Recall that the new believers in Jerusalem have been persecuted and dispersed far from Jerusalem after the stoning of Stephen led by Saul. Acts 8 to 10 tell of Philip’s travels and success, Saul’s conversion and ministry, and that of Peter and Cornelius among the Gentiles:
“Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord” (Ac 11:19-21).
Of the believers in Jerusalem who have been persecuted, some preach the gospel of Jesus to Jews living in other regions and some to Greeks. These are survivors of persecution, not a group of missionaries going out under sponsorship by a sending agency. Their perfect unity is guided by the Spirit himself, and by going in separate directions, this perfect unity is not disunity. It flows outward like branches of a great river, like the North Platte and South Platte rivers in Nebraska and Colorado, both branches irrigating crops over a widening area:
“The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord” (Ac 11:22-24).
What is the message these fleeing believers are preaching that is so successful? I think it is about accepting the good fork in the road of life through repentance for sins, the never-ending love of God for those who repent, forgiveness of sins, and restoration as a child of God, resulting in perfect unity with God through the sacrificial blood of Jesus on the cross.
The impact of this message on both Jews and Greeks far from Jerusalem is a flood of new believers! Although not spelled out numerically, we get the idea that it was at least as great as the ministry in Jerusalem in Acts 6:
“So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (Ac 11:25-26).
I love this. First, a flood of new believers, spoken to one by one by the Holy Spirit, choose the good fork in the road by repentance for sins and experience forgiveness of sins in a personal way. But then, as naturally as a baby weaned from its mother’s milk, they turn outward in perfect unity to meet the significant need of many people:
“Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul” (Ac 11:27-30).
Perfect unity has multiple levels. It starts with an individual heart in unity with Jesus and the resulting forgiveness of sins. The overwhelming gratitude produced then causes a believer to turn outward to share this faith with others for their own personal gain. But then, perfect unity emerges as multiple believers become the hands and feet of the never-ending love of God to those who need help, both in Spirit and in the physical world.
This is another reason why the local church must teach perfect unity – for the benefit of the entire world.