Crimson Unity: Foundations Pt. 4 of 4
Post #5
The scriptures tell us that Jesus will return to restore what was lost in the Fall. Until then, He is gathering to Himself a Church “from every nation, tribe, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9).
Foundational Step 2:
Please recall Jesus’ standing orders for Christians:
- Be reconciled with God (the Gospel) — see Post #4
- Live in Biblical Unity:
Christ’s longest and final prayer should be required reading for all believers. It lays bare Christ’s heart before He went to the cross. In verses 1–5, Jesus prays to prepare Himself for the gauntlet directly ahead. In v. 9–19 and 25–26 the prayer focuses on His disciples. However, brothers and sisters, in John 17:20–23, we — as believers in Jesus Christ — are all on His mind:
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word(the Disciples); 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me”. John 17:20 -23 NKJV
His priority was unity — perfect unity with God, and between all Christians. His priority was us. This is great news.
First, it means it’s possible to achieve that unity because God never sets us up for failure. Second, it’s a prayer untouched by sinful hands and motives. How many of Christ’s prayers do you think get answered? We’re guessing all of them.
Think of it. Even in human terms, what could unity do for us in this hour? There are already so many things to divide us. What terrible, incalculable losses have been endured by perpetuating racism alone? How many steps forward have we taken, only to have the machinations of evil grind those milestones flat?
It should be intolerable for everyone; the evil remerges wearing a new mask. Slavery becomes the inequities in the criminal justice system, unequal suffrage becomes an imbalance in the halls of power, the denial of property rights becomes a lack of generational wealth, dehumanization becomes skewed perceptions of inherent morality and beauty, tainted understandings in education and healthcare, and the theft of family traditions and cultural legacies. Just scratching the surface here.
The Hard Truth
Without the truth, we are easily misled. Because of racial division, we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated by the oft-rabid media and self-interested stakeholders, pale shadows of understanding one another first-hand.
We hear people say that prophetically things must get worse. However, my Bible also says we are called to stand firm — to resist the Devil. What are the other effects of our disunity? Our Church family is in a silent feud, denominations and races standing far apart in worship and in life. We can already see this to be in direct defiance of the very commands of a to-the-death-invested savior. God’s very heart is a homecoming.
We Deliberately Stand Apart
We are in a word narcissistic; wise in our own conceit as we follow our convictions and comforts instead of Jesus Christ and His teachings. This division, particularly over something like race or other dogmatic trifles, is the hypocrisy the unbelieving world sees. We want to be a people clearly being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Knowing that racism and disunity are profoundly sinful, we must ask ourselves: how does unity in Jesus Christ work?
How Crimson Unity Works:
John 13:31–34 commands:
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
This begs the question — How can anyone love someone else as Christ did? Isn’t that something only God can do? Not an easy question when you think about it:
1 — Jesus loves us when we are yet far off, still dead in our sin
2 — He was humble
3 — Jesus didn’t live to be served, despite His power and status, but to serve
4 — He was always obedient to His Father
5 — Jesus forgives everyone — He gave His entire life to do so
6 — He was sinless, including in His response to great offenses
7 — Our Lord didn’t hesitate to love (heart, words, and deeds) anyone — Jesus is not a respecter of persons
Jesus did all this perfectly, every time, His whole life, even while being betrayed and crucified.
This is how it works for believers:
5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (emphasis ours)
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:5–15
So,
- The Holy Spirit will tell us the way Christ would have us take.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to [a]deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:26–27
2. We abide in Christ by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
3. Jesus’ ministry and love for others continues in the lives of those for whom the very love of God has been poured out in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, despite some of the most perilous times for Christians in the history of the Church.
The early Church as empowered and enabled by the baptism (Pentecost) and anointings of the Holy Spirit (each time when they were in unity) moved powerfully through their troubled times. <It’s noteworthy that the early Church’s momentum was first halted roughly around 317 AD with the division of the East and West Church at Byzantium>
The Holy Spirit we receive at salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22,5:5; Ephesians 1:13–14, 4:30) is God’s seal (Greek arrhabon meaning “pledge“) on His people. It is because the Holy Spirit sealed us that we are assured of our salvation. No one can break the seal of God. It is accompanied by the fruit of the Spirit:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22–23
The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost heralded the manifestations of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit as well, such as teaching, discernment of spirits, healing, the gift of faith, speaking in tongues, preaching, and more (1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14:1–40).
There are also powerful, distinct anointings of the Holy Spirit given to the Church when they were in unity to dismantle Satan’s plan to rule in God’s place.
P4T # 2
Try to recall an example of racism that was in the news. Who were the parties on both sides, and how did they respond?
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Briefly, what was your response; mental, emotional, or otherwise?
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Now, imagine how Jesus might have combated that evil with you:
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Crimson Unity — Dismantling the Barriers to Unity
Jesus told the disciples:
11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:11–13 NKJV
He later told them to wait before entering ministry until they had received the Holy Spirit, so that they could be true witnesses of Christ:
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:4–8 NKJV
The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts were both authored by Luke, so the continuity is particularly strong (the same first-hand witness). No one has any reason to expect success in ministry, including the Great Commission common to us all, until receiving the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
This seems basic enough. Gather the disciples together, and nobody leaves until I (Jesus speaking) baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
All of the above was the scriptural basis of - much like salvation — an incredibly simple yet profoundly consecrated and powerful transformation.
So why does the Church overwhelmingly not operate in the power of the Holy Spirit today, when Acts 2:39 affirms that it is for all believers?
1 — It is possible that many professing Christians are not truly saved. Jesus wondered aloud if upon His return faith would be found. So warned, we must include the Whole Gospel section despite this being a course for Christians. John 3:16 is often treated as a magical incantation, muttered haphazardly and off-handedly. The word “believe” in that verse is “pistos”, which is like saying “all in” at the poker table and betting all your chips.
Thorough understanding should precede it, and discipleship should follow. It is a serious and ultimate surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
2 — Many may not truly be surrendered to the idea of life so overflowing with the Holy Spirit or may not be fully identified with Jesus. In short, they are actually unwilling to receive what they are asking for, and “ask amiss”.
3 — God said that if we regard iniquity in our hearts, He will not hear our prayers. The disciples of Jesus, all 120 of them, spent 10 days praying, nobody leaving, honestly confessing, and sincerely repenting.
This amazing self-examination and earnest surrender as a group was described as being “in one accord”. 120 pianos all in tune with a 121st piano, are absolutely in tune with each other.
P4T #3
What does “surrender” to Jesus mean to you personally?
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How has today’s culture accused Christianity of being racist?
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How true do accusations that Christianity is racist seem in the light of Jesus’ heart and call for deep unity?
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Can well-meaning Christians be guilty of being racist or underwriting unjust institutions? If so, how?
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Prayer:
Close by praying with each other and for each other to walk in the truth concerning all of these things as we move closer to Christ and to each other in Biblical unity.
Coming Next Week: In Session 1/Post #6 we will look at the first of Satan’s goals, how it manifests in individuals and institutions, and how to overcome this agenda in ourselves and corporately in the power of the Holy Spirit.
During the coming week, please meditate on these scriptures underscoring the unified, glorious Church Christ died for us to be:
1 John 2:9–11
Galatians 5:19–23
Matthew 5:9
Colossians 3:12–15
Ephesians 4:1–6
Colossians 2:16–19
1 Timothy 1:5–7
James 3:17–18
1 Thessalonians 3:11–13
Titus 3:9–11
