This week I went to a march in honor of Jesus where many believers from different denominations came together. It was wonderful. However, a couple days before the event I spoke to a Christian whose church didn’t feel a part of this march and so wasn’t going to go. I was so happy to see her and her family there, after I prayed with a prayer partner about this matter. God answered these prayers because I know He loves the unity of believers. Nevertheless, there are so many believers throughout the world who are not in unity, which is not pleasing to God.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing—Life forevermore. Psalm 133
Disunity may cause us to lose God’s blessings and favor as this is disagreeable to Him. That oil running down Aaron’s beard was holy, and it was a special recipe by God Himself. This oil was to be used to anoint Aaron and his sons to minister to Him as priests. We too are called to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood who are God’s own possession called to demonstrate His magnificence. But, in disunity we don’t look like His. We are supposed to bring life just as the dew on Mount Hermon. This mountain is one of the highest points in the region and is surrounded by dry land and it is also the source for the River Jordan. Unity brings flourishing life and refreshes those who experience it. It is holy and right in God’s sight and I believe this is why Jesus prayed for the unity of believers.
That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:21-23
It must grieve God’s heart when we are not one and are divided by doctrinal issues. There are dispensationalists versus non-dispensationalists; cessationists versus continuationists; Calvinists versus Armenians; tongues versus no tongues; pre-tribulation versus post-tribulation or maybe mid-tribulation. I am sorry to sound like a theological illiterate, but I am wondering if all this matters. I am just happy that Jesus came down from glory and died to have an agonizing death because I was trapped in my sins heading to eternal damnation. And because of His sacrifice on the cross I now have eternal life. He has gone ahead to prepare a place for me, and He will come back and take me with Him. Hallelujah! Now that is my theology and I and going to stand by it, everything else I don’t know how much they matter. Yet, these differing doctrines have divided the body of Christ, and we judge each other because of our divergent views. But God doesn’t like this.
We should leave God to judge. It hurts the Heavenly Father when we judge each other which leads to factions and fractures in the body of Christ, which must grieve Him because each member is His child and is important. But do you know who this pleases? Satan. He is a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. He loves it when we judge each other and are divided, because He knows in unity there is strength, and a divided Church can easily be destroyed. Now, I can tell you about a divided body as I have dislocated my shoulders more times than I want to remember. When either of my shoulders have been out of place and separated from the socket, it causes me much pain which spreads from my fingertips to my upper neck. Then I start getting a headache and stomach-ache because it seems because I am hurting so much, other parts of my body start sharing the pain. This is also a description of the body of Christ when members of the body are separated. It is not pleasing to God as it hurts His Church, the body of Christ.
Paul was like a spiritual father to the Church at Philippi, and he wrote the passage below in his letter to it. I am using the New Living Translation here.
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:1-4
Paul had said earlier in this same letter that it doesn’t matter whether the people preaching were doing it with false or genuine motives as long as the message about Christ is being preached either way. The most important thing is that Christ is being preached. And the major teaching of Christ is love God and love each other. People will know us as Christians when we love, but when we are fighting against each other they can’t recognize us or the light we are supposed to shine as children of God. Many Christians lack compassion to fellow believers because they cannot agree about doctrines that may not even be important to Christ Himself. Shouldn’t we all be united and work together in preaching Christ and caring about the interests of the most vulnerable in our society? Why should we let doctrines divide us, which may be man’s interpretation of the Bible? Now I am not sure about all the doctrines that Charles Spurgeon believed but I agree with a lot of what he wrote, which includes what he stated about the matters of disputes in Churches.
Our days are few, and are far better spent in doing good, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. The old schoolmen did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance; and our Churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser, and therefore the discussion no more promotes knowledge than love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field.
Questions upon points wherein Scripture is silent; upon mysteries which belong to God alone; upon prophecies of doubtful interpretation; and upon mere modes of observing human ceremonials, are all foolish, and wise men avoid them. Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle's precept (Titus 3:8) to be careful to maintain good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings.
There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly meet, such as these: Do I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? Am I walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit? Am I growing in grace? Does my conversation adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour? Am I looking for the coming of the Lord, and watching as a servant should do who expects his master? What more can I do for Jesus?
I remember I was going to a Church once and I didn’t agree with some doctrines, so I spoke to the pastor, and I made an appointment to discuss the differences in our beliefs. We had such a wonderful time disagreeing. We laughed and joked, and I believe we both came out better from the meeting, even though we still didn’t agree. He said he had wished we had our discussion sooner and I also enjoyed the conversation and was able to understand more about his views. I learned from our discourse that we can still have the unity of believers even if we don’t share the same doctrinal beliefs.
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