B
If we would have the factor of genuine one accord, we need to “be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion”—1 Cor. 1:10; 7:25, 40:
１
The problem in the local church life that keeps us from realizing the one accord is our opinion—Matt. 16:22-25; Phil. 2:2; 4:2.
２
In the Lord’s work, in the church life, and in the spiritual life, the greatest damaging factor is our opinion—1 Cor. 1:10-13a.
３
Opinions are a sign of darkness (John 11:9-10); whenever we express an opinion that is contrary to the Lord’s will, that opinion signifies that we are walking in darkness.
４
The Lord never acts on the basis of anyone’s opinion; He always acts according to His own will, and He will never be moved according to our opinion, including a prayer according to our opinion—1 John 5:14-15.
C
To be in one accord is to be one in our whole being, and this results in our being one in our outward speaking—Rom. 15:5-6:
１
To have one mind and one mouth means that we have only one Head—Christ—because only the Head has a mind and a mouth; we should think with the mind of Christ and speak with the mouth of the Head—Col. 1:18a; Phil. 2:2, 5; 4:2.
２
Whenever we are in one accord, we speak the same thing; we speak with one mouth.
３
The only way to be with one accord and one mouth is to allow Christ the room to be everything in our heart and in our mouth that God may be glorified—Eph. 3:17a, 21.
Morning Nourishment
1 Cor. 1:10 Now I beseech you…that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion.Rom. 15:5-6 …The God of…encouragement grant you to be of the same mind toward one another…that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To practice the one accord, we must be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion (1 Cor. 1:10). To be attuned in the same mind is to practically be one in our soul. When the thoughts in our mind are expressed in our speaking, they become our opinions. When the opinions remain in our mind, they are simply our thoughts. When our differences in thinking are expressed as opinions, that may cause a problem. (CWWL, 1989, vol. 4, “Elders’ Training, Book 10: The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (2),” pp. 375-376)
Today’s Reading
The Lord’s word to His disciples in John 11:9-10 indicates that their opinion was a sign that they were walking in darkness: “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” …Opinions are a sign of darkness because to utter an opinion is to speak nonsense. The reason a person speaks nonsense is that he is in the darkness. But the Lord Jesus is fully in the light, and He Himself is the light. Furthermore, whenever the Lord is present, there is day. In these verses the Lord Jesus seemed to be saying, “As long as I am here, you are not in darkness. I am the light. Since the light is here, it is daytime. I say that we should go into Judea. But if you say that we should not go, you are expressing a contrary opinion, and you are in darkness.”Whenever we express an opinion that is contrary to the Lord’s will, that opinion signifies that we are not walking in the day but in the darkness. If we are following the Lord, we should say Amen to whatever He says and not express any opinion…. Only the Lord knows what to say. When He says, “Let us go,” that is something in the day, in the light. The Lord’s guidance always is light. If we follow His guidance, we will be in the day, and we will walk in the light. (CWWL, 1982, vol. 2, “The Fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the Offerings in the Writings of John,” pp. 302-303)
The whole book of 1 Corinthians shows us that [the] same speaking is Christ, and the same mind and same opinion are also Christ. In our daily life, if we take Christ as our center and everything, what we speak, think, and understand will all be Christ. This is the one accord, which is the practice of oneness. Some among the Corinthian believers said they were of Paul. Others said they were of Apollos. Still others said that they were of Cephas. Then some were smart enough to say that they were of Christ. They were of four things. In other words, there were four minds and four speakings with four results, which end in division. The oneness is gone, the Body of Christ is lost, and the building is no more. Hence, 1 Corinthians 1:10 deals with this matter so that we would be captured by the Lord and that there would no longer be Paul or Apollos or Cephas but only Christ. Everyone would be thinking about Christ and speaking about Christ, having Christ as his view, Christ as his way of speaking, and Christ as his opinion and judgment. Everything would be Christ. This Christ has become the life-giving Spirit in His resurrection (15:45b) and has become our enjoyment within. The practice of our oneness depends on Him. When we speak Him, consider Him, enjoy Him, and express Him, we will be harmonious and one. (CWWL, 1990, vol. 2, “The Oneness and the One Accord according to the Lord’s Aspiration and the Body Life and Service according to His Pleasure,” pp. 73-74)
Further Reading: Life-study of Philippians, msgs. 2, 8