Unity of the Body.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to live together in unity! Psalm 133:1

How does real unity even exist? In the midst of this fallen world, with human selfishness reigning in the majority of men’s hearts, how is unity even possible? Actually, I think the clue is in the second verse of this Psalm.

 It is like the precious oil on the head,
Running down upon the beard,
As on Aaron’s beard,
The oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes.

The ‘oil’ was the anointing oil used in sacred purposes for sanctification and as a sign of the Holy Spirit. Described in Exodus 30:23-25 the oil was made especially for Aaron and his sons for anointing them and all of the vessels used in the tabernacle. For the oil to actually flow down from the top of the head down the ‘edge of his robe’ means a lot of oil was poured over the high priest’s head. The high priest wore a breastplate that represented the entire congregation of God. That oil permeated the entire being of the high priest at that time. The fragrance of the oil completely saturated the high priest.

To actually be in ‘unity’ there has to be real humility, repentance, and gratefulness with the Holy Spirit orchestrating it ALL! One focus for every one in the community – totally on the Lord of Hosts! Love and forgiveness reigns in that place! How can one live in love and peace without the Holy Spirit? The oil is essential. The abundance of that ‘oil’ (His very Presence) would be so overflowing with its holy influence and fragrance that it would saturate the entire community combining everyone into one Body.

Any kind of ‘unity’ that is forced or coerced isn’t real unity. Real unity must come by a free will choice from EVERYONE. This in my experience ONLY happens when everyone chooses to allow the Holy Spirit to be in charge. I’ve heard many a sermon preaching the need for unity — but without the Holy Spirit – the message comes across wrong. Without the ‘oil’, the very fragrance and anointing of the Holy Spirit – real unity is NOT possible.

When everyone is in agreement to allow the Holy Spirit His place …firstly within themselves and then in the community – His Presence comes to fill the place with His fragrance of His fruit. Only with Him at our ‘center’ as the ‘Head’ can we have a chance at real unity. NO human can take the place of Jesus! He IS our Shepherd, Savior, King, and Master! Every pastor, apostle, prophet, evangelist, and teacher in the Body of Christ is still … a sheep in His flock. Real unity will not happen IF anyone assumes the place of Jesus …our Head of the Body. There are NO mediators other than Jesus. There is NO ‘spokesman’ for the Body BUT the Holy Spirit! Can we recognize His Presence? Or do we fall back into ritual, and formula?

What we have examples of mostly is disunity. Schisms. Splits. Disagreement. Bifurcation. Why? An abandonment of the Presence of the Holy Spirit – and going back to the ‘rules’ of ritual and law – and the interpretation of them by one or few demanding everyone else to follow or ‘get in line’. They want ‘unity’ by coercion – asserting their ‘spiritual authority’ as God’s ‘mouthpiece. Your individual ‘free will’ must comply with their interpretation completely. This is the ‘pit’ we fall into when we dismiss the Holy Spirit from His rightful place.

Father … YOU are LOVE! Jesus … YOU are our Head! Holy Spirit come and saturate us with YOUR fragrance and Presence. Speak to our hearts! Lord… we place YOU as our first choice every time!