The Basis for Christian Unity

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-22

Unity in the Church is not something we can conjure up by our own efforts; true unity must spring out of God's work in us. The basis for our unity is:

1. A new life (1-5)
2. A new identity (6-13)
3. A new citizenship (19-22)
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I want to take a moment to pay tribute to my father. I can't think of a better way than by reciting a poem. You see Dad loves poetry -- loved to memorize it, and wrote some himself.

There is one rhyme that will stick with me throughout my life.

Somebody said that it couldn't be done, but he with a chuckle replied
That maybe it couldn't, but he would be one who wouldn't say so till he tried
So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin on his face, if he worried he hid it
And he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done and he did it.

Now this is a wonderful little poem -- inspirational. I find myself reciting it to my own children when they are tempted to give up. Never give up. You can be and do anything as long as you have enough determination.

If only it were true. There are things that can't be done. There are things that are simply impossible no matter how hard you may try

Such is the case with Christians and unity. You know what an oxymoron is? It's a contradiction in terms -- like black light. Look around you and you'll quickly become convinced that Christian unity is an oxymoron. Christians seem to find any and every excuse to argue with one another. If it is not theology, it is music, and if not music,

The harder we strive for unity, the more we seem to fail. Maybe thats why unity is such a focus of our prayers -- we know that it's something that we simply are unable to achieve on our own.

It needs a miracle -- and that's a good place to begin. Like almost everything in the Christian life, unity is not something we achieve, but a gift from God.

Christian unity cannot be based on anything we can do or anything we are, but only what God has done for us. We are absolutely incapable of achieving unity on our own.

But here's the good news -- God has already done the miracle in us. So today we're not going to focus on how we can somehow make ourselves unified. Rather, we're going to focus on what God has done for us that makes unity possible.

Turn with me to Ephesians 2 -- we'll read the whole chapter.

This chapter culminates in one great theme: The unity of God's people. In Christ we are joined together as one. We are part of the same family -- members of God's household; we are like bricks being built together into a great temple. The point is that all of the things which divided us before we were Christians should no longer do so -- they have melted away.

(vs. 19 -22)

But the chapter doesn't seem to begin that way at all -- in fact it begins not by talking about unity, but about death -- vs. 1 "As for you you were dead in your transgressions and sins." So what does death have to do with unity?

1. Death and new life

Well we have this wonderful game in our family. We learned it when our kids were quite small. It's called the dead dog game. I highly recommend it for families with small children or any of you who do any babysitting. One of the most useful parenting techniques I know. Here is how it works:

I say one, two, three "Dead Dog!" and all the kids have to lie down on the carpet and pretend to be dead dogs. The person who stays absolutely still and quiet for the longest time wins. I told you its a wonderful game. Kids love it. Adults love it even more. I don't know what a child psychologist would say, but I'm not going to ask.

Now one thing about the dead dog game -- its not a very social event. That's sort of the point. When you're playing dead dog the most important thing is the dead part. You don't move, you don't talk. A good dead dog is completely silent, entirely unresponsive. You can yell in their ear, tickle them, shake them and they'll stay completely still.

This scripture passage tells us that without Christ we are dead -- not dead physically, but dead spiritually. What does it mean to be spiritually dead? Well, one things for sure, it means being unable to respond to God. But being spiritually dead also means being unable to connect spiritually with other people. It means that the spiritual part of us -- the part that was meant to commune with God and with other people is unresponsive -- dead.

And when the spiritual part of us is dead, what do we have left?

So the first pre-requisite for relating to each other a Christians is simple -- spiritual life. Without the new life that God gives us in Christ we are completely unable to connect with each other at a spiritual level. But when God makes us alive, suddenly the connections are open: we are able to respond both to God and to each other.

What does that mean in practical terms to be spiritually connected with one another? Well it means seeing each other and interacting with each other as spiritual and eternal beings rather than just as bodies. It means being concerned for each other's spiritual well-being. We ask each other all the time "how are you feeling?" We notice when someone has a cold and we show concern for each others health. How much more should we be concerned with one another's spiritual health.

The problem is that people who have been made alive in Christ sometimes continue to play spiritual dead dog. We are alive, but you wouldn't know it from the way we often interact with each other.

What good is it to be alive if we still act dead? Our new life has to be accompanied by a change in our self-image -- a change in identity.

2. A new identity

Now when I think of a change of identity, I think of frogs. My kids are true frog lovers. Sarah in particular -- we have this wonderful picture of her kissing a frog. So we know alot about frogs. Now frogs go through two major transformations during their life-cycle. The first transformation we are all familiar with -- they change from those cute little tadpoles into big, ugly frogs.

But there is another transformation that every frog hopes for -- that is, when the princess shows up and kisses the frog and the frog suddenly turns into a handsome prince. Frogs live for that day. That's why they make so much noise.

Now I like frog-prince stories, but there's something that bothers me about them. In all of the stories as soon as the frog turns into a prince, the prince and princess go off and live happily ever after as if the frog part had never happened. That just doesn't make sense to me. I know and you know that that is simply not the way things happen. You can't live as a frog for years and years without picking up some frog habits. I can imagine that it takes some time for a frog turned prince to get used to his new identity. He has to learn that its not very princely to jump and splashing around in the palace fish-pond; And no matter how tasty they are, eating flies is just not socially acceptable anymore.

Now think about what happens when we become Christians. First of all we go through a transformation that is every bit as amazing as a frog turning into a prince (or princess). In fact the frog stories are nothing compared with the change that we go through.

We start out in a hopeless situation, completely unable to help ourselves.

dead in transgressions and sins (vs. 1)
gratifying our sinful nature (vs. 3)
deserving of God's wrath (vs. 3)
separate from Christ
excluded from citizenship with God's people (vs. 12)
without hope
with God

In the midst of this completely hopeless situation, God reaches down and pours out his love to us: vs. 4 -- But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved.

And the story gets better -- look at vs. 6: And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly relams in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

We are part of a real-life fairy tale in which we have been transformed from enemies of God to adopted children. When God looks at us he does not see what we used to be -- he sees only Christ in us. Our new identity is not based on anything we were before we met Christ.

Now this transformation of identity does not just affect how we relate to God -- it also affects our relationships with each other. You might say that when we come to Christ we no longer relate to each other as frogs, but as princes and princesses.

Now how should that change our relationships with each other?

1. It should allow us to accept each other just the way we are -- to look past each other's warts, so to speak. Our new identity is based entirely on God's love and acceptance of us we can be completely secure in our relationships with God and with each other -- we shouldn't need to prove
   
   
2. It should break down the barriers between us. Our old identity doesn't matter anymore. All the old things that might have either brought us together or kept us apart -- culture, class, skin-color, education, family background, culture, race -- all of these should be of no significance to how we relate to each other because our identity is no longer bound up in them any longer. These are all frog things -- and we are no longer frogs, but princes and princesses.
   
   

Look at 2 Corinthians 5:16-20: So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view . . .

So here's what we have so far: In our natural state we are like dead dogs, but in Christ God made us alive making it possible for us to relate to one another on a spiritual level. And relating on a spiritual level is the basic pre-requisite for Christian unity.

Then, not only did He make us alive, but God transformed us, gave us a new identity -- changing us from frogs into princes and princesses. And on the basis of that new identity, we no longer see ourselves or others in the same light.

3. with a new identity comes a new basis for belonging -- a new citizenship.

Citizenship is an interesting question for our family. Carol and I have different citizenships. Carol is a Canadian, I am an U.S. citizen. Most of the time we don't have to think about it much. But we're reminded of it when we travel. In airports we sometimes have to go into different immigration lines. And whenever we reenter the U.S. Carol has to pull out this card that has stamped in rather large letters: Alien.

Now that means our children have dual citizenship. But you know dual citizenship doesn't make much sense. To be a citizen is a statement of loyalty -- when someone becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen they are required to recite an oath by which they renounce all other loyalties.

Now when we become Christians we become naturalized citizens of God's kingdom. By birth we are aliens -- foreigners -- separated from God and separated from the people of God. But God grants us a new citizenship -- a new place of belonging.

Now some of us would like to hang on to dual citizenship -- be part of God's kingdom, but not leave behind our old loyalties and allegiances. But dual citizenship is not possible. We are told over and over again in scripture that God demands our complete allegiance. When we become fellow citizens in God's kingdom the old human enmities and identities and separated us have to be left behind. That includes national identity, ethnic identity, gender -- anything that held our loyalty.

Conclusion
I started out by arguing that it is impossible to achieve unity by striving after it. I think that's true.

But that doesn't mean it's unachievable.

The way to reach unity among believers is not by seeking unity, but by seeking God. It's only when we are in right relationship with God that we can be in right relationship with each other.

So, on a practical level -- when you feel a lack of unity , a break in fellowship with other believers our first response should be to examine our relationship with God.

1. Don't play spiritual dead dog. You were made alive with Christ and through Christ you have the ability to relate on a spiritual level.
   
   
2. Remember your not a frog anymore. Christ has changed your identity.
   
   
3. Remember where your citizenship is.