Origins of Faith Series UNITY OF FAITH

Origins of Faith: Unity

Preached by Apostle Aje Pelser, Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town, South Africa. April 2023

Have you ever wondered why God confused the language of the people at the tower of Babel?

Investigations into the origins of unity to reveal warnings as well as God’s blessings.

 

Scripture Reading:

Gen 11:1  Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

Gen 11:2  And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.

Gen 11:3  Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.

Gen 11:4  And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

Gen 11:5  But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

Gen 11:6  And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

Gen 11:7  Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

Gen 11:8  So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

Gen 11:9  Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

 

See below some contrasts between man’s version of unity and God’s unity that commands a blessing.

In the book, Augustine contrasts two cities: the heavenly city and the earthly city. [9] The most significant difference in the two cities is discovered in what they love. Augustine writes, “Two loves have made the two cities. Love of self, even to the point of contempt for God, made the earthly city; and love of God, even to the point of contempt for self, made the heavenly city.” [10] These cities are what they love.

There is a more modern book: “Escape from Christendom: Christian City or City of God that is well worth reading. By author Robert Burnell.” It is a prophetic allegory that rings true today!

 

Man’s Unity versus God’s Unity

Man's unity also uses Speech

One language and speech for own interests and self-love.              

 

God's unity uses Tongues & Frequency

Heavenly language of tongues to spread the good news of the Gospel and God’s wonders.

 

Man's unity in a so-called Christian City

Build a temporary city for selfish purposes.           

City of God

City of God's unity is eternal - Jesus builds a heavenly city that remains. Hebrews 12:22-24

 

Man's unity focusses on Achievements

Try to reach the heavens with accomplishments

God's unity focusses on spiritual identity and helps us to Reign – We are seated with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Eph. 2:6

Comes down from heaven, Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. The works fall in line with who we are in Christ Jesus. Signs follow those who believe and there is good fruit.

 

Man's unity focuses on Status

Make a name for themselves.    

Jesus' unity prioritizes Self-Denial: Mat. 16:24

We want to lift up the name of Jesus

Joh 12:32  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."

 

Man's unity will Hoard for hoarding's sake

Man Is afraid of scattering abroad and keeps back more than is good. Churches often fall into the trap of not releasing members and finances to scatter abroad and build the greater kingdom of heaven.

God's unity encourages us to Scatter abroad - we become Sent Ones and we release people into their calling and ministries

Pro 11:24  There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.

Persecution in Acts 8:1,4 scattered the disciples who spread the Gospel further as a result.

Allows God to scatter and send us to reach the entire earth. Kingdom perspective reigns and dictates decision making on missions, projects and allocation of finances.

 

False Unity may sound good at first, but is only on certain levels that suit the flesh

They are one on a carnal and soulish level.           

True unity reveals willingness to give sacrificially and suffer for a righteous cause.

We are only one in Christ, through his sacrificial offering and our communion with the saints through His blood shed and body broken.

1 Cor. 10:17

 

Man's unity is also full of democratic Proposals

Proposals to do things are based on greed and self-aggrandizement. People vote about things and then claim God told them to do it.    

God's unity is birthed in prayer and fasting, visions and dreams, prophetic intent based on accurate New Covenant understanding of the Scriptures, confirmed in a body of believers.

Observe to Do: Josh. 1:8

We meditate in the Word and observe to do according to all that is written in it.

  

Confusion is found in man's attempts at creating unity.

Jas 3:14  But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

Jas 3:15  This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

Jas 3:16  For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

 Revelation in God's unity helps to preserve the unity of the faith - what we believe together keeps us working together in the same direction, centered on Christ Jesus and His plan for His Bride the Church.

"By My Spirit I reveal My purposes and mysteries to you!"

1Co 2:9  But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."

1Co 2:10  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

 

The promised blessing on unity

Psa 133:1  A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psa 133:2  It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

Psa 133:3  It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

 

Calling helps unity

Eph 4:1  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Eph 4:2  with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

Eph 4:3  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

Unity of faith comes through preaching and teaching the Word of God

Eph_4:13  till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Appeal: Shift your focus from man’s unity to God’s unity that is developed by the Holy Spirit and founded on faith in the Word of God.

There has been unity in the Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit from the start. All the prophets agree, the faith heroes and saints in the Bible, through the ages who sought to be one with Christ continued that unity. The faithful ones who kept the word, the reformers who reminded us of the just shall live by faith and the revivalists who sparked the fire of the Holy Spirit again on the earth, all continued that unity of faith. The evangelists who worked miracles and the preachers who saved millions of souls, the teachers that emerged in the faith movement, the charismatic move that saw a resurgence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit all built on that unity of faith. The prophets who proclaimed the restoration of all things to the church in the 1980.90 and the apostles who reset the body of Christ on a path to reformation and preparation for the return of Jesus Christ all continued to build on that unity and refocused our attention on the city of God versus the Christian cities that looked so successful but lacked the substance we were looking for.

We entered in on that continuum of unity by faith.