God’s desire for those who trust his
Son is that we be united. Insidiously, Jesus’ prayer for unity has been
refashioned to look like a global ability to have cool worship events (the bigger the better) and
sensuous allegations of the Spirit’s presence in a context of doctrinal
smoke and mirrors.
The unity of believers as a
testimony to the world requires recognition of two realities. First, Jesus has
placed his church in communities as groups of believers functioning together in
a life-worship relationship. This is where light shines through declared and
practiced Truth.
Second, he has allowed those groups
to differ with regard to how particular subheadings of Truth should play out.
What does a worship event look like? How should we practice the ordinances he
gave us? Is there a biblical Roberts' Rules of Order?
The central bond in both realities
must be Truth revealed by Scripture with its primary focus on the person and
work of Jesus Christ. This kind of unity and diversity give us the group platforms (local churches) on which
love for our brother should unfold before the eyes of the pagan culture around
us. Thus, the unity for which Jesus prayed has to do with how we treat each
other in this context of core Truth and diversified practice. In other words, it has
to do with how we maintain respect for the conscience of others.
The importance of forbidden matters involving absolute self denial
ought to be clear. However, it requires the Spirit’s coaching in the dynamic of
brotherly love to sort out our responsibility regarding matters of conscience.
Some of those matters put us in different groupings. Others involve freedoms
about which a brother in Christ has not yet developed an uncondemning
conscience. It can even involve our choices in cultures where those freedoms would be misunderstood.
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