles. With believers today being split up into as many denominations as they are, only the word of the cross can unite them. Let the cross do away with all flesh and every faction—these are of the devil. All denominationalism has its roots in unbelief, whereas the word of unity on the cross has its roots in faith. A few years ago people used to travel annually to Larvik for ecumenical meetings, and when they were done, each one returned to his assembly—just as party-minded as when he arrived. Oh, what unbelief—yet these great schemes of man continue! They try to produce unity when God has already created unity on the cross! In this context I was recently talking to a Swedish brother about unity, and he said, “The world has gone on for nearly 2000 years since Christ’s birth, and today there are more factions than ever.” He really believed he had said something remarkable, convincing, and impossible to contradict. But the fact is that Paul’s words are words of faith, and the words of this brother were words of unbelief. God unites everyone who believes in the word of the cross, everyone who believes that all flesh is cursed on the tree of the cross. Such people are united on the cross. This is the mystery of faith. By faith they tread down sin’s dividing walls of denominationalism, and according to the flesh they are united with their brothers on the tree of cursing. According to the Spirit they are united with their brothers by walking in the light. Herein lies the fellowship of the saints and reconciliation through death in the body of His flesh. Factions are a work of the flesh and are placed on the same level as adultery and murder. Gal. 5:19-21. A person who is “factionally minded” does not have the mind of Christ, for Christ delights in all the children of men, not only in some of them. Factions very often stem from a concern for an income and a desire to find a new job and a new source of livelihood. This again leads to demands for tithing, salaries, and begging. All of this is total unbelief, for God knows we need life’s necessities, and He has promised them to us if we seek His kingdom first. Factions divide God’s people. The cross unites. Faith unites, unbelief divides. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal. 5:24. Let us hold firmly to God’s Word, for it is the Word of faith. Those who create factions do the works of the flesh. But the works of the flesh are the manifest works of the devil, so it is sheer ungodliness to create factions. Such people bind souls and prevent them from having contact with other believers, even warning them not to heed those who perhaps had been given the task of leading them further in Christ Jesus. They live off the congregation and are scared of losing the members who are their only source of income.

Jesus prayed that all believers might be one so that the world could believe. But now the world has been forced not to believe because of all these factions, each of which has its own coffer which they rely on. Had all these treasuries been gathered together, I can imagine the factional spirit would be shaken to its very foundations. Let all factions be cursed because they prevent the world from believing, and they create division among God’s people. Factions and party-mindedness are put to death on the cross, and we are made one. So let the word of the cross be highly exalted and brought to a place of honor and respect among us; for it is the symbol of unity, the symbol of God’s unity where He alone receives the honor and all flesh is cursed.