UNITY

1. Unity or
disunity?

A. The Lord wants
us to have unity:

Psa.133:1                How
good & how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity

1Cor.1:10                I
beseech you...that there be no divisions among you, but...be perfectly joined
together in the same mind

2Cor.13:11              Be
ye of one mind, live in peace; & the God of love & peace shall be with
you

Phi.1:27  Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind
striving together

B. What He thinks
of disunity:

Pro.6:16,19             These...doth
the Lord hate: (they) are an abomination unto Him: he that soweth
discord among brethren

Jam.3:14,15            But
if ye have...strife in your hearts, glory not....This descendeth not from
above, but is devilish

2. How to work at
keeping united:

Eph.4:3   Endeavouring to keep the
unity of the Spirit

A. Have the Word as
a unifying standard:

1Cor.14:37              Let
him acknowledge that the things I write are the commandments of the Lord

Phi.3:16  Let us walk by the same rule...mind the
same thing

1Thes.2:13,14        Ye
received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye ...became followers

B. Be agreeable
& likeminded:

Rom.15:5,6             God...grant
you to be likeminded one toward another... that ye may with one mind & one
mouth glorify God

Rom.12:16              Be
of the same mind one toward another...condescend to men of low estate

1Cor.1:10                I
beseech you...that ye all speak the same thing

Phi.2:2    Be likeminded, having the
same love, being of one accord, of one mind

(See
also Acts 2:46; Phi.4:2.)

C. Be at peace with
fellow-workers:

Rom.14:19              Let
us follow after the things which make for peace, & things wherewith one may
edify another

Col.3:15  Let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which ye are called in one body

1Thes.5:13             Be
at peace among yourselves

D. Have love &
concern for one another:

Pro.10:12                Hatred
stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins

Rom.12:10              Be
kindly affectioned with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another (See
also 1Thes.2:7,8)

1Cor.12:25,26         There
should be no schism in the body; but the members should have the same care
one for another

Eph.4:16 The whole body fitly joined together...maketh
increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love

E. Be kind, gentle
& courteous to one another:

Eph.4:32 Be ye kind...tenderhearted, forgiving one
another

2Tim.2:24               Not
strive...be gentle unto all men, patient

1Pet.3:8  Be ye all of one mind, having
compassion...love as brethren, be pitiful (sympathetic), be courteous

1Cor.11:33              When
ye come together to eat, tarry one for another

(See
also Pro.18:24)

F. Take people
where they're at:

Rom.14:1                Him
that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations (See
also Rom.14:2-21)

G. Avoid offending
people:

1Cor.10:32,33         Give
none offence, neither...to the church of God.... I please all men in all things

Pro.18:19                Brother
offended is harder to be won than a strong city

H. Be careful what
you say:

Pro.17:9b                He
that repeateth a matter separateth very friends

2Tim.2:23               Foolish
questions avoid...they do gender strifes

Tit.3:2     Speak evil of no
man...gentle...meekness unto all men

(See
also Jam.3:16,17; Eccl.5:2.)

I. Control your
temper; be slow to speak:

Pro.14:29                He
that is slow to wrath is of great understanding

Pro.15:1  A soft answer turneth away wrath

Pro.15:18                He
that is slow to anger appeaseth strife

Pro.25:8  Go not forth hastily to strive [with thy
neighbour]

Phi.2:3    Let nothing be done through
strife or vainglory

Jam.1:19 Let every man be...slow to speak, slow to wrath

(See
also Pro.3:30; 26:17.)

J. Humbly discuss
disagreements with elders:

1Tim.5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as
a father

K. Sort out
"oughts" before doing anything else:

Mat.5:23,24            First
be reconciled to thy brother, then...offer gift

Mk.11:25                When...praying,
forgive, if ye have ought against any

Jam.5:9   Grudge not one against another,
lest ye be condemned

L. Avoid being
partial or playing favourites:

1Tim.5:21               (Not)
preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality (See also Jam.3:17)

Jam.2:1   Have not the faith of Jesus...with
respect of persons

M. Value peace
above selfish interests:

Rom.14:19-21         Let
us follow after the things which make for peace

Rom.12:18              As
much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men

(See
also 1Cor.6:7; Phi.2:4.)

N. Share
unselfishly with others:

Acts
4:32               And
the multitude of them that believed were of one heart & of one soul...they
had all things common

(See
also 1Cor.10:33; 2Cor.8:9.)

O. Return good for
evil:

Mat.5:44 Love your enemies, bless them that curse you

Rom.12:21              Overcome
evil with good

1Thes.5:15             See
that none render evil for evil...among yourselves

P. Retaliation
forbidden:

(See
Lev.19:18; Pro.20:22; 24:29; Rom.12:17,19; 1Pet.3:9.)

3. The fruits of
unity:

A. Working together
for a common goal:

2Ki.10:15                Is
thine heart right, as my heart is with thine heart? If it be, give me thine
hand

Amos
3:3               Can
two walk [or work] together, except they be agreed?

Mat.18:19,20          Where
two or three are gathered in My name (Jesus), there am I in the midst of them

Acts
2:14               Peter,
standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice

Phi.1:27  With one mind, striving together
for...the gospel

B. There is
strength in unity:

Eccl.4:9,10              Two
are better than one...for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow

Eccl.4:12 If one [a foe] prevail against him, two shall
withstand [the foe], & a three-fold cord is not...broken

Judg.20:11             The
men [army] were gathered against the city, knit together as one man

1Sam.14:6,7            Jonathan
said, Let us go over. His armourbearer said, Behold, I am with thee according
to thy heart

(See
also Neh.4:16,17)

C. Good fruit of
united outreach:

Acts
2:1,2,41         [Believers]
all with one accord in one place [were filled with the Spirit, witnessed, &
3,000 souls were saved]

4. Unity of
believers in Jesus:

A. Jesus' prayer
that we be united as one:

Jn.17:11,21             That
they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, & I in Thee, that they
also may be one in Us

Jn.17:22,23             That
they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, & Thou in Me, that they may
be made perfect in one

B. We should be one
body, working together unitedly:

Rom.12:5                We,
being many, are one body in Christ, & every one members one of another

1Cor.12:12,13         All
the members of one body, being many, are one body (See also 1Cor.10:17)

1Cor.12:27              Ye
are the body of Christ, & members in particular

Eph.2:22 Ye are builded together...through the Spirit

(See
also Eph.1:10; 2:19-21; 4:11,12; 1Cor.12:4-16.)

Col.1:17,18             (Jesus)
is head of our body (See also Eph.4:15,16)

(See
also 1Cor.3:9; 2Cor.6:1.)

C. Jesus' Spirit
gives us peace with one another:

1Cor.14:33              God
is the author...of peace, as in all the churches

2Cor.13:11              Brethren...live
in peace; God of peace shall be with you

Gal.5:22  The fruit of the Spirit is...peace

Eph.2:14 He is our peace...hath broken down the wall
between

Col.2:2    Your hearts comforted,
being knit together in love

D. There should be
no divisions because of race or sex:

1Cor.12:13              Whether
Jews or Gentiles...(we) have been all made to drink into one Spirit

Gal.3:26,28             Neither
Jew nor Greek...male or female: for ye are all one in Jesus

E. Or social or
financial status:

1Cor.12:13              Whether...bond
or free, (we) all have been made...one

Gal.3:28  Neither bond nor free...for ye are all
one in Jesus

5. Causes of disunity:

A. Pride &
lust:

Pro.13:10                Only
by pride cometh contention

Pro.28:25                He
that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife

Jam.4:1-3                Whence
come fightings among you? From your lusts

B. Not walking in
the Spirit:

1Cor.3:3  Ye are carnal: there is among you strife
& divisions

Gal.5:19-21             Works
of the flesh: Hatred, wrath, strifes

C. Ill feelings
& hatred:

Pro.10:12                Hatred
stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins

Pro.16:28                A
froward man soweth strife, & a whisperer separateth

Pro.26:24                He
that hateth dissembleth with his lips

D. Envy &
jealousy:

Rom.13:13              Let
us walk honestly...not in...strife & envying

1Cor.13:4                Love...envieth
not; Love vaunteth not itself

Gal.5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
provoking one another, envying one another

Jam.3:14,16            If
ye have bitter envying...in your hearts, glory not. For where envying...is,
there is...every evil work

(See
also Pro.14:30; 27:4; Gal.5:19-21; Tit.3:3.)

E. Favouritism
& partiality:

Acts
6:1 There arose a murmuring of the
Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected

F. Self-exaltation
& desire for leadership:

Num.12:1-15          [Miriam
& Aaron rebel against Moses, desiring power]

Num.16:1-35          [Korah
rebels against Moses, desiring leadership]

Lk.22:24  There was a strife among them, (who)
should be greatest

Acts
20:30             Of
your own selves shall men arise...to draw away dis ciples after them

Gal.5:26  Let us not desire vain glory,
provoking...one another

3Jn.9-11  Diotrephes, who loveth to have the
preeminence among them receiveth us not

G. Arguing over
minor doctrines & theorising:

1Tim.6:3-5a            Knowing
nothing, doting about questions & strifes of words, whereof cometh...strife

H. Bitterness:

Heb.12:15               Lest
any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, & thereby many be
defiled

I. Anger & a
quick temper:

Pro.15:18                A
wrathful man stirreth up strife

Pro.29:22                An
angry man stirreth up strife, & a furious man

J. Repeating things
we know we shouldn't:

Pro.17:9  He that repeateth a matter separateth
very friends

Pro.26:20                Where
there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth (See also Jam.1:26 )

K. Inability to
stop arguing:

Pro.20:3  It is an honour to cease from strife: but
every fool will be meddling

Pro.17:14                The
beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water ...leave off contention

6. What disunity
results in:

A. Not being able
to work together:

Amos
3:3               Can
two walk together, except they be agreed?

Acts
15:36-40        Contention
so sharp [between Paul & Barnabus] that they departed asunder [& went
separate ways]

B. It destroys
God's work:

Mat.12:25               Every
house divided against itself...shall not stand

Mk.3:24  If kingdom be divided against
itself...cannot stand

(See
also Num.32:1-7)

C. Longstanding
divisions:

Pro.18:19                A
brother offended harder to be won than strong city

D. Creates sectarian
divisions & man-worship:

1Cor.3:3,4               There
(are) divisions...For one saith, I am of Paul; & another, I am of Apollos

(See
also 1Cor.11:18; 3:21-23.)

E. Backbiting &
rumours:

Pro.16:28                A
whisperer separateth chief friends

2Cor.12:20              I
fear...lest there be backbitings, whisperings

F. Opens the door
to every kind of evil:

Jam.3:16 For where...strife (is), there is confusion
& every evil work

7. How to deal with
disunity:

1Thes.5:14             Warn
them that are unruly

A. When it's just
between us & a fellow worker:

Pro.25:9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour
himself; & discover not a secret to another

Mat.18:15               Tell
him his fault between thee & him alone

Lk.17:4    If he trespass 7 times in a
day, & 7 times a day turn again, saying, I repent...forgive

1Pet.4:8  Charity (love) shall cover the multitude
of sins

(See
Mat.18:21,22)

B. When there is a
division in the work, let pastors & elders

settle
the disputes:

Acts
15:2               When
(they) had no small dissension, they determined (to) go to the elders about
this question

Acts
15:7,12          When
there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, & (spoke). Then all the
multitude kept silence

Gal.6:1    If a man be overtaken in a
fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one

C. Let it pass if
it's not an important disagreement:

Rom.14:2,3             One
believeth that he may eat all things: another... eateth [only] herbs

Rom.14:4-6             One
esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike

8. Excommunication:

A. Excommunication
of those who cause division:

Pro.22:10                Cast
out the scorner, &...strife shall cease

Mat.18:15-17         If
he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen

Rom.16:17              Mark
them which cause divisions & offences...& avoid

1Cor.5:11-13          With
such an one no, not to eat...put away wicked

2Thes.3:6               We
command you...that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh
disorderly

1Tim.6:3,5b            If
any man teach otherwise, & consent not to...the doctrine...from such
withdraw thyself

Tit.3:10   An heretick after first &
second admonition, reject

2Jn.10,11                If
any...bring not this doctrine, receive him not

(See
also 1Tim.6:3-5; Jude 12a.)

B. Partial
excommunication:

2Thes.3:14,15        If
any obey not...have no company with him...yet count him not as an enemy, but
admonish as a brother

9. Restoration to
fellowship:

Gal.6:1    If a man be overtaken in a
fault...restore [him]

2Tim.2:25,26          In
meekness instructing those...that they may recover

Jam.5:19,20            If
any of you err from the truth, & one convert him

(See
also Lk.15:11-24 re: return of the prodigal son)

10. When
contentions & disputes are necessary:

--To refute false doctrine
or serious wrong behaviour:

Jude
3     Ye should
earnestly contend for the faith

Jn.7:43    There was a division among
people because of (Jesus)

Acts
15:1,2            "Except
ye be circumcised, ye cannot be saved." Paul ...had no small dissension
& disputation with them

Gal.2:11-14             When
Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face...I (rebuked) Peter
before them all

1Tim.5:20.
Them that sin, rebuke before all that others may fear

Important chapters
on unity: Psa.133; Jn.17; 1Cor.12;
Eph.4; Rom.12.