Puritan Evangelical Church of America

Unity in the Spirit

Unity in the spirit is a very important concept.

It refers to the unity, which is produced between people through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26), and enters those who are ordained to eternal life (John 10:26-28). He has been doing this throughout history on the basis of Christ's finished work (John 10:16).

The Holy Spirit is, above all, the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17). This Truth is God's Word written, and found in what we call the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit uses these in giving new birth (1 Peter 1:23).

The Truth which the Spirit of Truth gives is as follows: God is Sovereign, or Master over all (Daniel 4:17, Revelation 19:6); man, through sin, is separated from Him and is, therefore, in a state of spiritual death (Ephesians 4:18, 2:1); man, in this state cannot know God, nor volunteer, through an act of his own free will, to come to God (1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 6:20); God has ordained many to eternal life (Acts 13:48); Jesus Christ came and has accomplished salvation for these who have been thus ordained (Hebrews 9:12; Acts 20:28). This salvation which has been planned and purchased for them, has been, and will be, effectually applied to them one by one until the whole of Christ's Body, the church, is complete (John 6:37,39); each will repent and believe (Acts 16:14,15); there will not be one of these persons in hell (1 Peter 1:4,5: Jude v. 24, 25). These facts are Truth.

Only when this Truth is the basis of fellowship between two or more persons does true unity in the spirit take place (Acts 2:42). Al1 other unity is a mere, emotional farce. It is the type of unity which liberal, humanistic ecumenism advocates and encourages. It is wood, hay, and stubble, which will be burnt up in God's judgment.

Beware, lest you be sucked in through Satanic deception. Try the spirits on the basis of Truth as it is written in the Scriptures (1 John 4:1). Don't be content with unity that is based on anything less, for such unity is contrary to the Spirit of Truth and is, therefore, under God's wrath.

The writer of this tract recommends that the reader read 2nd John and 3rd John Verse 4.

11 Cor. 6:14-18

Wallace A. Bell, Pastor

Puritan Evangelical Church
August 24, 1999