Unity is an extension of salvation. Both are realities accomplished by God’s sacrifice of His Son. They are His gracious gifts that we cannot change. All we can do is to respond.
We cannot change God’s gifts, we can only respond to them.
- In faith, we can enter and remain “in Christ.” We can enjoy salvation and reflect its spiritual reality by the way we live: “Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippian 1:27). Or we can disbelieve and lose the gift of salvation. But salvation itself remains real, fully intact, and available for all who come to Christ.
- In faith, we can have peace with God (Romans 5:1). We can reflect that spiritual reality, letting Christ’s peace rule in our hearts as we pursue peace (Colossians 3:15; Romans 12:18; 14:19). We can enjoy the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:4-7). Or we can disbelieve and lose the gift of peace. In either case, Jesus is still the Prince of peace for all who come to Him.
- In faith, we can enter Christ and enjoy unity with Him and His people. We can reflect this spiritual reality by walking worthily “to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1, 3). Or we can respond negatively and lose our part in the unity of the Spirit. Even then, the Spirit remains unchanged. His unity remains fully intact— firmly established by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—and still available to all who enter and remain “in Christ.”