"Believers all belong to the same Lord, and are thus one with each other. Therefore anything that denies our oneness with each other denies our oneness with Him."
-John MacArthur
The Bible says we are limbs of a single body, branches of a single tree and brothers and sisters in a single family. There can be no bickering about whether the eye is more important than the ear, no hateful remarks whispered through the leaves and surely no putting our own well-being before that of a brother. And if we do so we are certainly not subordinate to Christ. For how can can two branches on a tree work against each other, if they are both attached to the vine? Or how can two legs walk in opposite directions, if they do not rebel against the head?
I do not disagree that there are certain directions within the church that have beliefs about God that are false and incompatible with the Gospel. I do not disagree that some who call themselves Christian preach things that are everything but, nor do I disagree that false doctrines and heresies are destructive and should be exposed. However, the Bible teaches us about how to deal with this: we are to rebuke brothers privately, and forgive those who repent. But frankly, does it matter more than letting others come to Christ? Constant confrontations between bitter Christians and even more bitter Christians serves only to alienate those with whom we should be sharing the gospel. For some, enfuriated bloggers who tear others down and cause division is their first introduction to Christianity. Those who think hateful debates make Christianity come off as a religion of joy and compassion are sorely mistaken. While we cannot and should not ignore heresy inside the church, the topic must not be made into a public debate before the eyes of those who have no means of discerning what is what and which is which.
Allow me to illustrate this. If there is one area of society Christians tend to dislike, it is the media. Ironically, it seems the Church could learn a great deal from it. Sociology teaches us that the media only really impacts large numbers of people when they are united, and especially so if the public is largely undecided on the topic. This should show us something. If not even the media, the single most significant source of influence in our time; can impact people’s opinions if they are divided, what makes us think the Church can? Quite frankly, if the Church wants to be influential it should start by sending out a unified message.
I find it interesting that this even needs saying. The Bible does not merely call us to unity; it calls us to the most radical concept of all: love. We are to love our brothers and continually ask how we may best serve them. We are to wash their feet, as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. We are to spend our lives serving them and if necessary lay down our lives for them. Paul asks us to love one another with mutual affection and outdo one another in showing honor. The gospel is not merely about shaking hands and accepting that the other groups exist, it is about laying down ourselves for the sake of brothers and sisters.
It is important not to lose track of the benefits that unity brings. The Bible is clear on this. Love and unity do not only bring a new level of community among God’s people, it brings change in ourselves. Also, it brings people to Christ. Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. We are to be ambassadors of Christ; to be instigators of His kingdom on earth. We are called to be perfect, just as our Father in heaven is perfect. Without love Christianity is worthless; without love it is mere noise. With love, Christianity is the single most revolutionary movement the world has known; with unity, people may be open to it. Unity opens the church to fresh anointing and divine favor; unity allows God to move. When love and unity flourish among its followers, Christianity comes to life.
We must love our family as ourselves, so we do not destroy it. We must forgive those who wrong us, lest we fall at the hands of bitterness and resentment. Then we must honour those to whom honour is due, and give attention where attention is due, lest any go unseen. We must build commitment, so our unity may be strong. We must respect and admire one another, so we may be friends. We must trust eachother, so suspicion cannot tear us apart. Unity must be paramount, or the church will crumble.
We can debate this topic up, down, sideways and backwards, but frankly, we do not need to. No one has the privilege of choosing their family, and Christians are certainly not exempt from the rule. As human beings we can choose to love and nourish our family members or we can choose to make them homeless. However as Christians we resigned this right on the cross. We are not our own; we have been bought with a price. Now the choice is ours; to either follow Christ or disobey Him, to either do what He asks of us or to ignore His direction. He who does not love abides in death. We may not choose not to be humble, patient, loving, honoring and self-sacrificial any more than we may choose to depart from the gospel. It is a demanding assignment, but so is everything else worth doing. It is a daunting task, but it becomes easier with time. It is a great challenge, but we shall reap the rewards.
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