“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.” (Ephesians 4:3-4 NLT)
In yesterday’s post we looked at the basis of unity from practical aspects based on who we are as a person and the kinds of backgrounds in which we grew up. I believe it’s safe to say that no two people on the planet will agree 100% about everything. I love my wife with all my heart, but there are lots of things about which we disagree.
What does that prove? It proves you don’t have to be in 100% agreement about every detail of life in order to agree on the foundational teachings of Scripture related to salvation and walking in newness of life in Christ. The Bible doesn’t demand unanimity or uniformity in order to “keep yourselves united in the Spirit.”
Jesus is the basis of our unity, not denominational preferences. There are more than 50 language groups represented in my current church family, yet, when we’re worshipping together, we’re all in one accord. I’ve been a believer for a lot of years, so I’ve seen a lot of transitions in worship style and what I’d refer to as “religious fads.” Years ago, fundamental groups taught that men shouldn’t wear neckties and women shouldn’t wear makeup. My pastor, preaching at a Camp meeting in the south in the 60’s, told the women: “If the barn needs paintin’, paint it!”
Speaking in tongues was a big issue that divided a lot of people in the early years of my walk with the Lord. I found it’s easy to be against things if you’ve never had a conversation with someone who can explain what they believe and why they believe it. It’s not unlike racial prejudice or profiling. I didn’t have a black friend until I went to college, but now I don’t see “color,” I only see hearts.
The point is, once I understand what someone believes, I may still not agree with them, but we can agree to disagree and still love each other and support one another in our mission for Christ. There are points of doctrine, especially related to end times, that are unclear to me. I tend to lean toward what Alistair Begg said in a message I heard him preach regarding the millennium. He said: “There are a-millenniusts, pre-millenniuists, post-millenniusts, pro-millenniusts (those are the ones who believe whatever the Lord does, they’re for it). And then I tend to be in the camp of pan-millenniusts who believe it’s all going to pan out in the end.”
Being in the audience I can assure you he wasn’t making light of a very important doctrine, rather, I believe he was trying to help us see that where there is disagreement, we can still laugh together at ourselves because no one knows with certainty what the Lord’s going to do. Dogmatists will disagree, thus pushing people further away as they retreat to their separate camps, but whatever you believe about the millennium or other Biblical doctrines, must not stand between you and your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Christ came to seek and save the lost, so at its core, if the church to which I have pledged my allegiance doesn’t have a heart for the lost, I’m going to keep looking. By God’s grace, the church I currently attend exists to introduce people to Jesus and help them develop a mindset and lifestyle that will lead them to live the life of a Jesus follower, regardless of what they do or don’t believe about what I consider, non-critical to salvation teachings. As a result, I’m all in!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 