How Christian Unity Connects to Understanding the Scriptures

A guest post by Tagiilima Esene.

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We need to stop separating Christ and His church. It is an attack on sound doctrine.

It is an attack on the Lord's body (Ephesians 1:22-23), kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14, Mark 9:1), bride (Eph. 5:23-32), church (Matthew 16:18-19, Acts 20:28), chosen generation, royal priesthood, His special people (1 Peter 2:9), His family (1 Tim. 3:15) and His children (1 John. 3:1).

Jesus’ Desire for Unity.

I have always advocated and worked to bring about unity in situations where there is conflict -serving the Lord through peacemaking by calling parties involved to come together and talk things out as we should.

I have always emphasized the importance of unity through the Truth of God's Word and never at the expense of it. This is what Jesus prayed for:

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their 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 sent Me.” (John 17:20–21 NKJV)

Such unity is possible and is commanded by the Holy Spirit revealed through the inspired writers:

“If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.” (1 Cor. 14:37 NKJV)

“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.” (1 Cor. 1:10 NKJV)

What We Do to the Church, We Do to Jesus.

Might I remind my fellow believers, about how much Jesus cared for His church and that what we do to the church, we do to Christ.

We cannot separate Jesus and the Christians (church).

Jesus died for the church.

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”(Acts 20:28 NKJV)

Jesus loves the church, cares for her, provides for her, died for her, saved and will save her.

“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”(Eph. 5:23–32 NKJV)

Such Scriptures require little effort in Hermeneutics. Such Scriptures are plain and simple truth that calls for the reader to have faith in God and believe what He says in the Word.

We Can Understand God’s Word.

Some of these passages don't even need to be interpreted [explained]. They need to be read and simply understood.

“how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),”(Eph. 3:3–4 NKJV)

God gave fallible men a Word that is understandable.

The real tragedy is we have become ignorant, not knowing the Scriptures as Jesus spoke to the "sad u see."

“Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.”(Matt. 22:29 NKJV)

God through Hosea said:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”(Hos. 4:6 NKJV)

Many have become like Israel described by Paul. Zealously ignorant.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”(Rom. 10:1–3 NKJV)

Perhaps some have read too many books about the Bible and not the Bible.

Or watch too many TikTok videos without studying the Bible.

Perhaps some have allowed their "scholarship" to blind them to plain simple truth - seeking to put thoughts eloquently through persuasive words of human wisdom.

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”(1 Cor. 2:1–5 NKJV)

The Importance of Knowing the Scriptures.

To know the Christ of the church, one must know the Christ of the Scriptures. I cannot have Jesus without the TRUTH. I cannot have Jesus without His Word.

His Word sanctifies:

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”(John 17:17 NKJV)

His Word makes free.

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:31–32 NKJV)

His Word will judge us.

“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”(John 12:48 NKJV)

His Word is knowable even by children (some children know more of Christ than some scholars).

His Word is our standard.

“and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.¶All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”(2 Tim. 3:15–17 NKJV)

His Word deserves our respect in rightly dividing it.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”(2 Tim. 2:15 NKJV)

His Word we must hear.

“He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47 NKJV)

His Word is our guide.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psa. 119:105 NKJV)

His Word, not yours, will last forever.

“But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” (1 Pet. 1:25 NKJV)

His Word is what we preach, plant, and water,

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”(Luke 8:11 NKJV)

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I can go on and on about the Holy and Powerful Word of God.

May the kids remind us of how we know about Jesus.

"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the BIBLE tells me so."

What a tragedy it would be if the Bible was not understandable.

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Tagiilima Esene preaches for the Honolulu Church of Christ in Honolulu, Hawaii. So when you finally go on that vacation to Hawaii you’ve been talking about forever, be sure to visit with them! I know they would be happy to see you!

“Lima” hosts the Ohana podcast - a podcast about the Scriptures and the church - on the Scattered Abroad Network. He also has a YouTube channel called “Faith and Fishing Hawaii.”