Oneness

1Corinthians 1:10 - Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

There’s a theme that has been crowding my mind. It seems like something so difficult to attain at so many levels. It’s oneness, unity. It seems to be the “one” thing Jesus and His disciples all asked followers to work toward. 

It starts with only one God. He is indivisible. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are one. Oneness is being one in Christ. That means knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior, not just knowing who He is. We cannot be one with Christ unless that step is taken...relationship, not religion. 

Whether we are Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Assembly of God, Episcopalian...if we have that relationship with Christ we are one, despite the denomination thing that's going on. Religion means nothing. Religion is rules and regulations made by man, a form of self-motivated works, trying to get to God through those works but never achieving perfection (which we can never attain). We will always fail in our own selves. Works just frustrate us (especially if we are perfectionists!) and we lose sight of that heavenly reward because we feel like constant failures, always striving. That's where relationship over religion comes in, where we can be one with Christ and have a sense of peace.

In other words, it's not about me!

Relationship is merely trusting, in faith, in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. His work on the Cross is what saved us, not what we believe to be work to become saved...if we receive that and accept that. When we confess our sins, repent of them and give our lives to Christ, we have come into relationship with Him. We are automatically one in Christ with others who have done the same. Hallelujah! We no longer need to strive to receive because the power of the Holy Spirit works in and through us beginning at the time of accepting Christ. The Holy Spirit then gives us the power to do the good works as He directs rather than we directing ourselves. Who knows better than our Heavenly Father?

So...it's all about God!

Oneness. When we come into relationship with Christ, we are one with all others who have done the same. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are of one spiritual family.  Oh how God so desires to see all churches become unified in their beliefs. No distinction between religions. Will we ever see that happen? Probably not until Jesus returns. I believe it is at that time that we will see where we have all failed to fully understand and comprehend where we failed in our man made churches. And thankfully, those who have believed on Him and in His saving grace will finally live in that perfect oneness, and in oneness with Christ.

Oneness is love, contentment, admiration for others' gifts and abilities and a myriad of other things. The Bible tells us that within a church each person is a part of the body. Each has a function that is vital within that church, no matter whether it is great or small. We cannot function fully without a thumb or an ear or an eye. We can function, but the rest of the body feels the discomfort of not having the use of another part. And that's happening in the churches. There is not one church that functions perfectly and some are even less functional than others. As long as there is even the smallest discontent within a church, there is an air of disunity.

In our own church there is a desire for all the congregation to become unified. It's like pulling teeth. There are murmurings about one thing or another. We fail at best to not judge or criticize one another. We fail to see through the eyes of Christ. We fail to speak with His words of love. We fail in our patience, as hard as we try. We are all guilty in some way. No one is perfect. Let's face it, we all have something to complain about! Rats!

There definitely needs to be a move of the Spirit within our church and the Church in general. Something that will bring all our hearts to that place of unity, to a place of contentment with what we are, even with our flaws. That's why Jesus came to this earth...the perfect Man, living a perfect life, dying a perfect death...for us, for our shortfalls. (And might I add, if we feel a need to work for our salvation, why did Jesus have to die such an awful death?) 

I thank my God that He loves us no matter what. I thank Him that when we turn away for a short time or for a longer time, when we turn back He is there like the father of the prodigal son, with open arms, preparing for a feast in our behalf. Imagine what it would be like for even one of the lost sheep in this world today to allow Jesus to find them! Such rejoicing in heaven. This is oneness with Christ, with God, with the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus prayed these words to His Father for His disciples:

John 17:20-21 - I am not praying for these alone, but also for them that shall believe on me through their [disciples] word, 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 have sent me.