Unity in Christ

Being  united to Christ, believers have fellowship with him in his sufferings and death, and are therefore said to be "crucified and dead with Christ."–Rom. vi. 6, 8. They have also fellowship with Christ in his resurrection; for they are "raised up together with him," and have communion with him in his life.–Eph. ii. 6; Gal. ii. 20. They have fellowship with him in his victories. He spoiled principalities and powers, overcame the world, destroyed death, and vanquished the grave for them; and they shall be made more than conquerors over all these enemies, through him.–Rom. viii. 37. They have communion with him in all the benefits which he purchased; hence they are said to be "made partakers of Christ," and to be "complete in him who is the head of all principality end power" (Heb. iii. 14; Col. ii. 10);–they have an interest in his righteousness, by which he fulfilled the law in their room, and are thus entitled to the blessing of justification;–they are adopted into the family of heaven, and made heirs of God, and joint heirs with his Son Jesus Christ;–they are sanctified in soul, body-, and spirit, being enabled by his grace to die more and more unto sin, and live unto righteousness;–they now sit in heavenly places with Christ as their representing head; and, in due time, they shall be glorified in their own persons together with him.–Eph. ii. 6; Col. ii. 4. In short, all things are theirs, as the Apostle Paul asserts; and he bounds their title to all things upon their union to Christ: "All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's."–1 Cor. iii. 22, 23.

2. All real saints are united to one another, and have communion among themselves. They form one body, are all united to Christ as their common head, and are partakers of one Spirit. They have all obtained like precious faith; and their faith, as to the leading doctrines of the gospel, is substantially the same. They are also united in love, which is called "the bond of perfectness." So perfectly were the primitive Christians knit together by this bond, that they were "of one heart and of one soul"–Acts iv. 32. There is nothing which our Saviour more earnestly inculcated upon his followers than mutual love; he represented it as the best proof to themselves, and the most decisive evidence to others, that they were his genuine disciples: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." John xiii. 34, 35. As the saints "love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," so they love all in whom they can perceive the image of Christ. Being thus united to one another, they have communion with each other in their gifts and graces. As the natural body consists of many members - some of superior, and others of inferior use, and each member is serviceable to its fellow-members, and contributes to the good of the whole–so the mystical body of Christ is composed of many members, endured with different gifts and graces; and the several members ought to be profitable to each other, and promote the benefit of the whole Church. They are obliged to the performance of such duties as conduce to their mutual good. They ought to be "kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another"–to "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ"–to a rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep"–to offer up fervent "supplication for all saints"–and, "as they have opportunity, do good to all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith."