That Which Binds Together

Father, here I am still in this passage of Eph 4.

Eph 4:3 Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of (produced by) the Spirit in the binding power of peace. (NAS bond of peace)
Col 3:14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Eph 4:13 until we all attain unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

The word unity is used four times in the N.T.
The word “bond” by itself is used only twice in the N.T., in Eph 4:3 and in Col 3:14.
Its meaning is “that which binds together”.

In the passage of John 17:23 Jesus says “I in them and You in Me.”; Your fullness and completeness in Jesus IS perfect unity. You are the perfect example to us of unity, of oneness. Jesus is the bond by which we are united to You, Father. We have perfect union with you through His blood by which we have become a dwelling of Your Spirit.
And Your Spirit produces the bond of peace (Eph 4:3).

Peace is what the world desires. The love is what it seeks. The lost do not know they seek Your divine Love. As believers we seek the same, but we have the truth. We have You, and we have Jesus, and we have the Holy Spirit Who leads us in the Truth. We have perfect Love.

In Col 3:14 You say “And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” “All these things..” are the wonderful characteristics of Your Spirit. But love is the uniting bond of perfectness. It is Your love for us which enables us to have the perfect peace that only believers can have. And as we learn to walk, to experience Your love for us moment by moment, it will open the gates of our hearts and allow it to flow to the world and other believers also.

Love is the perfect bond of unity because the Spirit’s indwelling us enables us to love in a divine way. This divine love produces peace through which the unity of the Spirit is bound together. This peace from You, Father, flows into our hearts and binds us to other believers. It brings unity and harmony to Your people.

Love, unity and peace cannot be divided. If we have one, we have the others.

This is Your desire for Your Body. Without these we are unable to see people as You see them—redeemed, forgiven, and accepted.