Unity in the Church where the division between Jew and Gentile is broken down now gets further explanation. The body metaphor, one of the common images we are given of the Church, is singular. While it is true that each individual Christian is a “temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God…” (1 Cor 6:19), the Church as a whole also is in possession of the Holy Spirit in a unique way. It is not just a human organization, but is seen as one body, having one Spirit. We must not lose sight of this truth!

Churches today that are often run like businesses, headed by pastor-CEO’s and which see leadership simply as technique for efficiency, miss the whole idea of “church.” Collectively we are not primarily an organization or an institution, and certainly not manmade, no matter how much the human failing may be. The church is an organism, alive, related to God as a whole.

Further, all Christians, whether Jew, Gentile or any other human distinction, are brought together by a common calling, namely the forward anticipation of “hope.” We are a called out people with a common future. We are forgiven and eagerly look forward to being fully united with Christ when He returns. The apostle Peter put it this way, “His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…” (1 Peter 1:3b-4). As believers, we anticipate the same destination, and by faith we live that heavenly life now.

So, we have one body, one Spirit and one hope. This trilogy is followed by two more threesomes, each emphasizing the unity of the Church. There is not a Jewish Church and a Gentile Church, but one Church. There is not a white Church and a black Church. To be sure, local churches have their “flavors” and “personalities” that may reflect cultural differences. But the primary Lordship of Christ, the doctrines of the faith and the discipline of baptism are the same. That is because the God we Christians worship and see as our common Father is “over all and through all and in all.” This last trilogy ties it all together, so there is no room for any theology that divides the church or differences in practices that should alienate one church from another. This is the outworking of our Lord’s prayer, “that they may all be one” (John 17:21).