Christian Unity
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believers are animated by the same spirit and the same hope. Divisions
in the church dishonor the religion of Christ before the world and
give occasion to the enemies of truth to justify their course. Paul’s
instructions were not written alone for the church in his day. God
designed that they should be sent down to us. What are we doing to
preserve unity in the bonds of peace?
When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the early church, the
brethren loved one another. “They ... did eat their meat with gladness
and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the
people: and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be
saved.” Those primitive Christians were few in numbers, without
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wealth or honor, yet they exerted a mighty influence. The light of the
world shone out from them. They were a terror to evildoers wherever
their character and their doctrines were known. For this cause they
were hated by the wicked and persecuted even unto death.
The standard of holiness is the same today as in the days of the
apostles. Neither the promises nor the requirements of God have lost
aught of their force. But what is the state of the Lord’s professed
people as compared with the early church? Where is the Spirit and
power of God which then attended the preaching of the gospel? Alas,
“how is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed!”
The Lord planted His church as a vine in a fruitful field. With
tenderest care He nourished and cherished it, that it might bring forth
the fruits of righteousness. His language is: “What could have been
done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it?” But this vine of
God’s planting has inclined to the earth and entwined its tendrils about
human supports. Its branches are extended far and wide, but it bears
the fruit of a degenerate vine. The Master of the vineyard declares:
“When I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild
grapes?”
The Lord has bestowed great blessings upon His church. Justice
demands that she return these talents with usury. As the treasures
of truth committed to her keeping have increased, her obligations
have increased. But instead of improving upon these gifts and going
forward unto perfection, she has fallen away from that which she had
attained in her earlier experience. The change in her spiritual state
has come gradually and almost imperceptibly. As she began to seek
the praise and friendship of the world, her faith diminished, her zeal