1 Corinthians 1:10, commentary and pictures

Paul pleads by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that fellow believers all speak the same thing, allow no divisions among them, and be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. He wrote this to correct contentions at Corinth where believers divided into parties over human teachers saying I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ, when Christ is not divided and they were not baptized in Paul's name. Such strict, complete unity with no disharmony is required by God in Christ and is possible to live out daily as the sure result of Christian perfection. Its secret and center is union with Christ by the Holy Spirit, which does not demand identical language but brings the same desire for sanctification, love as brethren, and perfection of character. In that union alone there is strength and powerful witness to the world, while divisions are Satan's work to weaken God's people and are urgent to overcome near the close of time.

Words and Historical Setting

The appeal is made by the authority of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to brethren that all utter the same speech, permit no splits to exist among them, and be completely knit together in shared mind and shared judgment. It calls the church to stop strife and to stand united in what is said, thought, and decided, with close joining in common purpose and understanding rather than each acting independently or pressing a separate view. This unity belongs to those called into fellowship with Jesus Christ and enriched by God's grace and gifts while waiting for Christ's coming, and it requires carefulness of speech and watchfulness over every action in gospel labor so that responsibilities are borne through the grace and spirit of Christ. It is Christian fellowship on a higher platform, a tie more binding than human kinship, in which Christ pledges Himself to work for those who take hold of Him by faith.

It was written to correct contentions over the relative merits of ministers who taught the doctrine of Christ, where believers divided into parties declaring loyalty to Paul and to Apollos and to Cephas and to Christ. Christ is not divided, Paul was not crucified for them, and they were not baptized in Paul's name, so they must refuse to form factions around any human teacher and must look to Christ. To practice this call is to refuse party-making around human ministers and to direct people to Christ, since ministers by whom people believed may differ in emphasis or presentation yet are one in object, neither he that plants nor he that waters is anything because God gives the increase and every man is rewarded according to his own labor. Saying I am of Paul and I am of Apollos, withdrawing from some for no reason but imagination and binding up with others, with envy, strife, prejudice, jealousy, evil surmising, condemnation of a fellow minister for presenting a different phase of truth, is carnal and walking as men, separating from brethren and thus from God, and God will not tolerate such differences nor send His Spirit as Comforter and Strengthener until His people obey to be all of one mind.

Paul baptized only Crispus and Gaius and the household of Stephanus, lest any should say he baptized in his own name, for Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. The same party experience will be met again when lack of self-denial and self-sacrifice in the ministry lets selfishness leaven the church, with some unduly praised and others demerited. That unsanctified leaven of selfishness produces spiritual disease, whose remedy is cleansing of heart and mind, earnest self-examination, humble earnest prayer against contention and faultfinding and mischief-making, and more of Christ and less of self.

The appeal was given because those of the house of Chloe reported that contentions existed among them, with additional facts coming by private letters stating anarchy and division in the church at Corinth. Paul then gave tender and wise counsel and directions, laying down general principles to counteract the evils, strengthen faith in God and present truth, stay evil, and bring light amid darkness. It means one with the church's interest at heart must bring dangers threatening its prosperity to God's appointed minister, and that minister must not fail to correct those evils once known, for there is a time to speak and a time to keep silence but evils known must be dealt with, and stepping between the messenger and the one God would warn and draw back from evil brings inexcusable guilt in the judgment.

Though prompted by human reports with no new special revelation for that moment, the exhortation was just as much under the inspiration of the Spirit of God as any epistle. Paul had already received light showing the difficulties and dangers that would arise in the churches so he would know how to treat them when they developed, and as one set for the defense of the church to watch for souls as one who must give account to God he was bound to act on such reports. Those truly seeking light did not dismiss it as a common letter, while those who refused correction dismissed it as merely Paul's human opinion and set their own judgment as good as his.

At Corinth dissensions had grown since Apollos visited, with false teachers leading members to despise Paul's instructions, and the divisions accompanied increasing corruption of gospel teaching and practice. The instruction belongs to the church of God, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints, called by Christ's name into fellowship with His Son and therefore called to complete unity without divisions in speech, mind, and judgment. Its wider chapter points to Christ crucified as the source of God's power and wisdom rather than human wisdom, teaching that God chooses what the world regards as weak or foolish so that no one can boast before Him, and that Christ is made wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

Unity Commanded and Possible

Strict, complete and perfect unity with no divisions is necessary to the cause of God, willed and required by God in Christ, and is to be earnestly labored for and obeyed. All are to speak in agreement, allow no splits, and be fully knit together in shared mind and shared judgment. This standard leaves no excuse for disharmony of sentiment or spirit or for continued disunity. Individual judgment is to submit to the authority and verdict of the church, self is to be surrendered, the voice of the church obeyed, and dissensions, unhappy differences and petty trials avoided. The notion that individual independence increases importance and that yielding personal ideas of right is weakness is unbelief bringing anarchy and confusion.

Such perfect unity is possible, not merely an ideal, and is practical to live out daily. It is the sure result of Christian perfection. It answers Christ's prayer that His followers be one as He is one with the Father. Christ is leading out a people and bringing them into the unity of the faith to make them one as He is one with the Father, carrying forward His prayer which embraces all followers to the close of time. This requires yielding differences of opinion and differing views so that all come into union with the body in one mind and one judgment and in unity of sentiment and action. God's people are thus called to come into harmony and remain no longer in strife and disunion.

The required oneness is reached by laying aside divisions and contentions over human leaders and by blending the different gifts God entrusts to His servants in His work, rather than using gifts to separate believers. Ample means to secure this unity are given in the simple organization and church order of the New Testament and in what Christ ordained, especially the spiritual gifts given to bring all into unity of the faith. Substituting human creeds for the gifts has failed to produce scriptural unity, causing divisions and innumerable sects. Receiving the gifts would destroy creeds and bring believers onto the platform of unity taught by Christ and Paul. The verse also gives precious assurance for the child of God, bringing comfort and encouragement that sustains a faith able to stand the test of trial and opposition when trouble in the world increases and the Lord's children have to suffer.

Source and Nature of Unity

The secret and center of unity is union with Christ, for separation from Him is the cause of division and discord in the church. Christ is the great Center, and believers approach one another just in proportion as they approach Him, so that being united with Christ ensures unity with brethren in the faith. Those united with Christ will have an experience marked by speaking in agreement, having no divisions, and being fully joined in the same mind and judgment. With Christ abiding in the heart through love for one another, dissension gives way to unity, and differences of habits, faults, and opinions are harmonized as believers draw nearer to Christ and therefore nearer to one another. This unity grows from Christ's love in the heart, to be practiced toward fellow believers in families and in the church, and Christ Himself is the strength of a united church.

This unity comes only by the Holy Spirit, who molds and fashions minds and hearts to obey the plain thus saith the Lord. By the baptism of the Holy Spirit believers become one with Christ as branches are one with the vine, and then become one with each other, and only as the Spirit brings them into this unity can they be representatives of Christ. It is produced by dependence on God and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, not by human authority or control, with Christlike meekness marking what is said and done. As believers receive the Spirit's enlightenment and sanctification they share the same understanding of truth, judgment, and speech, bringing confidence, peace, and harmony, with unity in voice and understanding and wisdom given when the Spirit comes upon God's people. Staying close to Christ under the Spirit's influence brings unity in mind and judgment in which believers strengthen and bless one another rather than condemn or destroy one another.

Speaking the same thing does not require identical language or manner of expression, but oneness with Christ, the same desire for the highest end of sanctification by the same Spirit, and love as brethren. All true disciples are thus perfectly joined in harmony as members of the royal family with new hearts made perfect by the grace of Christ. This unity is the sacred pledge of discipleship and must be reached here in this world, where character is tried and tested and stamped with the image and superscription of God. Only those who bear the same perfection of character Christ bore on earth can enter heaven, for anything less would spoil heaven.

Unity is the natural outgrowth of the Christian religion and the life of love and union. Those proclaiming the last solemn message to a dying world will see eye to eye in all matters of religious belief although possessing different temperaments and dispositions, speaking the same things, having the same judgment, and being one in Christ Jesus. Despite different habits, faults, and opinions they become one in faith, doctrine, spirit, mind, and judgment. In that life the strong bear the infirmities of the weak and please not themselves, following Christ who pleased not Himself, and those who live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit showing love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

It is formed through Christlike love, humility, and regard for others, not by deferring unquestioningly to any one worker's judgment, with each person willing to modify a self-assured course of action. It is cultivated as a grace, growing from daily conversion to God and a simple, Bible-based religion, joined by love flowing from heart to heart through Christ. Oneness among believers follows the pattern of the unity between Christ and the Father, with every believing child made one with Jesus Christ and one with the Father and one with one another. This comes by being made partakers of the divine nature and thereby escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust, which each person must have to become rich toward God.

Genuine Bible religion calls believers to be of one mind and one judgment, and drawing near to God brings them nearer to harmony, unity, and holiness. This unity rests on God's law, which is love to God and to humanity. It is fostered by humility, goodness, making personal interests secondary, never trying to rule or seeking supremacy, working with appointed counsel, and not pressing private ideas against the judgment of the brethren and the general interests of the cause. Disappointment and suffering can sanctify and purify the soul to work out the will of God, and Christians are to live amid a world of sin and strife and variance as peacemakers advancing God's work.

The great principles of faith are to bring differing minds into unity of thought and judgment, but this unity is not produced all at once. Ministers teach the Word and its principles while God's angels work on minds to correct wrongs and draw them together, so those serving Christ must be patient and steady, working to gather rather than scatter. Those constrained by Christ's love should be united in decisions and sentiments, of one mind and judgment, alert to detect and name errors yet conforming life to Christ's mind so there is no variance but unity and love.

The same call to be perfectly joined together describes the unity that prevailed among the first believers after Christ's resurrection and ascension. A temporary disagreement about admitting uncircumcised Gentiles was settled, and Spirit-led unity was restored. Unity of this kind is the continuing fruit of the Holy Spirit's influence, and such love and unity witness to the world that God sent Jesus to save sinners and that God's Word is a safe rule of life.

Strength and Witness in Unity

In union alone there is strength, as the history of Christianity proves, and when believers are united their efforts are not scattered but tell forcibly in upbuilding present truth. Division is weakness that scatters, weakens witness, hinders truth from reaching others, clogs progress, makes meetings unprofitable and even a positive injury, and grieves away God's Spirit. Perfect harmony existing in the church of God is a powerful evidence to the world in favor of the Christian religion, for when the world sees it, it is helped to believe. When believers speak in agreement and work together in doing Christ's will with harmony and love, their unity in belief and action gives convincing evidence of faith and helps the world believe that God sent His Son, while bitterness, dissension, and strife weaken witness and seek to make truth of none effect.

Divisions are the fruit of Satan's work, for he is the author of envy, jealousy, hatred, and dissension, and seeks by causing bitterness and dissension to weaken and overthrow God's people and make truth of none effect. He rejoices to see vile weeds choke out love, that tender plant of heavenly growth, and those who bring division bring angels of darkness, not angels of light. Jesus and holy angels lead God's people into oneness of mind and judgment on the solemn truths for the time, while Satan works to scatter and divide them, and those who draw away from the body and resist being led oppose that work. Allowing envy, strife, prejudice, jealousy, evil surmising, discord, condemnation of a fellow minister for presenting a different phase of truth, and withdrawing from some for no reason but imagination to bind up with others is carnal and walking as men. Such cherishing of envy and strife is the weakness of the church, for ministers by whom people believed may differ in emphasis yet are one in object, and neither he that plants nor he that waters is anything since God gives the increase; allowing discord separates from brethren and thus from God, and God will not tolerate such differences nor send His Spirit as Comforter and Strengthener until His people obey to be all of one mind.

Unity is urgent near the close of time and at critical times, when Satan comes down with great power knowing his time is short, exercising that power especially upon the remnant to war against them and divide and scatter them so they grow weak and are overthrown. When unity prevails the church advances and its different departments carry out their share of God's work and resist his power, but without union in effort and in maintaining order he takes the advantage. As the last crisis approaches it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord's instrumentalities with no variance, because the adversary cements his own agents in union under one head, the papal power, to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. At the same time he works to divide and scatter the advocates of truth by instigating jealousy, evil surmising, and evil speaking to produce discord and dissension, so God's people must build up His instrumentalities, press together and stand firm in Christ their refuge with hearts knit together in love, cleaving to Him and following His example in love, meekness, and humility. Only those thus pressed together in true faith and sanctified work will stand when persecution comes and the Lord punishes the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity, and not be destroyed as Jerusalem was.

A church will either advance in unity or retrograde in division, for God can do more with six souls united in mind and judgment than with scores working against unity. His cause will advance with or without hinderers, who are called to cast aside unbelief, come over to the Lord's side, advance with the light, be united with the body, or cease hindering those wholly for the Lord. Christ foresaw the trials, dangers, dissensions, and divisions of His people and looks upon them with deeper interest and tenderer compassion than moves an earthly parent toward a wayward child, bidding them learn of Him, trust Him, open their hearts to receive His love, and pledging Himself to be their helper. The same desire that union and love might exist among His disciples was the burden of His prayer before His crucifixion, and that prayer embraces all His followers to the close of time. The chapter also rebukes the strife and division that deprive churches of the Spirit of God, and the Lord wants His church purified from all contention and strife with every phase of character in harmony with Christ. When those who love God and keep His commandments learn His meekness and lowliness in His school, are worked by the Holy Spirit, and grow daily in faith, unity appears as the sure result, replacing discord with fellowship, breaking down barriers, and bringing harmony with the Spirit's mind.

Guarding Unity in Practice

Individual judgment must be surrendered and brought under the authority and verdict of the church, with the voice of the church obeyed and petty trials, unhappy differences and dissensions avoided, for strict unity and Christian fellowship are necessary to the cause of God and perfect harmony is a powerful evidence to the world while division dishonors the Redeemer, and the notion that personal independence increases importance and that yielding personal ideas of right is weakness is unbelief bringing anarchy and confusion, since in union only there is strength. No one is at liberty to express original, fanciful or independent views of Scripture on personal responsibility apart from the body, but the disposition to be original and fanatical must be restrained, teaching confined to plain truths already dug out and settled by the body, each leaning on the faith of the body and acting his part in union with it, and every new idea submitted to thorough investigation to be adopted by the body if weighty and rejected if not, lest controversy, jangle of feeling, confusion and division mar God's work and injure the truth. Having an individual work and individual responsibility before God does not permit following private judgment regardless of the opinions and feelings of brethren, for that course brings disorder in the church, so ministers must respect one another's judgment while both their relations to one another and the doctrines they teach are brought to the test of the law and the testimony, and with teachable hearts holding to the great landmarks there will be no division in doctrine and spirit but oneness in doctrine and spirit. Perfect unity does not require everyone to think exactly alike, but those who differ should explain their reasoning, listen to one another and blend judgments for the good of the whole, with no one dictating policy or stubbornly pressing a private view to provoke controversy and discouragement, and when a group reaches a decision one who still disagrees should not undermine it but may keep silent and see how it works, striving to see not how much they can differ but how closely they can come into unity of sentiment in councils and in work. Safety lies in pressing together and being of one mind and one judgment with God as Leader and following in His footsteps, laying aside self-sufficiency, self-esteem, pride and love of self which lie at the foundation of the greatest trials and discords, for those who draw apart in unsanctified independence and rely on independent uninspired judgment lose God's presence and blessing and place themselves where divine love, power, wisdom and help in counsel, difficulties and trials cannot reach them through failure to understand and rightly use heaven's rich treasure, while the clean heart and right spirit needed for unity are gifts of His Son purchased at infinite cost.

As with ancient Israel so among the remnant in the last days, those who insist on moving independently and despise counsel, reproof and the church on earth to which God has delegated power depart from the faith and bring disaster and ruin of souls, ranging themselves on Satan's side with him as leader to tear down what God builds, while those who support and build up the truth, submitting to the teachings of the Spirit and listening to advice and counsel, stand united in heart, mind and voice in its defense with self subdued and Christlike character as evidence of truth's power in the heart. No minister is to bind people to himself as his own property to control them by telling them to do this and forbidding that, commanding and dictating like an officer over soldiers, nor gather a church to do his bidding and be ruled by his wisdom, nor lead converts to refuse fellowship with those who do not do just as they do, for those who accept the truth belong to Christ not to man and no unwise authority is to be exercised over them, but those truly converted press together in Christian unity with the meekness and lowliness of Christ appearing in all said and done and with no wrangling, strife or separate parties. Unity requires carefulness of speech and watchfulness over every action in gospel labor so responsibilities are borne through the grace and spirit of Christ without friction, as a Christian fellowship more binding than human kinship standing on a higher platform, forbidding the use of understanding of the Word to criticize the work of others or stand with the criticizer as if virtue, and forbidding putting thoughts and suggestions into minds of brethren that should be repressed and that sow dissension and strife, requiring the jealous and suspicious to be converted so uniting with brethren is no yoke of bondage. Believers must draw together and love as brethren instead of cultivating suspicion, guarding against judging, criticizing and condemning one another because that brings confusion and every evil work, conforming life to the life of Jesus and having His mind so there is no variance but unity and love, and cutting off all occasion for misunderstanding and alienation, for causing division and separating brethren is Satan's work displeasing to God no matter who invites, whose voice calls or what human authority stands behind it, whose bad appearance and afterresults in alienation only the Lord can see. Finding fault and displaying variance, discord and dissension before the world violates the call to allow no divisions, misrepresents Christ and breaks the golden chain binding brother to brother with Christ in God, for in unity is strength, and when a brother errs the fault must be told to him alone, then with one or two witnesses, then to the church, never published where Satan can use it against saving grace.

Unity requires renouncing selfishness, self-exaltation, envy, jealousy, evil suspicion, quarreling, party feeling and selfish ambition and esteeming others better than self, for even unspoken contention drives out peace and love and grieves the Spirit, while bringing the heart into close connection with God lets the love Christ showed burn in kindness and tenderness with no place for servants of God to fight one another. A naturally combative spirit that cares nothing for harmony and loves controversy and fighting for particular ideas must be laid aside because it does not develop Christian graces, and no soul is safe without daily learning Christ's meekness and lowliness to answer His prayer that disciples be one as He is one with the Father, which in labor means not being dictatorial, severe or antagonistic but preaching the melting, subduing love of Christ, seeking one mind and judgment and the same speech, talking simple truths wherein agreement is possible, talking unity and refusing to talk divisions because all do not hold the same ideas, broadening the mind instead of becoming narrow and conceited. God calls His people to disciplined harmony of action, seeing eye to eye with the same mind and judgment, which requires the carnal heart subdued and transformed, sometimes through reproof, exhortation or sharp rebuke and through a clear, pointed, living testimony in the church, and this does not surrender individuality yet does not make independence unlimited, for self-will, pride and refusal of correction undermine unity. One who has the church's interest at heart must bring dangers threatening its prosperity to God's appointed minister, as those of the house of Chloe reported contentions to Paul who then gave directions to counteract them, and that minister must not fail to correct known evils to strengthen faith, stay evil and bring light amid darkness, for there is a time to speak and a time to keep silence but once evils are known they must be dealt with, and stepping between the messenger and the one God would warn and draw back brings inexcusable guilt. Co-workers must pray to be united in the same mind and judgment in counsel and prayer about important movements, laboring to set things in order with one voice and no controversy, bound in sacred holy union and sacred order under Christ the Captain and bound together in the Lord God of Israel, forbidding party spirit and feelings, strengthened prejudices and jealousies, listening to reports against brethren and imagining evil, and requiring faithfulness, frankness, openness, perfect confidence and constant listening for His orders, with separate interests set aside and secrecy that fosters division put away.

Obedience requires cherishing and manifesting love, deference and respect, examining the soul for the love of God, being doers of the Word, representing Christ's character, seeking renewal of heart by the Holy Spirit when love is lost, refusing prejudice of brother against brother and putting nothing into enemies' hands suggesting even differences of opinion, since separation from Christ causes division while union with Him as the great Center brings believers nearer one another in proportion as they approach Him, and it is cultivated through mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience and forgiveness showing living connection with Christ, each gaining his own experience by constant watchfulness and prayer which none can gain for another. The injunction is for the church in every place to be obeyed by those working as for eternity and brought into life practice as spiritual food, to be read in churches and put into practice, with the first chapters studied deeply as reproof to ministers and churches, calling ministers and members to humble hearts and seek truth for their souls, with warning that unless they humble their hearts their names will not remain in the book of life, and doing so would change lives shaped by disobedience. Standing united with the body and with experienced leaders and with the gifts God placed in the church, with organization and order, guards against delusion and fanaticism, for disunion brings confusion and fragmentation while united ministers help gather the church and strengthen its work, since schism and variance come not from righteousness but from evil and selfishness that keeps believers from true fellowship and hinders advance. Harmony of cooperation is strength enjoined by God, requiring respect for His ordained agencies, pastors, teachers, watchmen and responsible leaders, taking counsel with them and laboring together in a worldwide work rather than drawing apart independently, secretly and in self-wisdom, for independent work refusing instruction brings strife, wounds souls, creates alienation and every trouble and serves the enemy, and if all felt at liberty to act alone bodily unity could not exist or be preserved. Brethren should recognize the same spirit and share unity of feeling and thought, striving to see how closely they can come into unity of sentiment rather than how much they can differ, for insisting on different personal standards and trying to bring others around to one's own views creates discord and unhappiness displeasing to God.

Unity in Work and Mission

The shared purpose of unity is to advance God's kingdom, with believers joined in the same mind and judgment living so as to reveal Christ's purity and show love for one another in how they treat each other. Working in concert rather than acting independently or promoting contrary ideas and doctrines makes effort effective, for unity grounded in obedience to God's Word and attachment to Christ as the source of light and truth prevents confusion, discord, and strife. Words and teachings must not conflict, since contrary ideas produce confusion, discord, and strife.

Ministers must present truth in a way that promotes agreement and Christian unity, focusing on clear, vital, easily understood subjects and teaching the same message as far as possible in simple discourses. This requires humbling of self and reconversion so the Lord can work with ministers and angels can cooperate to make a sacred impression on hearers. They must blend together in Christlike unity, pulling evenly with no contentions, revealing the unifying power of truth that makes a powerful impression on minds, for in unity there is strength. Meekness and humility learned from Him who is meek and lowly preserve that unity, and unimportant points of difference must not be made prominent lest those without a strong living connection reveal weakness of Christian experience, give watching enemies advantage, and hinder the work.

Those entrusted with responsibility in God's work must counsel and pray together in complete Christian unity with shared speech, shared mind, and shared decision and with no divisions. No individual worker's opinions, plans, or methods may ever be pushed against the united decision of appointed stewards in positions of trust. God's work is best advanced by joining with those carrying responsibility and helping them as fully as possible, and God requires this complete unity because reaching it is possible.

Those managing God's work in different regions and different parts of the field must be of the same mind and judgment, one in heart, in plans, and in action. It is no virtue to differ with brethren, whether at another office or at the publishing houses on the Pacific Coast and east of the Rocky Mountains. They must compare notes, interchange plans and ideas, and adopt improved plans and methods suggested by either office, because both houses need very great improvement and their managers have much to learn. This requires leaning less to personal understanding and learning more of the meekness and lowliness of Christ, rather than egotistically maintaining personal plans for gratification of having one's own way irrespective of consequences. God's instrumentalities for publishing truth are one and must remain one, with no contention or variance seen between them, breathing the same spirit and engaged in the same work with one faith and one purpose to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord. Cooperation with publishing institutions therefore calls for seeking the Holy Spirit and making plans that promote healthful unity with a single aim for God's glory.

Perfect oneness is required in God's work between the medical missionary work and the gospel message for this time, giving the trumpet a certain sound in proclaiming the third angel's message. Speaking the same thing is possible and required because there is a plain thus saith the Lord, and obedience to it requires the working of the Holy Spirit to mold and fashion minds and hearts. Those who cannot see the bearing of medical missionary work must not control any phase of it until they understand its bearing and can restore and not tear to pieces.

Physicians and teachers and responsible men and women, including those at Loma Linda, are to work in harmony with no divisions, speaking the same thing and perfectly joined in the same mind and judgment, drawing steadily with Christ and laboring to glorify His holy name with thanks for manifold mercies. Complaining and criticism are out of place and spoil the work by undermining united labor with Christ. Those who cannot possibly live in harmony in that place should go away where they can.

Among canvassers and general agents there are to be no divisions and distinct parties, but perfect unity manifested in all the work. All are to be interested in the sale of books treating upon the health question as well as religious works, with no line drawn that only certain works are to occupy attention.

Workers in Christ's service should strive for oneness without divisions, standing in right relation to God as learners in the school of Christ in order for the work to succeed. They must refuse to look for opportunity to differ from one another or to cherish and push differences of opinion, seeking instead to be of one mind, one heart, and one spirit because Christ stands at their head and His character is to be represented in labors and associations together. Each is to be an individual toiler doing his own appointed work, seeking perfection of character step by step by patient, continuous effort in cultivating commended virtues, since character cannot be bought or sold. No one is to try to remake another person's character or control his methods, but each is to set a right example himself, and God will bless him and make him a channel of light, with the righteousness of Christ going before him and the glory of the Lord as his rereward.

Workers must be one in Jesus, of one mind and of one judgment, by bringing Jesus into their work and into the heart. This unity brings God's blessing and the sight of the salvation of Jesus. It means letting no one exalt himself over another, not making I prominent, esteeming others better than self, and seeking to glorify Jesus and not self. It requires crucifying self, hard as that is, and then Jesus reveals Himself as a mighty Worker in their midst.

Ministers with different gifts must never use their gifts to separate believers from one another, be conscience for other men, or gain an experience for them. God's truth must not be preached in a way that causes those who accept it to form into separate parties under different heads, whether around Paul or Apollos or Cephas, for Christ's people are to be united under Christ alone as Leader without rivalry over human leaders. When contention comes in and a party spirit is manifested, it must be investigated and called by its right name, for all dissension is born of the narrow conceptions of unsanctified minds. Ministers and other workers are to cooperate in harmony, drawing together without friction and not judging fellow laborers by personal ideas.

Ministers must come together as brethren, sit down and talk over plans, come to an understanding, and arrange matters so they blend and do not interfere with or cut across one another's work. Even when talents are varied and reach different classes, there is abundant room for both in the same city if they blend, beginning labor in another part rather than within a few blocks of another's meetings unless they can blend. Unity means all striving to be one with Christ as He is one with the Father. Teaching that binds people to the teacher by dictating without example in the word of God breaks this unity and produces difference, contention, variance, and party spirit, misshaping the work.

Unity of action is essential in the Lord's work, with followers of one heart and one mind speaking the same thing and striving toward perfect unity in counsel and purpose rather than emphasizing differences. Healthful unity in planning and work means all speak the same things, serving with a single aim for God's glory and seeking the Holy Spirit. To improve every talent as they should, God's servants must unite with one another in Christian service even while laboring in different ways, some preaching the Word and others using ability in writing and translating books, with translations made in every tongue, so the gospel is preached to every creature. This oneness is necessary for opening new fields in the regions beyond, uplifting the standard of truth in cities, towns, villages, highways and hedges, so that all classes hear the gospel of the third angel's message.

God is leading out a people upon the exalted platform of eternal truth who are united in action, with harmony characterizing movements in the great work and success attending efforts. They value order, harmony, and unity of action rather than remaining in a disorderly, scattered, disunited condition without leadership, and must move understandingly together.

All who are laborers together with God must be of one mind and of one judgment and share the same mind and purpose in the work of setting things in order, including in health institutions where great wrongs displeasing to God exist. Those who in the name of Christ bear the burden of patiently and kindly investigating and correcting errors and mistakes have a right from a Bible standpoint to expect the sympathy and solid help and support of all those of like precious faith, of all true believers, and of all who are light bearers in the cause of God, rather than being left to carry the burden alone.

Believers of all classes, nations, tongues and peoples are to have no divisions or separate interests but be perfectly joined in the same mind, the same judgment, and the same speech, glorifying God with one mouth. Nationalities are not to stand apart in independence, but French and Italian and others are to have interests blended together, be subject one to another, and be united in one great brotherhood and one great family on the platform of truth as it is in Jesus. This harmony comes by imitating Christ as the one model and accepting truth as it is in Jesus, with Christ abiding in the heart by faith, and the truth is one and all-powerful. The gospel is to reach all and unite them, exerting the same molding, subduing, refining, ennobling, and sanctifying power on every heart that receives it whatever the nationality, softening and refining character, taking away what is impetuous and rebellious, and transforming and molding all after the divine Pattern. National prejudices, jealousies, peculiarities and peculiar ideas are broken down, partition walls are kept down, and hearts are blended in one because Christ is not divided, through the love of Christ, living faith, and the mighty agency of the Holy Spirit. Those united are strong in His strength, happy and united in His peace, loving as brethren, esteeming others better than themselves, kind and courteous, meek and lowly, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits. God's workmen are to present infallible truth, not disunite what God would unite but cement together with a molding and reformatory influence on one another, warning and teaching to present every person perfect in Christ and to prepare a united people with perfection of character for the mansions Christ has prepared and for uniting in one family in heaven, which only the quick and powerful Word working in the heart can gain.

Those engaged in the great and solemn work of warning the world must not only have an individual experience in the things of God but must cultivate love for one another and labor to be of one mind and of one judgment, to see eye to eye. The absence of this love greatly pleases Satan, who is the author of envy, jealousy, hatred, and dissension and rejoices to see these vile weeds choke out love, that tender plant of heavenly growth.

God's people being prepared for translation must get back into right lines of work by standing as sentinels for God and laboring unitedly with no division, willing to be servants of all and following Jesus as the great Exemplar. They must not draw apart but be united in heart and mind, with one shared purpose of the salvation of souls, as reflected in Christ's outstretched arms drawing His people together.

In marriage the direction to the church of God, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints, means unity of affection and judgment centered upon proper objects. It requires a man to give his wife the first place in affections, to respect, cherish and love her as his wife and the mother of his children. It forbids sentimental attachment to another woman or allowing another woman to receive affection belonging to the wife, requires guarding mind and heart that impurity may not abide there, and requires being as true as steel to marriage vows in thought, word and deed. It requires rejecting spiritualistic affection, seducing spirits and doctrines of devils as signs of the last days belonging to the wicked.

Brethren must lay aside their differences and unite upon Bible truth, giving up division and being perfectly joined together. This applies even to those who love the truth while still listening to and cherishing error.