Our One Language

In Genesis 11, the people of the world are described as being powerful, because of their unity: “And the LORD said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.’ So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth” (vs. 6-9). The Lord did not value their earthly, worldly unity. Thus, the nations of the earth were born.

Isaiah speaks of the world, full of nations, not being any match for what would come. “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. […] Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore” (2:2, 4b). God had a plan for something to come into the world that would unify, not upon earthly, fleshly things, but on “things above” (Col. 3:2).

When Isaiah 2 was fulfilled in Acts 2, the divisions of the world were at once leveled. The key to destroying barriers between nations had arrived. The first several verses of Acts 2 give the account of the Apostles being empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak in many different languages, while in Jerusalem on Pentecost. The gospel, beginning at that point, went out into the world, transcending language with oneness of message… the truth (Jn. 17:17). This first group of Christians, having been united in the blood of Christ, is described as being in “one accord” and having “simplicity of heart” (Ac. 2:46). What a wonderful reality to know that even today we can go anywhere in the world and be in one accord with our brothers in Christ.

Indeed, we are “one” and we have “one language.” We are one in Christ (Rom. 12:5). The Gospel of Christ is our one language. God has given us the power of unity, through His Son, so that nothing we “propose to do will be withheld from” us. In His Kingdom, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33).

While we are individual members of the one body (1 Cor. 12:27), our power is not found in our diversity; our power is found in our unity in Christ. Paul wrote, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:1-6). As in Genesis 11, the Lord values very little the physical similarities we have with each other. He would prefer that we regard them as “rubbish” (Phil. 3:8) for the sake of the gospel.

Languages divide people. It is the nature of it. Practical divisions, because of language differences, are logical. For example, without a translator, I cannot effectively teach someone who knows no English. Though, our points of disunity must only be those begotten out of expediency for the gospel. We must not feel guilty about the natural divide in our congregation. We must keep it in the proper perspective. The greatest and the least of our differences must be overwhelmed in our minds by a unity that has the power to transcend anything… the unity of the gospel “in which [we] stand” (1 Cor. 15:1).

-Cary Gillis

December 29, 2019