The Pursuit of Unity
CGG Weekly by Levi W. GrahamJesus was confronted with a situation that could have stirred up pride to fight back. Despite having all power, He chose to work toward unity rather than destruction.
Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part One)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerUnity seems to be 'godly,' while division is 'ungodly.' However, unity and division are not as black and white as we typically think of them.
Unity and Personal Responsibility
'Ready Answer' by John W. RitenbaughHumanity is tragically disunited. Here is what we must do, individually, when calamitous events—in the world and in the church—are taking place.
Unity (2006)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLike the symphony orchestra, only as an instrumentalist submits to the leader, working with the other members of the ensemble, can unity be accomplished.
Unity (Part 6): Ephesians 4 (C)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughUnity has to come from the inside out, with God raising a leader which His people, having their minds opened by His Spirit, will voluntarily submit to.
Unity and Division (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeEven though God desires brethren to dwell in peace and unity, at times HE ordains and causes disruption and division. How do we explain this apparent paradox?
Individualism and Unity
CGG WeeklyRather than establishing the differences we possess, God requires individuals to strengthen and grow in our similarities that He establishes as desirable.
Unity and Unleavened Bread
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting on Jesus Christ's prayer for unity in John 17, insists that unity with our brethren is impossible without unity with God first. Adam and Eve severed this unity by yielding to Satan's influence, stimulating their minds with a novel diversion. Sin automatically separates us from God. The key to …
Unity
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus, in His prayer recorded in John 17, fervently asks for unity among His Disciples (and by extension-all of us). Almost 20% of this prayer is devoted to the subject of unity, that His disciples would be unified with God the Father and with each other, as Jesus is unified with the Father. If we aren't unified with our …
Unity (Part 3): Ephesians 4 (A)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh reiterates that God alone chooses the servants through whom He works His will. Sometimes the rationale God uses for selecting His vessels defies worldly wisdom. The major reason for the horrendous split of the greater church of God was the rejection of the doctrines God's servant and Apostle Herbert Armstrong had …
Unity (Part 7): Ephesians 4 (D)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughBecause of our lack of self-discipline and willingness to guard the truth, we have allowed our theological base to deteriorate under the persuasion of the world.
Redeeming the Time for Unity
Sermon by Mark SchindlerMark Schindler, reflecting on Loma Armstrong's dream about Christ's imminent return, warns about using time carelessly or frivolously. Our use of time will potentially result in something very special or very destructive. Realizing that we have been called into a royal priesthood, we cannot afford to waste time on frivolous …
Unity (Part 8): Ephesians 4 (E)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe group that one fellowships with is less important than the understanding that there is one true church, bound by a spiritual, not a physical unity.
Reconciliation and Unity
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh stresses that unless the splinters of the greater church of God repair their mangled relationships with the Almighty, recoupling will be impossible. A major contributory factor in the scattering is the deceitful heart of man (Jeremiah 17:9) and carnal nature (Romans 8:7) which attempts to substitute charm and …
Unity and Division: The Blessing and a Curse (Part Two)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerA curious phenomenon ties together several biblical stories: God makes a judgment and divides His people into two groups, often splitting them down the middle!
Understanding Unity
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, focusing on the alarming fragmentation and disunity taking place throughout society and within God's church, assures us that God will ultimately answer Jesus' five-fold prayer for unity in John 17:11. We have a vital part to play in bringing about this unity, beginning with the marriage institution and families. …
Unity (Part 2): God's Pattern of Leadership
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod is not the author of confusion, but throughout the scriptures has used a consistent pattern of appointing leaders over His called-out ones.
Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part Three)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerGod instructed the Israelites to divide themselves by tribes on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal to pronounce blessings and curses, providing lessons for us.
Pride, Contention, and Unity
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughThe sin of pride underlies many of our other sins, and it is often the reason for the contentions we get into as brethren.
Unity (Part 5): Ephesians 4 (B)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh reminds us that the doctrines entrusted to us through Herbert Armstrong's apostleship remain a major plank in the foundation of our faith. Adopting a revolutionary stance (Proverbs 24:21) for the sake of change, variety, or relieving boredom will systematically destroy the faith once delivered. Through the …
Unity (Part 1): God and HWA
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn this lead-off sermon of the 1999 Feast of Tabernacles, John Ritenbaugh draws an instructive though disturbing parallel between the warning given to Belshazzar and the warning given to the greater church of God. A major contributory cause in the splitting of the church has been the wholesale rejection of the doctrines Herbert …
Truth or Unity?
Article by StaffWe all want to be known as seekers of the truth. None of us would want to follow a lie! Yet oftentimes, searching for the truth brings us into conflict with others' beliefs, causing separations between brethren in the church of God. How do we tell truth from lie?
Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part Four)
'Ready Answer' by Charles WhitakerGod commanded the Israelites to utter blessings from Mount Gerazim and curses from Mount Ebal, most of which deal with hidden sins that give rise to hypocrisy.
Endeavoring to Keep the Unity
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, anticipating the national observation of Father's Day, maintains that the leadership of a father and a husband has a profound influence upon family, society, and culture- especially regarding unity. Five principles fostering greater unity include: (1)having a true belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the …
Unity and Godly Diversity in One Body
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark SchindlerMark Schindler, cautioning us to avoid becoming involved in politics or in any sort of agitation for governmental change, focuses on the cautionary comments of the second American President, John Adams, who warned that our Constitution would work only for a people of moral responsibility. President Adams implies that the …
Unity and Chaos
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh suggests that the term "atone" connotes order, unity, and accord derived out of disorganization and chaos. In our nation, education is being used to make unity and harmony. In 1912, the United Stated government turned over the money supply to a private banking concern with dubious motives and character. …
Peacemaking and Unity
Sermonette by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh reiterates that disunity emanates from a poor or tenuous relationship with God. Before godly love can exist, one has to have a solid relationship with God, produced by prayer, Bible study, and meditation. A person with this relationship with God has the fruits of the Spirit to create the conditions of peace. But …
United With Whom?
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeOur relationship with God is the key to unity with the brethren. When we are all just like Christ, we will also all resemble each other—and there will be unity.
God's Orchestra
CGG Weekly by John ReissThe symphony orchestra may be the most "finely tuned" metaphor of unity and cooperation. Musicians in an orchestra can teach us about working together.
God's Perseverance With His Saints (Part Three)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, concluding his series "God's Perseverance with the Saints," focuses on Christ's desire that all His disciples have unity and love. The unity He appeals for is not organizational unity, but unity within the divine nature, exampled in the unity between the Father and the Son. This unity operationally …
Psalm 133
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughUnity comes only through the initiation of God. If we would follow the suggestions in Romans 12, we could do our part in promoting unity in God's church.
A Search for Identity
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod gave His approval for the destruction of the Worldwide Church of God into numerous groups, allowing heresies so He could see who really loves Him.
The Need for Forgiveness
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, expounding upon the principle that it is more blessed to give than to receive, suggests that the things we ardently desire for ourselves we should be willing to give to others, including forbearance and forgiveness. Following the Apostle Paul's example to the Corinthians, we ought to forgive and comfort one …
Passover and New Creation
Sermon by Charles WhitakerCharles Whitaker, observing the plethora of pairings (binary opposites, dichotomies in Genesis 1 and 2 (day and night, male and female, sea and land, the Tree of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life, etc.) asserts that during the first stage of Creation, God unleashed multiple universal processes of division or separation. In the …
Together We Stand - But on What?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsPaul, using the body analogy in I Corinthians, focuses on the need for unity and inter-relatedness by concentrating upon sound doctrine.
Two Loaves, Baked with Leaven
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeThe leavening indicates that the wave loaves speak to this life rather than the resurrection. It is accepted by God only because of the other sacrifices.
Of One Accord
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughConfusion and separation have been man's legacy since Eden. Christ is working to put an end to division, enabling us to be one with the Father and each other.
Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part Twelve)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, focusing upon the covenantal relationship of marriage, reaffirms the respective roles of husband and wife, typifying the relationship between Christ and His Church. In this twelfth and concluding message in this series, the emphasis is upon unity and cohesiveness. As husband and wife are commanded to become one …
Disintegration
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeOur advanced communications, which have allowed globalism, are also bringing about tribalism. Rather than uniting everyone, they are dividing.
Knowing God
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughTo fulfill one's purpose, one must be singularly focused on what one wants to accomplish. Divided minds result in no productivity or even devastation.
The Importance of Doctrine
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPeople who try to supplement their spiritual diet with lawlessness or other heresies risk losing their identity, and ultimately their spiritual life.
The Christian and the World (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe must realize we are walking on a razor's edge, with the Kingdom of God on one side and the world with all its sensual magnetic charms on the other side.
Government (Part Seven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh reiterates that it is the responsibility of each person to govern himself. Otherwise, even the very best government (the government of our Head, Jesus Christ) won't work. Goethe said "the best of all governments is that which teaches us to govern ourselves" Voluntary consent and mutual consent is the …
Philippians (Part 2)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh focuses upon Paul's motivation for his letter to the Philippians, both appealing for unity and offering encouragement, reminding them that their relationship with one another was through Christ. Unity could only be maintained if they prayed for one another, exercising reasoning, discerning, and discriminating …
The Measure of Christ's Gift
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJesus selected disciples with disparate temperaments, unifying them to accomplish a steadfast purpose. God disperses a wide diversity of spiritual gifts.
Division, Satan, Humility
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThroughout the course of Biblical history, whenever sin appears, confusion, division and separation are the automatic consequences.
John (Part 17)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThe shepherd and door analogies in John 10 depict the close relationship of Jesus with His flock as the security and stability provided by His protection.
