The Great “Unity” Meeting

The Great “Unity” Meeting

There was intense enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews believed they were far superior to the Gentiles, since God had chosen them above all others. But were they really better than anyone else? Certainly not! Stephen said of them: “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers.” Acts 7:51-52. Paul says essentially the same thing in Romans 3:10: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” The law was added because of transgressions. Whether Jew or Gentile, they all had a flesh that was at enmity with God.

To put an end to the enmity between Jews and Gentiles and to lay a foundation for peace between nations and between individuals, Christ had to take upon Himself flesh and blood. Heb. 2:14. This flesh was nailed to the cross, and through His flesh He abolished the law that came with commandments and ordinances. The commandments and ordinances were given because the flesh was at enmity with God and was unable to obey God’s laws. Consequently, the laws and commandments became superfluous when this flesh was crucified. The Jews claimed the honor of being superior to the Gentiles because these laws had been given to them. But then that honor fell away. In that way, both Jews and Gentiles—because neither one had anything to boast of over the other—could be reconciled in one Spirit to one another in God, on the cross, where the enmity had been slain. Now there could be peace for those who were far off and those who were near. Eph. 2:15.

The significance of this for us today is that all Christians can now be reconciled and come to unity in that same Spirit, with God and with one another, as long as the flesh is kept on the cross. Isn’t it the flesh that causes all these different factions? Are not factions of the devil? Certainly. So “on the cross” with all flesh, then all factions will disappear along with all their promoters. Let us participate in a great “unity” conference called “On the Cross With All Flesh.” Peace like a river will then flow over every single individual, whether he is near or far.

Christ has called us to freedom, but that means freedom with a crucified flesh. Anyone who speaks about freedom without being crucified with Him deceives himself, because the flesh cannot obey God’s law. So when the Scriptures speak about standing fast in freedom and not allowing ourselves to be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1), that means that we are to faithfully remain on the cross and reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. When our flesh is kept crucified with Him, we become one flesh with Him. “‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Eph. 5:31-32. From this verse we understand that the bride is one flesh with Christ, and that this flesh is on the cross. So the bride also suffers crucifixion in this world, as it is written in Galatians 5:24: “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Nailed to this cross, we can live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit. Gal. 5:25. And in this one Spirit, we also have access to the Father. Eph. 2:18. That is why it is written that Jesus was put to death in the flesh but was made alive in the Spirit. But since He suffered in the flesh, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Heb. 2:18.

Whether we are Jews or Greeks, black or white, poor or rich, Catholic or Protestant, we can all come to complete unity with Christ on the cross, because that is where all enmity is slain. There we can meet in one Spirit and in one body. There is no “great, greater, greatest” on the cross, because the greatest of all becomes everyone’s servant and the greatest becomes as the least. Everyone who is tired of himself and his flesh, and is tired of being a slave to other people and their flesh, is invited to this “unity” meeting. Glorious freedom.