LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
All Things in Common
"All who believed were together, and had all things in common..." (Acts 2:44).
Normally, when we look at this text of the Scriptures, it comes to mind the distribution of goods that each one did, but the common life of the church goes far beyond material goods.
The first thing we can see here is that those who believed "were together". They understood, as the text of 1 Peter 2:9 says, that they were, among the Jews themselves, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people; that is, that they walked by the Spirit in the presence of God himself.
Those who were formerly Pharisees or Sadducees were now together. Whether before they were slaves or free, barbarians or Scythians, men or women, what does it matter! They were now in Christ, they were one in Christ. The enmity had been dissolved at the cross: "...and by the cross to reconcile them both to God in one body, having put to death the enmity" (Eph. 2:16).
Those who believed were together. They were together because they had something in common. And not just something, but everything in Christ, and in common. They no longer lived individual lives, purposes, ambitions and personal achievements. They were now of one mind, one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32).
If we were only to divide our goods, after doing this, communion would end, unless we continued to divide and divide. What they had in common was one Person, one body, one faith, and one eternal hope, not just goods.
That should be a basic principle of those who claim to believe: to walk together. If there is any kind of faction in us, then there is some hidden purpose. We bring with us some concept or prejudice, or something even worse, a pride and some desire for human glory.
Beloved, the promise of the Father is that we should have in Christ one heart and one mind: "And I will give you one heart and one way, that you may fear me forever" (Jer. 32:39).
The Lord's purpose is that we should be together, as the body of Christ, and have all things in common, especially in spiritual things. Our heart and soul are to be one. Loving one another. Persevering with one accord. Forgiving one another, praying for one another. Exhorting one another, edifying one another, holding fast one another, bearing with one another, preferring one another in honor. Encouraging one another to good works, and chiefly by receiving one another.
One to another is to have all things in common. This all is the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is all and in all. To whom shall we go if we lose this way? And if we are on the way, we are together. If we do not have spiritual things in common, then something is wrong.
A blessed example of this is the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The wayfarers were on the way, all of one purpose, all of one mind, all going to the same place. This unity is in the Spirit and we must keep it in all humility and meekness, for the wayfarers in Him shall not err.