Oneness in Christ
Our Unity in Christ
The church is God’s family on earth: serving, studying, and worshiping together. Looking to Jesus as its leader and Redeemer, the church is called to take the good news of salvation to all people.
Number 14 of the Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church states, in part: “The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the Gospel.” – Seventh-day Adventists Believe (Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press© Publishing Association, 2005) p. 163.
But what do we mean by church? Who belongs to the church? The answer to these questions depends in part on our definition of the church.
A church is certainly the local community of believers in Jesus who obey the Lord and who assemble themselves for worship and service. They can meet in house churches or in larger congregations (Rom. 16:10-11). By church we also mean the building in which Christians assemble. But this is hardly the best definition of the church. The church is about people, not about buildings.
In the New Testament, the church sometimes is referred to as the group of believers in a particular geographical area. So, when Paul addressed the church in Galatia, he referred to many local congregations in towns and villages in that region (Gal. 1:2; see also 1 Pet. 1:1). By church we sometimes also mean a group of people who belong to a particular denomination or who call themselves by a particular name given for their beliefs and heritage.
Yet, all these definitions are incomplete. The church is the people of God all over the earth. And though Christ has faithful followers in various denominations (many of whom will in the final crisis join God’s remnant [Rev. 18:1-4]), this quarter we are going to focus on our church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and what unity in Christ means to us.
Fundamental Belief 14, called Unity in the Body of Christ, states: “The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same faith and hope and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children.” – Seventh-day Adventist Believe, p. 201.
The purpose of this series of Bible study lessons is to provide biblical instruction on the topic of Christian unity for us as Seventh-day Adventists, who, now, as always, face challenges to that unity, and will until the end of time.
However, in the Scriptures we find numerous insights and instructions on how to live God’s gift of oneness in Christ. Those insights, those instructions about living out and expressing in our church the unity we have been given, are the focus of this quarter.
Denis Fortin is a professor of theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Since joining the Theological Seminary faculty in 1994, Fortin has served also as director of the Master of Divinity program (1999-2001), associate dean (2000-2004), chair of the Department of Theology and Christian Philosophy (2006), and until recently, dean (2006-2013).
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I want a PDF
PDF version of the lessons are available from:
https://www.absg.adventist.org/
All of us may not be united from our human mindset and carnal state, yet we can achieve true Spiritual Unity by faith in Jesus Christ for one purpose to glorify and worship Him in many different ways. Cant wait to be immersed with this quarter lessons.
I hope that this quarter we come to an understanding that oneness does not mean sameness. Learning to appreciate our differences should contribute to our unity. We look at the disciples of Jesus and find a variety of backgrounds and education, yet they learned to work together in Christ.
Often when we discuss the topic of unity we say things like; "The church should do ...". It may be useful to ask ourselves the question; "What can I do?"
The hand work of God is great , beautiful and good
Today's lesson states "the purpose of this series of Bible study lessons is to provide biblical instruction on the topic of Christian unity for us as Seventh-day Adventists, who, now, as always, face challenges to that unity, and will until the end of time".
Is is it actually true that it is inevitable that challenges to that unity "will exist until the end of time"?
Following on from the comments above, I would suggest that this is not inevitable but rather depends on what kind of 'unity' is developed.
‘And though Christ has faithful followers in various denominations (many of whom will in the final crisis join God’s remnant [Rev. 18:1-4])’
I’m trying to make sure I follow the writer - which is the remnant that that those who come of Babylon will join ? The verse seems to end at the people coming out ...
It is worth thinking about the role of our denomination in this discussion. If we think others should join us because we are right then we have an egocentric view of who we are. Our role is to put self aside and draw others to Christ. When we point others to Christ we are fulfilling the command of Jesus.
You are correct Sanele. It is a somewhat ambiguous statement that was made.
I note the preceding statement by the writer proposes that the broadest definition of the church "is the people of God all over the earth". I agree with this definition and would therefore hope that the writer was trying to imply that the remnant is the same group of people - meaning broader than any particular denomination just like the definition of the church is. People who are people of God are the same people who comprise His remnant - those that are faithful to Him.
I absolutely agree with Maurice (above) that a definition that is tied to a particular denomination is, sadly, egocentric in nature.
Believe it or not, there are members of our church who are convinced that it's only SDAs who can make it to Heaven, who are certain that our church is thee church because we call ourselves the Remnant church. So the statement for me hinted that undertone, hence my request for clarification.
Is it right though for us as a corporate to call ourselves the Remnant?
That is a very good question for consideration.
kindly send me the pdf...in my email .kindly
Hello,
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Since the author is writing to an Adventist audience it's obvious that he takes for granted we understand our identity as the remnant for these last days. Our prophetic interpretation of the biblical remnant is not wrong. The exclusivity that some feel we have is because they don't understand that the concept of the remnant is more than just a group of individuals that still hold, adhere and teach the full everlasting gospel, but this concept entails more a missional character. We are to call people to follow Jesus in faith and obedience to God's commandments "Sabbath included".