I. Series: Unity of the Church
Lesson #3
Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom. 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant
you to be likeminded one toward another according to
Christ Jesus:
Rom. 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth
glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom. 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as
Christ also received us to the glory of God.
I. God Is Moving In A Very Definite Way To Bring Unity
To His Body.
- This has to be one of the major concerns of God in this
end time. For the promise of God is, “I will pour out of
My Spirit upon all flesh” (Acts 2:17). To do that, He
has to have the body fitly joined together, in
one accord. Only then can He command His life into
that body. Let us remind ourselves that only through
His body can God pour out His Spirit upon all
flesh. - The devil, who is always the imitator, has his
perverted version of this unity. It is called The
Ecumenical movement. - Satan knows that wherever Bible unity is achieved, the
Lord will command His life and blessings. - In other messages on this same truth, we have seen that
Bible unity is everyone in his right place. - In our message today we go farther in the thought of
what God is actually looking for. For it is absolutely
impossible for you to lead people unless you
know where God wants them to be. It is
impossible for you to form this company of brethren,
dwelling together in unity, unless you really know what
God is after. - So we look further into God’s meaning of unity.
- In that prayer, Paul declares the harmony between the
attribute and activity of the word of God. “The patience
and comfort of scripture…” (Rom. 15:4). Then the
harmony of the attribute and activity of God – “The God
of patience and consolation” (Rom. 15:5). - This word means, “to draw one to God,” and to produce
in one a quality of endurance.
- The effect of this work of the word of God
is to grant Christians to be likeminded one toward
another. - The word of God and the God of the word, work in
the life of the believer to produce what Paul calls
here, “a likemindedness.” All of this has to come
through you, the man of God, who is the mouthpiece of
God, God’s old man. - You must know what God is saying, for
unless you say it, it will not be said. If it is not said, then
it can never have its creating effect in the body of
believers that God intends.
III. The Word “Grant” Translates To A Word Which Means
“To Give.”
- activity of God.
- “Likemindedness” is never brought about by the efforts
of man. It is a gift which must be granted by God. In
other words, there is nothing professional about this. It
cannot be organized into being. You and I cannot with
any of our programs produce it. It must be granted by
God as a gift from God. But God uses you and I as
the instrument through which He works with
His word.
- The word “LIKEMINDEDNESS” is an from the
infinitive, which means “to be of the same mind,
to agree together, to cherish the same
views.” - It is found in Philippians 2:2, and the imperative verb
form is used in Philippians 2:5 where Paul commands,
Phil. 2:2 Fulfill my joy, that ye may be likeminded, having
the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Phil. 2:5 Let (that is the imperative) this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: