HARMONY AND UNITY
The truth of God's people dwelling together is said to be "good" (Psalm 133:1). Within the confines of the nation of Israel the idea of Jewish brethren dwelling together implied a unity of worship and service toward God. The nation at its beginning suffered greatly through wars with enemies around them and conflicts within the nation itself. When we come to the time of Saul, the first king, the nation was united together in what they wanted and how to go about it. Saul's years of turbulence was followed by David and, after him, his son Solomon. After the death of Solomon the nation divided and precious unity was lost.
During the time of David references were made to Judah and Israel. After David's brief reign in Hebron, he moved to Jerusalem and the nation was united under his rule. Even though that is the case, the idea of Judah and Israel were names used to indicate that even though they were united, it was not a true oneness which unity should imply. The seeds long planted came to fruition when Rehoboam, the son of Solomon came to the throne. A lesson that is sometimes lost in the discussion about unity is that an integral of unity is the idea of harmony.
Part of the definition of harmony from our Standard English dictionaries is a combination of parts into a pleasing or orderly whole. Paul uses this principle by inspiration to say about the church that the "...whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth..." (Ephesians 4:16). Each Christian is to see their role in making the body of Christ what it should be by combining with other Christians in a local body in a pleasing or orderly whole. The body of Christ then by definition is not one member but many (I Corinthians 12:14). It is not in keeping with the harmony of other Scriptures to use the passage in Corinthians to teach that denominations are right, because they are not.
A second part of the definition of harmony is agreement in feeling, action, ideas and interest. At the beginning of the church, the brethren ate their common meals together with gladness and singleness of heart (Acts 2:46). Later it was stated about the church that the brethren were of one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32). Their feeling toward one another, actions, ideas and interest were the same. In such harmony the church could flourish and grow as the hearts of those who made up the church were giving themselves to the cause of Christ.
When we come to the sixth chapter of Acts we find that harmony was disturbed because of exclusive actions being committed by some brethren against other brethren. Up to this point the brethren were united on what they were teaching. They were certainly in fear of God in lieu of what happened in Acts 5 to Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:11). The events in Acts 6 were an internal attempt by Satan to disrupt the movement of the body of Christ in the great field of evangelism. Satan had already stirred up the Jews as per Acts 4 and 5 against the church. This was an outward attack. Acts 6 is the first recorded internal problem that Satan caused among the faithful.
It should bring to our minds, then, the importance of having harmony in order to secure unity. Paul wrote about the task of Christians is to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This unity is a "oneness". Brethren in agreement over doctrine, which is outlined in the seven ones which proceed after verse 3, (Ephesians 4: 3-6). When we are faced with doctrinal error we have the Word of God to appeal to in our reasoning. If one does not accept the truth, then unity cannot be brought about. Those who desire unity must possess the spirit within them that speaks about a harmonious relationship with fellow Christians either in a local sense or the sense of the brotherhood. It exalts the "interest" of the church above my personal feelings. What was Paul concerned about, among other things? He writes that which came on him daily, "...the care of all the churches" (II Corinthians 11:28). He writes these words after speaking about all the things which he had suffered being an apostle of Christ (verses 24-27).
All the things that he suffered were secondary to the care of the churches. Our interest must be in what is best for the church above my own personal interests. Such is the essence of harmony as a foundation for unity in the truth.