Disunity

Psa 133:1 <A Song of degrees of David.> Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

One of the biggest problems in the body of Christ is disunity. Christianity has been fragmented and splintered into so many groups and denominations that our effectiveness is largely diminished. After all, how are we supposed to teach the world about truth when our "truth" causes us to disagree with each other so much?

My encounters with Christians over the years has brought me to the stark awareness that far too many Christians are more concerned about a chip-on-their-theological-shoulder than they are with expanding the body of Christ. I am constantly encountering Calvinists who attack non Calvinists. I find Baptists who attack Presbyterians, non-tongue speakers who attack those who speak in tongues (and vice versa), pre-tribers battling post tribbers, amil verses premil, etc. The whole thing is ridiculous. Sure, we can have differences of opinion and we need to because we are thinkers and we have opinions. But our differences need to be couched in humility and love. When these differences of opinion become more important than unity in the body of Christ, then idolatry has crept not only into the church, but also into our hearts.

The Bible tells us to have unity in the body. Read carefully the following, "Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Eph 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:"

The command is unity. Of course, unity is never to cost us the essentials. The essentials of the faith are what make us Christians. These essentials are the deity of Christ, the Trinity, Jesus' physical resurrection, and salvation by grace. It is our faith in Christ, God in flesh, 2nd person of the Trinity that makes us Christians, not if we believe in pre or post-trib rapture, infant baptism or adult baptism, or praise music or hymns. Because we are saved by the one and same Lord Jesus, it is to Him that we must look while we remember His humility which is a vital part to being unified in the body of Christ. We cannot be unified if we are elevating ourselves and our non-essential doctrines into the realm of the essentials.

Humility is when a person looks at another and says, "You may be right." Humility is when you consider another more important than yourself. Humility is when you admit that the Lord is working through another even as He may work through you and that unity, for the glory of God and the furthering of His kingdom, is far more important than the pet doctrines we feed and water and sick on others who disagree with us.

Here the words of the Lord: "Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks."

Why is unity so important? Two reasons. First, unity means that we are humble with each other, which pleases the Lord, and it brings Him glory. Second, people are going to hell and they need the gospel. Should we be so concerned about our non-essential pet doctrines that we take our eyes off of evangelism and let the souls of the damned slip through our fingers unnoticed or even hindered by our bickering and division? Should we allow the enemy to sow discord among our ranks so that we are fighting each other instead of him? Or should we gather our gifts, our talents, our monies, our resources, and direct them towards reaching the lost? After all, there isn't a Presbyterian or Baptist, or Lutheran on the throne of God.

May the Lord have mercy on us and may we put our eyes upon Him and ask Him to use us, to humble us, and to cause our hearts to elevate the preaching of the gospel to the high rank it deserves, far above our denominational differences, and far above our non-essentials. To Jesus be the glory.

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.