Unity

[Just Dave]

I do believe that one of the best antidotes for disunity is persecution.
That said, the scripture has plenty of exhortations not to have unity with those that would pervert the Gospel. Many today would see Paul as one who was constantly sowing discord by rejecting errant beliefs that yet claimed belief in Christ. So does the lack of unity as we'd like to see it get heartbreaking, surely, yet it was pretty much assured to be:

1Co 11:19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
Rom 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

It's with an obviously heavy heart that we see Jude opening his epistle with(paraphrased): I really wanted to write to you just rejoicing in our common salvation, but I find it necessary to instead exhort you to be earnestly contending for the Faith as it was once(and for all) given.
In much of today's Postmodern Church, earnestly contending for the Faith as once and for all given is equated with sinful divisiveness.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!

You're absolutely right, this is why it's so important to stick to sound doctrine.

[Dezrat]

"this is why it's so important to stick to sound doctrine."
Much of the Church will think you mean they're supposed to serve in the Sound Booth.....

[Just Dave]

"this is why it's so important to stick to sound doctrine."
Much of the Church will think you mean they're supposed to serve in the Sound Booth.....

LOL true

[TomMcC]

You're absolutely right, this is why it's so important to stick to sound doctrine.

Well that's the whole bug in the ointment isn't Dave? What exactly is sound doctrine?

[Just Dave]

Well that's the whole bug in the ointment isn't Dave? What exactly is sound doctrine?

If you don't know then I'm not going to tell you. Perhaps you should get a 4 year degree and become a Pastor at your church.

[TomMcC]

I do believe that one of the best antidotes for disunity is persecution.
That said, the scripture has plenty of exhortations not to have unity with those that would pervert the Gospel. Many today would see Paul as one who was constantly sowing discord by rejecting errant beliefs that yet claimed belief in Christ. So does the lack of unity as we'd like to see it get heartbreaking, surely, yet it was pretty much assured to be:

1Co 11:19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
Rom 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

It's with an obviously heavy heart that we see Jude opening his epistle with(paraphrased): I really wanted to write to you just rejoicing in our common salvation, but I find it necessary to instead exhort you to be earnestly contending for the Faith as it was once(and for all) given.
In much of today's Postmodern Church, earnestly contending for the Faith as once and for all given is equated with sinful divisiveness.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!

I would agree that persecution has and will be used by God to refine and purify the church. When and how, I don't know.

Heresies must come according to the scriptures to find those approved by God, yet the faithful are called to unity in spite of the difficulties. I do believe the scriptures do point to a wonderful blessing and unity of the church in all nations (Is ch2). Maybe the way to this is in the Old Paths.

[TomMcC]

If you don't know then I'm not going to tell you. Perhaps you should get a 4 year degree and become a Pastor at your church.

Is this what they teach at Calvary.....bearing false witness.

[TomMcC]

Do you want to know what's really sad Tom?

That the most comforting and encouraging words that God has to say to His people are used by some to cause division and strife amongst the flock.



It is just sad that people will take those verses and use them to sow the seeds of discord among the brethren
The most comforting and encouraging words... it's just like Satan..what a shame.

Who has done that, Dave?

[WASR10]

I haven't read the thread, so forgive me if this has been stated.

There are literally thousands of different religious organizations in the world today that use the name Christian. But our Lord prayed for the unity of all who would believe in Him. While there are thousands of different churches in the world, the Bible knows only one. If there is only one church, and it is founded by God, then no man has any place to start another one. Yet so many have. None of the churches founded by men have the approval of God. Jesus Christ said: Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up (Matthew 15:13).

Divisions happen for a multitude of reasons. Sometimes it is political or social pressures, sometimes it is from ignorance, sometimes it is pride or other human emotion. However, we have documentation of what the true church is, so that we may recognize it when we see it. We can learn about it and we can be a part of it. By my study, the church that Jesus built began on the first Pentecost following the resurrection and ascension of our Lord. We can read about its beginning in Acts chapter 2.

I think this fact remains: anything more than the church of the scriptures, and anything less, is not the church He began. In order to have unity, I believe we must follow what the Lord has provided us.

[Not a Cook]

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

I will forgo writing an essay or a sermon on the OP's topic at this late hour, but suffice it to say that there are many reasons behind the divisions in the church. These include carnality, outright sin, unsound doctrine, outright demonic doctrine, language and cultural/traditional differences, leaders who were/are false teachers, demonic attacks and influences, and the simple fact that there are many tares sewn among the wheat. However, perhaps the greatest impetus (and the saddest impetus) behind the disunity in the church is that many who claim to know and love the Lord do NOT obey His commandment to us which was found in John 13:34-35 (cited above).

For those who feel burdened by the disunity in the body of Christ, remember that we are commanded to love other disciples of Christ as Christ loves them and let us be careful to faithfully search the Scriptures for ourselves to be sure of what they actually teach (a la the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who were careful to even verify what the apostle Paul taught was consistent with the Scriptures they already had available). Let us also remember that Christ's body belongs to Him and that His body is not limited to some denomination but rather includes all the saints.

[Just Dave]

I haven't read the thread, so forgive me if this has been stated.

There are literally thousands of different religious organizations in the world today that use the name Christian. But our Lord prayed for the unity of all who would believe in Him. While there are thousands of different churches in the world, the Bible knows only one. If there is only one church, and it is founded by God, then no man has any place to start another one. Yet so many have. None of the churches founded by men have the approval of God. Jesus Christ said: Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up (Matthew 15:13).

Divisions happen for a multitude of reasons. Sometimes it is political or social pressures, sometimes it is from ignorance, sometimes it is pride or other human emotion. However, we have documentation of what the true church is, so that we may recognize it when we see it. We can learn about it and we can be a part of it. By my study, the church that Jesus built began on the first Pentecost following the resurrection and ascension of our Lord. We can read about its beginning in Acts chapter 2.

I think this fact remains: anything more than the church of the scriptures, and anything less, is not the church He began. In order to have unity, I believe we must follow what the Lord has provided us.

Thanks for putting that into such simple terms, I've always looked at the church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3 as that shining example.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

I will forgo writing an essay or a sermon on the OP's topic at this late hour, but suffice it to say that there are many reasons behind the divisions in the church. These include carnality, outright sin, unsound doctrine, outright demonic doctrine, language and cultural/traditional differences, leaders who were/are false teachers, demonic attacks and influences, and the simple fact that there are many tares sewn among the wheat. However, perhaps the greatest impetus (and the saddest impetus) behind the disunity in the church is that many who claim to know and love the Lord do NOT obey His commandment to us which was found in John 13:34-35 (cited above).

For those who feel burdened by the disunity in the body of Christ, remember that we are commanded to love other disciples of Christ as Christ loves them and let us be careful to faithfully search the Scriptures for ourselves to be sure of what they actually teach (a la the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who were careful to even verify what the apostle Paul taught was consistent with the Scriptures they already had available). Let us also remember that Christ's body belongs to Him and that His body is not limited to some denomination but rather includes all the saints.

I totally agree, very well put. However I would consider language, national and cultural aspect (this is how a lot of denominations came about) as a variety not as a division.

[TomMcC]

The multiplication of denominations has it's roots in what others have said, namely a creeping apostasy, but there is an antidote. This apostasy has been going on for centuries. I trace it back to 17th century England, Ireland, and Scotland. Before apostasy began though, a great reformation had taken place in those English speaking lands, especially Scotland, beginning with the work of the great reformer John Knox and culminating in the Westminster Assembly. The church of Scotland had rediscovered the means by which God had brought reformation to Israel in the OT under righteous kings such as Hezekiah and Josiah. Namely social and national covenanting 2Ch29:10, and 2Ch34:29-33, in obedience to the 3rd commandment. This covenanting had long been been buried in the great apostasy of the middle-ages. As God moved the Scots to greater and greater unity like He did the Israelites 2Ch30:12 the people great and small swore the National Covenant of 1638. There was essentially one national church and the people for vast, vast majority were truly united in the truth. That led to England, Ireland, and Scotland covenanting together to reform both church and state. That Solemn League and Covenant was essentially the foundation for (IMHO), possibly, the greatest God driven reformation since the days of Josiah. But it didn't last thanks to Oliver Cromwell, King Charles 2, and the erastians and the independents. Eventually the "Covenanters" were set upon and murdered in the 10's of thousands, the "Killing Times". Todays church has long forgotten national covenanting, that someday Christ by His grace will fulfill His great priestly prayer in John 17 especially verse 21. and that Christ sits at the right hand of the Father and will one day subdue the nations unto Himself Is 2. There are no more Luthers, or Calvins, Zwinglis, Bezas, or Wifcliffs, or Huss, or Knoxs. Protestantism is long forgotten, the martyrs are long forgotten, they were our brethren of old, they died for the truth but the modern church has forgotten the truths they died for......such a shame.

[SheepDog78]

The lack of unity among churches of Christ has always boggled me as well. I distinctly remember one particular sermon at the church I used to attend (non-denominational) when the pastor was talking about this, and said that basically Christ's ideal vision of churches is just "church," a singular body of Christ's disciples, not all the various denominations we have now. This is why all my life I have mainly attended non-denominational churches. If the pastor gives sermons directly from the Bible, cool. If I notice they're expanding upon what the Bible says, or drawing inferences and attempting to pass them off as truth, I'm outta there.

Either you believe in Christ and who He says He is, or you don't. Either you believe in the Bible as the ONLY written word of God, or you don't. Those are the only two camps people should fall under, and they're mutually exclusive. I think maybe one reason some denominations come up with their own interpretation of the Bible is to broaden the path of righteousness, so to speak, to seem more tolerant of man's inherent wickedness. As it is, the road to Heaven is a narrow and winding path, yet the road to Hell is broad and flat. It isn't easy to live one's life in accordance with the Bible, so rather than change one's behavior, it's ultimately easier to change the rules.

[TomMcC]

The problem is that everyone is claiming they only teach the Bible, whether non-denom or self professed denoms. When a non-denom says we should be unified, is that pastor or set of elders actively working on any biblical principle that would bring unity? The last time I see in history where pastors, elders, and the people really took Biblical unity seriously and worked really hard at it was 450 yrs ago.

[nwoods]

Unity is not the same as uniformity