The Unity Problem
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It should be abundantly clear that the Lord intended His people to be united- “that they may all be one…”John 17:21. To that end, He gave us a platform to accomplish that unity: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were also called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6). But if He intended for us to be united, and gave us the necessary foundation to accomplish it, why are we so divided? Check the yellow pages under “Churches” for evidence of our divisiveness.
To say, “We’re all just taking different roads to the same place” is just not true. Jesus said there is but “one way/road”- not many different ones, cf. John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14. It has always been interesting to me that most who claim the “different roads to the same place” mantra are making an attempt at unity, but obviously don’t believe in the “one body” or “one baptism” or “one faith” concepts stated in Ephesians 4 necessary to produce it. So, let’s spend a moment attempting to really understand how and why these “ones” should unite us as God’s people the way He intended.
There being “one God” should provide us with unity in worship, John 4:23; but we (‘religious’ folks in general) have decided that we should all be able to worship in “our own way,” so we are divided. There being “one Lord” should provide us with unity inauthority, Matthew 28:18; but we have decided that “other authorities” (doctrines of men) are equally viable, and thus ought to be considered, so we are divided. There being “one faith” should provide us with unity in message, Romans 1:16; 5:1-2; but we have decided that we need to “cater/mold the message” to this group or that mindset, so we are divided. There being “one baptism” should provide us with unity in birth, John 3:3-5; Galatians 3:26-29; but we have decided that “baptism is important, but not essential,” and that it can be sprinkling or pouring water on anyone, rather than being the immersion of penitent believers, so we are divided. There being “one Spirit” should provide us with unity in vocation, Romans 8:2,7,12-14; but we have decided that the Spirit leads this person in “this” direction, and that person in “that” direction, so we are divided. There being “one hope” should provide us with unity in purpose, Colossians 1:3-8; but we have decided that only some should hope for heaven, while others must be content to hope for some form of a perfected earth, so we are divided.
Get the picture? God provided us with everything we needed to be united as His people in worship, authority, message, birth, vocation, and purpose. But we, in our own “wisdom,” turned aside from these things, and are thus divided rather than united. What makes correcting this division more difficult is the misguided notions we have about how to go about it.
Ecumenicism (uniting differing religious groups through compromise and blending) is not the answer to religious division. The reason should be obvious: ecumenicism requires the compromise of beliefs and convictions regarding the truth. We cannot become united on the basis of compromise- we must become united on the basis of conviction that the Word of God is the only standard; and that as such, it must be the standard for everyone. Men writing doctrines and dogmas that outline how to be a member of this denomination or that one don’t unite- they divide, obviously. As such, all such writings of men have to be abandoned for a “thus says the Lord” with a book, chapter, and verse following. Unity can only be achieved by the correct understanding and application of the Truth- not the compromise of conviction and the forfeiture of faith. Otherwise, we will never be united, and will thus never be pleasing to God. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…” 1Peter 4:11.