The Unity of the Spirit

For a number of years I have prophetically sensed that the Holy Spirit is bringing a divine move of reformation to the church. I believe this shift must take place to unify the Body of Christ to accomplish the work Christ assigned the church to do. According to Wikipedia, Christianity is the largest religious group in the world, and in 2020 there were about 2.6 billion adherents globally.¹ Within that group there are numerous Christian denominations or sects with somewhat differing religious beliefs. Some of the more well known are the Catholic Church; Protestant denominations; Eastern Orthodoxy; Oriental Orthodoxy; Church of the East; and Non-trinitarian Restorationism that make up Christian denominational families. Within each there may be varying branches. Within Protestantism there is Anabaptism, Adventism, Lutheranism, Methodism and Pentecostalism just to name a few of the major branches. Also, there are interdenominational movements: Evangelicalism, Charismatic movement, etc.²

The phrase “the Body of Christ” is a common New Testament metaphor for the Church (all those who are truly saved). The Church is called “one body in Christ” in Romans 12:5, “one body” in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “the body of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:12, and “the body” in Hebrews 13:3. The Church is clearly equated with “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:24.³

When Christ entered the world, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him (Hebrews 10:5; Philippians 2:7). Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:8). After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly. In this way, the Church functions as “the Body of Christ.”⁴

As the Body of Christ we are called to be witnesses of the kingdom of God on the earth. Acts 1:8 says, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”

Paul addressed his letter to the Ephesians as “to the saints who are at Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Eph.1). Perhaps in doing so, Paul was encouraging them in knowing their true identity Christ so that they may faithfully represent his kingdom as faith believers. It’s important to know and understand that as believers we are called to be saints. The word saint means “one who has been “set apart.” We are not of this world. In John 17:13-17 Jesus ask the Father, “ But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.”

As believers we are set apart in the truth of God’s Word. A lived experience as a believer in Christ. We are not products of the corrupt world system. Instead, we are to be immersed in the truth of God’s voice and Word. This was not only for the early disciples benefit, but for all the believers who would follow and learn from them. This applies to Christ’s church today. We are to follow after the pattern he set for all believers so that others will have the opportunity to come into the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

Many Christians are looking for “the Day of the Lord” — the return of Jesus Christ. However, Scripture indicates that many things must take place before the return of the Lord (Matt. 24:6*8; Rev. 6:1-8). I am believing the Lord for deeper revelation and understanding to share with the Body of Christ on the unification of the church in these times.

Blessings,

Minister Dr. A Francine Green

Notes:

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1. List of Christian denominations by number of members
2. Protestantism. last edited on 18 April 2022, at 16:20 (UTC). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism. Accessed 20 Apr 2022
3. How is the church the Body of Christ?. https://www.gotquestions.org/body-of-Christ.html. Accessed 20 Apr 2022
4. How is the church the Body of Christ?. https://www.gotquestions.org/body-of-Christ.html. Accessed 20 Apr 2022