Unity

How To Stand Together Despite Different Christian Beliefs

by Dale M. Sides

Unity is now a focal issue throughout Christianity and those individuals in the flow of the Holy Spirit realize this and want to keep in step with all members in the body of Christ. It seemingly does pose a problem to Christians as we all want to walk in unity with others, but we do not know how to reconcile the differences. Satan has tried through every means possible to divide us, despite Jesus’ prayer that "we may be one" (John 17:21). Jesus even told us that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25, Mark 3:24, and Luke 11:17), so we need to be prepared to fight to insure this does not happen and to close the gaps where it already has. So, let us not be deceived into thinking that this will not take a diligent effort. We are exhorted to consistently be…

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3 [KJV]

Notice that this scripture says to endeavor to KEEP the unity of the Spirit, not to try and get it. Therefore, we all need to confess these words now: WE HAVE UNITY AND WE WILL WORK TO KEEP IT. Unity is not something we have to work to get because it has already been given to us by grace. We have been unified by the One Spirit (Ephesians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Now we need to work to keep it.

Once we realize that we have unity, the issue becomes what we must do to keep it. Our minds must be unified too. The answer to this dilemma is twofold. #1 Focus on love and not doctrine, and #2 Focus on the absolutes of Christian beliefs and not on differences. We will discuss both of these points in some detail to help us all come together in oneness and likemindness of the faith.

First, if we focus on love and not doctrine, we will overcome most of our differences. Jesus said that if you love one another, people will know that you are His disciples (John 13:35). FOCUS ON LOVE, NOT DOCTRINE!

Year ago I met an elderly pastor. I had just ministered healing to his church secretary and God miraculously had given her a new kidney where the old one had been surgically removed. One would have thought this pastor and I would have immediately become friends because we both loved the Lord and his secretary, but not so. He began to question me on my beliefs in an unfriendly, and almost antagonistic spirit. I challenged him and asked, "When you first met your wife, did you instantly begin talking about your differences, or did you build your relationship on love?"

He broke down and began to weep. He said, "The reason I wanted to tear you down was because I was jealous of you. I did not have the power to heal my own secretary." I reached out and hugged him and said, "My friend, I did not have the power to heal her either; but while we were waiting for the Lord to do it, you loved her and kept her faith positive while waiting for me to come and make the delivery." We embraced and became great friends knowing that both of us were on the same team.

FOCUS ON LOVE, NOT ON DOCTRINE!! After you have the relationship established on love, then you can amiably discuss doctrinal issues. However, once you love each other, the rest is not as important. It is surprising to find out how insignificant doctrine becomes when you worship together or are in a life and death struggle together.

The second point is to focus on the absolutes of scripture, not on interpretations. Do we have One Lord and One Faith? Do we have one God and Father of all? Is Jesus Christ the Lord? Is His name the only name under heaven whereby we must be saved? Let’s focus on the absolutes whereby we agree, not on the interpretations—where we disagree.

Interpretations of the scriptures are where the majority of our differences lie. One person interprets them one way and another one interprets them another way. The way an individual views most doctrinal issues is the way he or she was first taught. If the first teaching included some reason why it could not be interpreted any other way, it really makes the individual "hard core" in his or her beliefs. We all must have some "wobble room" in our doctrine.

People need to have the right to interpret issues according to their own perspectives, and not to be rejected if they do not agree with your point of view. A point of view is just that—a view from a point. If you look at it from another place, it will appear different altogether.

Did you ever hear about the seven blind men trying to describe an elephant? It must have been funny when one declared it was long, flexible and had air coming out of it; and another said it was stiff, unmovable and flat on the bottom. I hope that God is able to laugh at us (rather than cry) when we think that because we have ONE point of view, we understand the whole thing,. Remember, when you have an interpretation, you actually need other interpretations in order to see the whole picture.

One time at a gathering of church leaders, three pastors were talking. The first one said, "I believe in once saved, always saved." The second pastor said, "I believe that once saved, you can then back-slide. The third, wise, old pastor, seeing the possible disagreement arising, stepped in and said, "Can we not just stop at "once saved." The third pastor focused on the absolute doctrine and not the interpretation. The other two smiled and realized that unity had been preserved.

Likewise, one Christian leader stated, "I believe in water baptism by immersion." Another one replied, "I believe in water baptism by sprinkling." Then the same old, wise pastor stepped in and said, "I believe in water baptism—full stop."

The Apostle’s Creed gives the absolutes of Christian doctrine. Many scholars believe that the apostles themselves, foreseeing the problem of division, wrote this creed. Whether they wrote it or not, it still contains the basics of Christianity. Focus on it. FOCUS ON ABSOLUTES, NOT ON INTERPRETATIONS.

We have the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Jesus said,

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 [KJV]

Let us strive to keep this unity. Let us stay bonded and focused on areas where we are likeminded. Let us look for ways to agree, not differ. We agree that we have a loving God and a Savior that does not want anyone to go to hell. We agree that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and we need that Savior. We also agree that we have a common enemy and that we will be stronger if we stay together, rather than if we are divided.

We must guard the unity that the Holy Spirit has given to us. Focus on love and not on doctrine. And when we must look at doctrine, let’s look at the absolutes, not interpretations.

©2001 Liberating Ministries for Christ International, Inc.