Yesterday we addressed why we must have unity in the church, as well as some practical ways to help bring and preserve unity, especially as outlined in Ephesians 4:11-13. We can become great at leadership and organization, but no amount of human organization or leadership will cause the church to grow up to "the measure of the stature that belongs to the fulness of Christ" (see Ephesians 4:13). Only the Spirit can bring forth that which is spirit (see John 3:6), and only the Lord can build His church.

Yesterday we considered II Corinthians 2:16, "But we have the mind of Christ, and John 17:23 where the Lord prayed that we would be "perfected in unity." We then briefly discussed the three basic stages of personality development, which are: co-dependence, independence, and inter-dependence. Today I want to view this a little deeper, applying it practically to a major thrust that the church is about to go through.

       But we have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16).

 

Note here that the apostle said "we" have the mind of Christ, not "I." No one person can have the whole mind of Christ, but each of us has been given a part. Therefore we must come together in unity to have His complete mind. The degree to which we are connected in fellowship with the rest of His church is the degree that we will have His whole council.

       "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one;

       I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me,

       and didst love them, even as Thou didst love me" (John 17:22-23).

 

These two verses are worth a lifetime of study and contemplation.

       My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will pluck my feet out of the net (Psalm 25:15).

 

There is no trap the enemy can lay for us that the Lord cannot deliver us from. However, deliverance requires that we look to Him, not man, and not to our own devices.

 

One cannot live in this world without having difficulties. When the Son of God Himself walked the earth He suffered continual attacks from His enemies.

Yesterday we discussed Amos 3:7 where the Lord said that He would not do anything without first revealing His "secret counsel" to His servants the prophets. We also see in Psalm 25:14 that "The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant." It is those who fear Him that He can trust with divine knowledge.

 

We may wonder how we can really be friends with Him if we fear Him, but it is the understanding of these divine paradoxes that the path of life is found on.

       Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).

 

This Scripture is amazing. Why would the Creator of the universe obligate Himself not to do anything without first revealing it to the prophets? The reason for this is understood in His purpose for creating man. He created man for fellowship.