Unity in the Body of Christ Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Know what is the most important testimony the Church should give to the world. (John 17:21-23)

   Answer: You must present to the instructor that the most important testimony the Church should give to the world is unity among believers, according to John 17:21-23 — Jesus prayed that all may be one, as the Father and the Son are one, 'that the world may believe that you have sent me.' The unity of Christians in love, purpose, and faith is the most convincing sign that the gospel is true and that Christ is the Son of God who was sent. — John 17 is Christ's high-priestly prayer, before the crucifixion. Unity is not uniformity, but a fellowship of purpose and love. Ellen White (Acts of the Apostles, p. 20) says that unity is the 'most powerful apologetic of Christianity.' The division of the Church in the 4th century (Council of Nicaea) and in the following centuries deeply wounded this testimony throughout the world.

2. Know what attitudes we should cultivate to maintain the unity of the Church. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

   Answer: You must present to the instructor that to maintain the unity of the Church, according to Ephesians 4:2-3, we should cultivate humility (not exalting oneself), gentleness (kindness in dealing with others), longsuffering (patience in the face of offenses), bearing with one another in love (tolerating imperfections), and striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (seeking active reconciliation). — Ephesians 4 is the chapter on unity — Paul writes from prison in Rome (~A.D. 60) to a church of various cultures (Jews and Gentiles). Humility comes first — without it, gentleness and patience do not last. Bearing with one another in love includes listening, forgiving, and turning the other cheek. Unity is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), not isolated human effort.

3. Define who is the main bond that unites the members of the Church. (John 15:5)

   Answer: You must present to the instructor that the main bond uniting the members of the Church is Jesus Christ, according to John 15:5 — 'I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.' Christ is the central trunk. — The metaphor of the vine appears in John 15 and harks back to Israel as God's vine (Ps 80, Is 5). Jesus presents Himself as the true vine — without Him, the branches wither. The unity of the Church does not come from human institutions but from the life shared in Christ. To abide in Christ = to read the Word, pray, obey, and love one another among true believers.

4. Understand how Jesus expects the relationship among His followers to be. (John 15:12-13, 17)

   Answer: You must present to the instructor that Jesus expects His followers to love one another as He loved them (John 15:12); the love must be so deep that the follower is willing to lay down his own life for his brother (15:13); and that this love be a continual practice, not just a feeling (15:17 — 'These things I command you, that you love one another'). — Christian love (agape) is a love of giving, not of feeling. Jesus exemplified it by laying down His life on the cross. This love distinguishes Christians from the world (John 13:35). It is not selective love (only for the good), but universal and active. Tertullian (3rd century) recorded that pagans said of the Christians: 'See how they love one another.' The early centuries of Christianity bore witness to this.

5. Explain what attitudes cause division among the members of the Church. (2 Timothy 3:2-5; James 3:16; James 4:1-2)

   Answer: You must present to the instructor that the attitudes that cause division are: self-love, greed, vanity, pride, disobedience to parents, ingratitude, lack of affection, intemperance, treachery (2 Tim 3:2-5); envy and a factious/competitive spirit (James 3:16); covetousness and quarrels over unmet personal desires (James 4:1-2). — The three texts paint a portrait of fallen human nature — from the times of Paul and James, in the 1st century. Selfishness is the root; envy, vanity, and competition are the fruits. James 4 shows that conflicts come from frustrated personal desires that turn against one's brothers and sisters. The solution is the opposite: humility, generosity, forgiveness, and love for one another, as the gospel teaches.

6. Memorize and recite Psalm 133:1.

   Answer: You must recite Psalm 133:1 from memory to the instructor: 'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!' It is the opening verse of one of the pilgrimage psalms (the ascent to Jerusalem), proclaiming the beauty and the sweetness of unity among God's people gathered together. — Psalm 133 is brief (3 verses) and celebrates fraternal fellowship. It compares unity to the oil poured over Aaron and to the dew of Hermon — images of blessing, abundance, and refreshment. It is one of the fifteen 'songs of ascents' used by pilgrims to Jerusalem at annual religious feasts such as the Old Testament Passover.

7. Share with a friend what should be a Christian's main attitude for promoting unity in the Church. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

   Answer: You must present to the instructor the conversation with a friend: the main attitude for promoting unity is to speak the same thing in Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 1:10 — Paul pleads with the brethren that 'you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.' — Paul writes to Corinth, a church divided into factions (of Apollos, of Cephas, of Paul). 1 Corinthians 1:10 calls for unity through the same confession of faith. 'Speaking the same thing' is not rigid uniformity, but agreement on essential truths and respect on secondary ones. Today, gossip, social media, and power struggles are common causes of division in local churches.