"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul . . ." Acts 4:32
This doesn't sound much like the church of today. It seems that there is nothing the church prefers more than bickering and bitting one another in traditional debates. God declares that he is not the author of confusion [I Cor. 14:33] . . . he is complete unity. "The LORD our God is one LORD . . . There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Deut. 6:4, Eph. 4:5) Everything about God is one . . . even his eternal power and Godhead is filled in the person and name of one Jesus Christ [Gal. 2:9]. There are not many gods, nor many names, instead there is "none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) We as Christians should emulate this unity of God. Our hearts and souls should be to seek the Lord Jesus with one accord.
The entire book of Acts is filled with this message of unity. In the very first chapter we learn that the apostles abode together in one accord continually seeking the Lord with one heart. This is not just a single moment, this is not a "terry while the emotions are high" desire for God. This is an unadulterated cry for oneness with God almighty. The message of unity continues into the next chapter and in almost every one following. The Holy Ghost descended when "they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1) When the lame man was healed at the gate called beautiful it is recorded that Peter and John were "together" [Acts 3 and 4]. They walked in together . . . they prayed together . . . they were rebuked together . . . and after they were beaten and let go they joined the other apostles and all rejoiced together. They weren't just in the same place in body, they were also in the same place in the spirit. They didn't desire to give silver and gold, but instead they gave of the Lord Jesus Christ. In all of this they were never divided, they "were of one heart and of one soul."
For the most part, pastors today have gotten away from this message. There are few preaching the "unity of the faith" (Eph. 4:12) to the flock of God. Jesus declared that his sheep will know his voice and will hear him. If the shepards however, do not instruct the fold to seek and to know the one and only true God how shall they have ears to hear what the spirit saith? Verily "how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom 10:14) Paul recognized this tool of the enemy and warned us that we give not heed to the teachings of another Jesus. We are to be founded in the word of God, unshakable in the doctrine of salvation through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his eternal resurrection. These are the points that we should speak and seek together. My prayer for this and every generation that follows is that it may be recorded that "all that believed were together . . . and they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart." (Acts 2:44, 47) |
