Any hope for unity?
 

The Bible says we should speak the same thing and be of one mind.

Will it ever happen before our Lord returns?

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Sounds like a growth process which needs lots of love and humility to accomplish.

Eph 4:15-16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Yes, I think it will happen.

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

I don't think so.

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

There will be a remnant New Testament Church in the end times. IT will come to unity with Christ. Once it is established it will feed the woman in the wilderness.

There will be a people walking in truth and coming to be overcomers. Jesus is only coming for a bride like himself.

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

Who is the whole body? All Christians (i.e, everyone who self-labels as such)? All Oneness Apostolic Three-step Holiness Pentecostal Post-trib Christians (ditto)? Mormons? :heeheehee

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

Q. Any hope for unity?

B. Even less likely now that AFF exists.


:heeheehee

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

Not everyone who says that Jesus is Lord is part of the body.

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Matthew 7:21

I can't make the determination who is or is not part of the body of Christ but I'm confident that the Lord knows.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

OK. So nobody will know if unity is attained. Besides the Lord, of course. :)

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

and there's the rub.

Re: Any hope for unity?
 

Not even the churches established in Apostolic times had absolute unity. We should be unified in Spirit and on essentials such as the Oneness of God and Acts 2:38 being the proper means of conversion. However, how Oneness is understood and the various soteriological aspects of Acts 2:38 are understood should be open to interpretation and continual study. We can be unified in the Spirit and not legalistically unified on every point of teaching.

If we all understand this, speak this, and stand by this... we are of one mind and speaking the same thing. However, we're allowing unity in diversity and making our differences... a strength.