An Army of One — OR — An Army of the One

We sometimes confuse our own culture with spiritual things. ?In America there exists within us an innate desire to succeed as an individual. ?Why else would we have team sports to learn teamwork? When we join the military, we learn a new concept called unit cohesion. ?It is a long-recognized phenomenon that is essential for successful war fighting. ?Unit cohesion goes well beyond the idea of mere teamwork into an arena where men and women place their lives and trust into the hands of those with whom they serve. ?General Krulak, Commandant of the Marine Corps (former), described it in this way: “We must do everything we can to enhance the transformation of young men and women into the marines that our corps needs to win battles. ?I firmly believe that unit cohesion is an integral part of the transformation process. ?Marines must possess and feel the absolute trust, subordination of self, the intuitive understanding of the collective actions of the unit, and the importance of teamwork.”

“I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:20-23 NASB).

Unity is that gift from God that comes as an answered prayer of the Son so that the world (“Satanic System,” Lewis Sperry Chafer) may know the Father sent the Son. ?I have heard unity described in terms of what it is NOT, but sometimes we miss the point because we ask the wrong question. ?When unity is described as NOT being uniformity, the question should be, “Did Jesus think like His Father?” ?When described as NOT unanimity, the question should be, “Did Jesus and the Father completely agree?” Those who would make the NOT arguments are those who have NOT experienced this wondrous blessing! ?There is only ONE reason for NOT experiencing the Unity of the Holy Spirit — you do not belong to Jesus! ?We ARE one just as Jesus and the Father are one for the purpose of the Gospel! ?It requires more than teamwork, more than unit cohesion, it requires death to self that the Church may grow with Jesus Christ as the head. ?Contrary to our human understanding, "Unity" exists when I agree with Jesus and You agree with Jesus!

?“But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God” (Colossians 2:19 NLT).

?“Instead we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church . Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:15-16 NLT).

?“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12 NLT).

?“Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others” (Romans 12:3b-5 NLT).

?“This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13, NLT)