“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do
Two can be as bad as one
It’s the loneliest number since the number one.”
But what if it isn’t. What if Three Dog Night is wrong and that one is not the loneliest number.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
– Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)
One can mean numerically that there is only a person or thing. But when the Apostle Paul describes the makings of the kingdom of God there are many parts but all are one. Paul is describing the theology of oneness.
God is one; Father, Son, and Spirit – one. There is one God and that one God exists in union with himself.
The body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, and baptism all represent the oneness of God who is over all and through all. God is everywhere and in everything. The Cosmic Christ holds all things together.
All of creation and all of mankind is to be one with God. Through sin, the world is divided and everything is at odds with everything.
Out of many, there is division. We would do well to live by our nation’s first motto adopted in the late 1700s, E Pluribus Unum, “out of many, one.” This motto is found as a seal on our currency even today.
Followers of Jesus have been given a seal, the Holy Spirit. This means that oneness in God is not attained through a congressional vote, handshake deal, or locking arms together. Oneness is God’s gift to the world and unity is the Spirit’s gift to the church.
This is why we are to live in unity, because of the oneness gifts of God. Unity is not attained it is maintained.
No, one is not the loneliest number. For when two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus they are one.
Live out your oneness of the Spirit by maintaining unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. It is your calling that you have received from Jesus.
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Jovan preaches for the Littleton Church of Christ near Denver, Colorado. Visit here to listen to sermons preached at the Littleton Church.