Christian Unity

What is it that unites these people who call themselves Christians?

The question is a difficult one because the division among Christians is apparant to the world. There are buildings located next to each other -- some with different names, some with the same names -- yet, the people who enter the buildings do not speak with each other. They view one another with suspicious eye. They enter the hallowed halls of their places of worship, celebrate the salvation made possible by Jesus, and then ignore (and by their actions even refute) the great prayer of Jesus that all His followers "be united."

But wait, someone will say, how can there be unity when there is disagreement? I counter that unity is only present where there is disagreement. If there is no disagreement then we have uniformity or unanimity. Unity is visible when there is a differing of opinions.

Still, some persist, what if we disagree on those things which the Bible teach are essential? I ask, "how do we determine those things which are essential?" For example, we know that no one can claim to follow Jesus if he is unable to render the good confession that "Jesus is Lord." Carl Ketcherside puts it so well when he writes, "The unity of the body is based upon acknowledgment of the great fact that Jesus is the Christ. ...So long as one accepts fully the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, he remains upon the foundation which Jesus said he would construct his community."

Someone may object, "Are you saying that we have unity with other religious groups? Do Baptists have unity with Methodists? Do Catholics have unity with Lutherans? Do Pentecostals have unity with Presbyterians? Do independent Christian churches have unity with churches of Christ? The answer to each of these is an unequivocal "yes."

Unity is not ours to make our attain. Unity is a gift from God. Do each of the groups listed above have serious disagreements concerning theology and biblical interpretation? Yes. So, how can there be unity? Because unity is a gift from God. Does this mean we should forsake our differences and simply brush aside those things on which we disagree? No -- such action is an aspiration to uniformity, not unity. We must continue to search the Scriptures and promote what God reveals to us in the pages of His sacred Word. Yet, heed this warning (again from Ketcherside): "Any use of the written word which makes impossible the fulfillment and realization of the prayer and purpose of the Living Word is abuse and misuse."

Yet, someone may persist, "how can everyone be right when there is so much disagreement?" I would argue from Scripture that "being right" is not an elemental of salvation. We are not saved because we are "right." We are saved by grace. We do not make our own righteousness. We are "made right" by Christ. God has not given us a test to determine if we are sound in the faith. He gave us His Son to justify us and His Spirit to sanctify us.

But, does not the Bible tell us to "mark false teachers" and avoid those who do not teach the doctrine of Jesus and the apostles? What about verses like Romans 16:17, "Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turned away from them"?

Sadly, this verse is often twisted to satisfy someone's preconceived beliefs (what is often called proof-texting). This verse and others are used to render division, thus forsaking the unity we have in Christ. Such action is the result of spiritual arrogance, and not the spirit of Christ.

In the next few blogs, we will look at how verses like the one above are often abused by those who seek to draw lines of division and determine who is acceptable and who is not acceptable to God.

Till then, remember that unity is a gift from God.