THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE ONENESS OF THE CHURCH
AS THE UNIQUE BODY OF CHRIST
When we practice the proper one accord, we must realize the attributes of the church as the unique Body of Christ. The church has its own attributes, and all the attributes of the church have the oneness. Oneness becomes the attributes of the church. This is because the factors of the church are one, the elements of the church are one, the means of the church are one, and the goal of the church is one. According to Ephesians 4:4-6, there is one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one God, one faith, one baptism, and one hope. These are seven attributes of the church. Every attribute of the church is one. Oneness is the striking characteristic of the attributes of the church. Thus, when we speak of or touch the church, we must realize that the church is altogether a matter of oneness. It gives us no ground not to be one.
THE PROPER ONE ACCORD IN THE CHURCH
BEING THE PRACTICE OF THE GENUINE
ONENESS OF THE BODY
The proper one accord in the church is the practice of the genuine oneness of the Body (Matt. 18:19; Acts 1:14). In Matthew 18:19, before the Lord prayed for the oneness in John 17, He trained His disciples to practice the one accord. Actually, as we have seen, to be in the one accord is to practice the oneness. A little more than forty days after the Lord’s prayer in John 17, the one hundred twenty disciples practiced the Lord’s direction in Matthew 18 by praying together in one accord (Acts 1:14).
Being in One Spirit, with One Soul
When we practice the one accord, we must learn to be in one spirit and with one soul (Phil. 1:27). We may be bodily sitting together in the same room, but if we are not one in our spirit, it is certain that we will not be one in our soul. To practice the one accord, we must learn to turn to our spirit and then to enter into our soul with the spirit that we may be in the one accord.
Being Attuned in the Same Mind
and in the Same Opinion
To practice the one accord, we must be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion (1 Cor. 1:10). To be attuned in the same mind is to practically be one in our soul. When the thoughts in our mind are expressed in our speaking, they become our opinions. When the opinions remain in our mind, they are simply our thoughts. When our differences in thinking are expressed as opinions, that may cause a problem.
The Corinthian believers were not attuned in the same mind; thus, they spoke differently in the flesh. Some said, "I am of Paul," and others, "I am of Apollos" or "I am of Cephas" (1 Cor. 1:12). The supposedly spiritual ones among them said, "I am of Christ." This too was the expressing of an opinion. This kind of different speaking caused divisions among the Corinthians.
(Elders' Training, Book 10: The Eldership and the God-Ordained Way (2), Chapter 4, by Witness Lee)
