Click here to download in pdf format.
Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (21-4-1996
Guisborough Evangelical Church)
Paul is still on the theme of
unity, dealing with the great truths which unite us. Uses the word “one”
seven times. Three of the seven allude to the three persons of the Trinity, the
remaining four are references to Christian experience derived from the three
persons: One body, created by One Spirit, called in One hope, believe in One
Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father who has brought us into His
family.
It is because of these seven
“ones” that Christians are united already. They may be in different churches
and denominations, but can be united by these seven things. These seven great
truths or doctrines are at the foundation. May disagree on secondary matters,
but must be agreed on these seven great foundation truths.
Some people are looking for
unity in some great “super-church” to which all will belong, but Paul’s
emphasis is that unity rests on the work of the Holy Spirit, giving new life and
building lives on these great truths of Christian faith.
Not going to have seven heads in
sermon, but going to arrange these truths under three heads, and each head
belongs to a person of the Trinity. (a) The Holy Spirit – One Spirit, creates
One body, and guarantees One hope; (b) The Son – One Lord, centre of One faith
and One baptism; (c) One God and Father of all. Unity is grounded in One God
Himself revealed in three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How the
Bible teaches us to take our eyes off ourselves, and all our petty concerns, and
fix them on God, and the great objective truths about God. Not self in the
centre, but God in the centre, His glorious purposes and His grace to us.
Going to follow the order Paul gives us – it is true to our experience – the Holy Spirit shows us the need of the Son, and through the Son we know the Father.
Three truths about Him – One
body, One Spirit, One hope.
(i) One body – the Body of
Christ, the Christian church of which Christ is the head. In God’s eyes there
is one body, one church, to which belong all the redeemed who are truly His, in
heaven and on earth. It is invisible, unseen, and its members are known only to
God. A spiritual and internal society, created by the Holy Spirit. We were
all baptised by one spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or
free (1 Corinthians 12:13). This one church may have members in many local
and visible churches and denominations. It is made up of all the redeemed, from
every nation, colour, language, education, temperament and outlook.
It does not follow that everyone
who is on a church roll is a true Christian. Churches have different standards
for membership. Not all emphasise the need for knowing Christ and the new birth.
People can be on a church roll for all sorts of reasons – family tradition, it
suits business, parents arranged it. The true Christian – a member of the one
true church of Christ – ought to be a member of a local church, and publicly
identify with people of God in the locality. But cannot assume that you are a
member of the true church, just because your name is on a church roll somewhere.
This is the first basis of
unity. If we are part of the body, we belong to one another, and therefore there
is unity. This leads to the next basis of unity:
(ii) One Spirit. It is His work
which makes us Christians. He must do a work in our lives – a miraculous work,
raising us from spiritual death. He starts by convicting us of sin. Before this
happens, we are pleased with ourselves, think we are quite good really, as good
as the next person. But when the Holy Spirit convicts, we see ourselves as we
really are – rotten with sin within. We resist God interfering with our life,
only want Him there when we are in trouble. Lost and empty. Then we are brought
low, and see our failure and our need.
The Spirit continues His work
– He gives new life. Shows us Jesus is the very Saviour we need. Moves in our
life to enable us to trust. He makes us aware we are born again, new creatures.
Not just improved with new coat of paint, or dusted up and down – but He
remakes us. We discover God is real, start to love Him and His people, the
family of God. Brothers and sisters. Unites us to Christ and His people. We
become the temple of the Holy Spirit because He indwells us. He begins to change
us – new desires and outlook. The fruit of the Spirit start to appear.
When you and I know the work of
the Holy Spirit, we belong to one another and there is unity between us.
(iii) One hope of your calling.
The Holy Spirit’s presence is our guarantee about the future - God’s deposit
on us, the first down payment. Lot more to give us yet. The Holy Spirit is the
guarantee of what is yet to come. Glorious future.
So many things to look forward
to. The Lord Jesus to come again. New bodies like His. Never growing old, dying,
suffering pain, hearing or sight problems. I consider that our present
sufferings are not worthy comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans
8:18). In keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and
a new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). Sin banished forever.
Reigning with Him as kings and priests forever.
Down here we are strangers and pilgrims. The blessed hope of the Lord Jesus’ return and all that will follow should be in our sights now. To see Him, enjoy Him, be in His presence, be like Him, reign with Him. If you and I have this prospect and hope of a glorious future, then we belong to one another and there is unity between us. If we know this is where we are going, then this hope unites us.
Three things about Him which
unite us – One Lord, One faith, One baptism
(i) One Lord. Every true
Christian, in the true church in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, confesses the one
Lord. Unique person. The Lord. The Son of God. The Lord of glory. His coming on
earth was a unique event. His virgin birth was a unique birth. Not just a man,
but the God Man. His death is our only hope of salvation. No other way for sins
to be put away. There was none other good enough to pay the price of sin. Now He
is risen and alive forever more. If we trust Him and belong to Him, He owns us,
He possesses us. We cannot believe and do as we like, because we are His.
The Lord Jesus Christ stands at
the very heart of our faith. Being a Christian is not following a philosophy or
teaching, it is belonging to a person. Christianity is Christ. The same
yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This doctrine is very
important, but not an end in itself because it points to Him and leads to Him.
The burden of our Gospel is Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).
The Buddhist can do without the person of Buddha, and the Muslim can do without
the person of Mohammed. But we cannot do without the person of Christ – He is
everything to us.
If you and I belong to the one
Lord, then we belong to one another and there is unity between us. We can echo
the words of Count Zinzendorff “I have one passion. It is He and He alone.”
(ii) One faith. Much debate
here. Is it personal trust in Christ? Or, more likely, the body of essential
beliefs which constitute the Gospel. The word of God spread… and a large
number of priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). Christians are to
contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude
3). There are certain essential truths for us to believe, because they make up
the Gospel itself. At the same time there may be certain secondary matters on
which Christians can differ and can debate. But on the basic truths which make
up the Gospel, there can be no debate – sin, the person of Christ, salvation
by faith in Christ and not by works.
To be wrong on these matters is
a fatal mistake because a man’s eternal destiny is at stake. Hence note of
intolerance in New Testament. If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other
than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned (Galatians 1:9). Salvation
is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by
which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Cannot be any compromise here. Cannot be
any cooperation with those who do not hold these things and preach them. The
ecumenical movement play down doctrine for this very reason – doctrine
divides, service unites. Hence the reluctance of many evangelical Christians to
join, and hence the value of a Basis of Faith as touchstone regarding unity with
others.
On what are we depending for
salvation – Christian parents, Christian home, the fact you have always
believed in God, never done anything bad, make donations to good causes? If
relying on these things, you are lost. You have not seen the truth of the
Gospel. You are outside the one faith, outside Christ. The Gospel is all of
Christ and none of us. Only one faith; one body of essential doctrine. But if
you and I believe that one faith, we belong to one another and there is unity
between us.
(iii) One baptism. Subject of
much controversy and debate. It is best to understand its meaning to be what
baptism represents, since baptism itself does not actually do anything and is a
public sign only. In itself it is not essential to salvation, it does not
achieve anything in itself. Baptism is into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
(Acts 2:38; 19:5). Outward sign of personal faith in Christ Jesus. Points
to, represents and signifies that the person being baptized belongs to Christ,
confesses Christ, has submitted self to Christ. Left the world, lives life in
new sphere in which He is Lord and Master. No longer the individual going his
own way, but yielded to Christ. Christ lives in this person and fills him with
His power. Forsaken all to follow Him. Both forms of baptism point to this
relationship – one looking forward to it in the future, and the other looking
back and saying relationship is already established.
If you and I are personally related to Christ – in a relationship of which baptism is the outward sign – then we belong together and there is unity between us. So under the work of the Son of God – One Lord, one faith and one baptism.
Only one truth about Him – One
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians
4:6). United because of relationship to Christ has brought us into God’s
family of which God is the Father.
Salvation always brings us to
God. Other religions and cults centre on man and benefits for man. Christian
Gospel starts with God and leads us to God. He is at centre of everything. We
all come to Him and when in heaven all will be centred on Him and His worship.
He is sovereign over all – the church and the universe. Through all,
providence under-girds our lives, maintains and sustains. His power energizes
our lives.
If you and I belong to this God, if His eternal life is in us, then we belong together as brothers and sisters, and there is unity between us.
Concern for unity among Christians. This is based on the
Trinity. We belong to the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
If we belong to the one true
Church, are indwelt by the one Holy Spirit, looking forward to the same one
hope, if we trust in one Lord, believe the one Gospel, and are related to Christ
as signified by baptism, if we are in the family of one God the Father – then
we are one and united. We belong to one another.
Thank God, not just for the few
Christians in our local church, but for the vast multitudes who hold to these
great truths. We are all brothers and sisters, we need to know about them, pray
for them and enjoy relationship with them wherever we can.
Join in defence of the Gospel. So much confusion at present – but here we have clear landmarks and guidelines. Thank God for these great truths.
