As with almost every dive into a particular theme or idea being presented in Scripture, I always want to be sure to first understand what words mean according to God. This is a crucial part of the "renewing of our Minds." We have to come to a place of humility where we can accept that before we had begun to walk with Messiah - before the Spirit of Truth is given to us, we had our own ideas and understanding that the world has shaped.
My experience has so far been, that nearly every concept, idea and word used in Scripture is defined in Scripture and that definition is almost always different if not in direct opposition to how we have understood the meaning of the word to be.
So as the Spirit of Truth reveals Truth, it will show us every day how our understanding, and the definitions and ideas of what words mean, are much different than their meanings and definitions as used when written in Scripture. This is the "renewing of our mind" that Paul speaks about in Romans 12.
First, let's dig into the word Unity and see what Scripture can teach us.
Unity • ἑνότης in the Greek, from the root εἷς meaning "One".
How do we define God's intention of the meaning of this word? We go and seek it out and see where the word is first used, and then how it is primarily (most often) used in Scripture. The first place we see this used is Genesis 1:9 “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place (εἷς), and let the dry land appear.”
The first time this root word is used is to describe joining something together in one place. Another interesting place we find the Greek Word Unity/One εἷς is in Genesis 1:14 where it mentions how the lights in the heavens (Sun, Moon, Stars) are there to mark Times, Days, and Years. The Greek word One/Unity is used instead of For -
"These will be One Times, One Days and One Years" doesn't make much sense, however, "These will be the Unity of Times, Unity of Days and Unity of Years" is a much better and more direct use of that Greek in the Septuagint.
Echad • אֶחָ֔ד is the Hebrew Equivalent based on the Septuagint translation. This is how we use Scripture to define scripture. Our Messiah and His apostles used the Greek Septuagint often, this is a translated Greek text of what Christians refer to as "The Old Testament", the Hebrew Bible. This is an incredible tool God provided for us to take the Greek terms used in the writings of the Apostles and seek out how God defines these terms and phrases. God's language, the language of Angels that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians, is Hebrew. This is where we go to seek out a definitive understanding of God's language and His worldview.
How do we define the term Unity used by Paul in Romans?
We seek the definition given by God in the context and usage of His Word.
Genesis 1:5 Evening and Morning being put together is how God created and defined One or Echad or Unity of a Day.
Genesis 2:24 Echad is used to describe how man and woman will become One Flesh.
Deuteronomy 6 In the Shema "The Lord our God is One (Echad)."
When mankind wants to define One (אֶחָ֔ד) or be in Unity (ἑνότης) in their own way, destruction, violence, and rescinding of God's favor is what occurs.
Genesis 11:16 - Mankind had become Echad or (In Unity) in rebellion against God at the Tower of Babel, the very act that caused God to scatter man all over the earth and remove Himself from all with the exception of a man named Abram and ultimately his descendants.
Genesis 34:22 - The sons of Sheckem propose to intermarry with the sons of Jacob and become Echad (united/one) as a people, against the instruction to remain Set Apart from foreign people with foreign gods and customs. The result of this interaction is bloody and forfeits the inheritance of the sons who used that proposition for violence.
Whenever I hear non-believers or Christians utilize Ephesians 4:3 as an appeal to not discuss the critical truth of repentance, obedience, and God's perfect instructions, it is like nails on a chalkboard. It is the exact opposite of what Paul is exhorting in this letter.
Let's look at the entire phrase "Bond of Peace" -
Bond • συνδέσμῳ appears in the Greek Septuagint in Daniel 5:12 this word Things Bonded Together or Enigmas קְטַר (Kehtar) is the Aramaic equivalent of this word found in the book of Daniel. This word is translated in Old Testament English to Joint or Difficulties or Problems. This word is derived from the Hebrew word קָטַר (Qatar), which translates directly to "Offer a Sacrifice or Burn Incense."
Peace • εἰρήνης or the Hebrew שָׁל֑וֹם is a word that has such deep meaning I don't believe we will ever fully grasp it until we are in the fullness of the presence of Our God. What we can glean from its vast usage in Scripture is that it embodies completeness, it is what it means to be whole, as God intended.
So what can we piece together in this word study in an attempt to better understand Paul's instruction to the believing body in Messiah?
That "Unity" does not mean to shrink back, go along, or tolerate a denominational or even and individual's statement of faith, belief system, or a modern interpretation of the gospel message. It does not mean to encourage support or quietly allow those among us to claim we can walk out how we feel "led" by the Spirit unless that "leading" can be confirmed and tested against ALL of scripture.
Scripture is written in context, and defined by that context and that language. We don't get to place our own understanding on the Word of God. His Word is meant to Transform Us out of our Understanding and into His. The Renewing of Our Minds is just that, to birth and grow in us a New Creation.
My takeaway on how to interpret this verse using Scripture and Spirit is below :
Make Every Effort to Keep the Oneness of The Spirit of Truth, which is the fullness of God's Word exemplified by Messiah in full submission and obedience to the Will of God written in His instructions to us, through the sacrifice and prayers of completeness which is trusting His promises. Therefore we should walk together in the oneness of the Covenants & Commandments, which bond us together in that oneness under Messiah and His leadership as the Head.
How is it possible for mankind to be United as One if we all walk around with our own definitions for words and concepts? We toss our definitions and we adopt His.
Genesis 1:14 uses the word UNITY to describe the appointed times marked in the heavens is a major revelation of how we are meant to unify around God's calendar, not man's.
Christmas & Easter & Sundays have become so mixed with worldly culture that believers, atheists, and pagans alike are all to be found around a table, a tree, sitting in a pew for tradition's sake and sharing a meal of unclean foods and pagan rituals sprinkled in for "fun." That is becoming Echad or One with the World.
Meeting together with those who are firm in the faith of Messiah, devoted to obedience, and Set Apart from the World on the days given by God: Sabbath, Rosh Chodesh, HIS Biblical Feasts, and Festivals that ALL Point to Yeshua's death, resurrection, and His coming - That is how we become Unified or Echad with each other in Him.
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