The Church's Unity
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 12/5/2010 AM |
Text: | John 17:11; Lord's Day 21 |
Psalters: | 348, 326, 132, 370 |
- Its meaning.
- It is a spiritual unity.
- Thus it does not consist in external organizations (grand ecumenical movement).
- The one Church consists of all of the elect from the beginning to the end of the world.
- The Church is united by:
- The unity of the Church is something for which Jesus prayed (John 17:11b).
- The basis and character of the church’s unity.
- Its basis is not found in the Church itself, but outside of it, in Jesus.
- It is the unity of election in Christ, the one and only Head of the Church.
- It is a unity of life: the one life of the risen Lord pulsates in every member.
- It is a unity accomplished by the one Spirit (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:3).
- This unity is characterized by a beautiful diversity, not monotonous identity.
- The members are not identical.
- The diversity is created by Christ and emphasizes the unity (for each member needs the other members).
- This spiritual unity is established by Christ alone and not by humans.
- We are called to manifest the Church’s unity.
- It is to be manifested through God’s name (John 17:11), i.e., with a unity of truth (objective faith).
- We are to “endeavor to keep the unity” (Eph. 4:3), i.e., exert every effort.
- We are explicitly commanded not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25).
- We keep the unity of the Spirit by...