1. “The oneness of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3).
The church is formed by the Holy Spirit bringing the life of Christ, which is Christ Himself, into the believers, joining them in oneness in Him. The Holy Spirit makes the church one Body (1 Cor. 12:13). Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the church’s intrinsic oneness, which is the essence of the church’s oneness. The Holy Spirit as the church’s intrinsic oneness is possessed by every believer. Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Since we have the Holy Spirit, we have the intrinsic oneness of the church. The Holy Spirit within us is the oneness of the church. Since we have this oneness within us, we do not need to seek to gain the oneness of the church; we need only to live in the Holy Spirit and not break the oneness of the Holy Spirit. The oneness of the Holy Spirit must be kept and manifested among us.
1. “One Body and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:4-6).
The church has not only the essence of oneness but also the reality of oneness, which has several aspects. First, the Body is one Body. Second, the Holy Spirit is one. Third, the hope of the church to enter into glory is one. Fourth, the faith that saves the church out of the old creation and into the new creation is one. Fifth, the baptism by which the church leaves Adam and enters into Christ is one. Sixth, the Lord to whom the church belongs and serves is one. Seventh, the God who is through the church and lives within the church and who is the Father who begets everyone in the church is one. Since every aspect of the reality of the church is one, the church is one and cannot be divided. Division violates the reality of this oneness and damages the church by causing her to suffer loss. Division does not perfect the church or benefit her.
1. “They continued steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles” (Acts 2:42).
Those who believed on Pentecost kept not only the apostles’ teaching but also the apostles’ fellowship. The teaching of the apostles is the teaching given to the apostles by the Lord in His commission to them. The fellowship of the apostles is the fellowship given to the apostles by the Lord. The fellowship of the apostles is the fellowship of the church. Whoever has a part in the church has a part in this fellowship. Whoever is in the church is in this fellowship.
2. “(We...report to you the eternal life)...that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:2-3).
The fellowship of the apostles is the fellowship with God and with the Lord Jesus. The apostles report the Lord’s eternal life so that we may have fellowship with them. When we receive the eternal life that they report, we are brought into their fellowship so that we may have fellowship with them. This fellowship is the fellowship of the church. Whoever receives the Lord’s eternal life participates in this fellowship and is in the fellowship. Therefore, this fellowship is the fellowship of life.
1. “The fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor. 13:14; see also Phil. 2:1).
Since the Holy Spirit makes the believers one Body (1 Cor. 12:13), the fellowship of the church as the Body is also the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Whoever receives the Holy Spirit by believing in the Lord participates in this fellowship. Whoever lives in the Holy Spirit also lives in this fellowship.
1. “The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ? Seeing that there is one bread, we who are many are one Body; for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor. 10:16-17).
The church is the Body of Christ; therefore, the fellowship of the church is also the fellowship of the Body. Whoever becomes a member of the Body of Christ through being saved, regardless of his race, nationality, or social class, participates in this fellowship (12:13).
1. “One Body...one faith” (Eph. 4:4-5).
We become part of the Body of Christ through faith. This one faith is the basic faith through which we are saved. Therefore, the fellowship of the Body of Christ is also the fellowship of this one faith. Whoever has this one faith, regardless of his views, beliefs, and opinions on any other point of the truth, participates in this fellowship. This fellowship receives all who have this one faith (Rom. 14:1-6; 15:7).