Whatever Happened to Unity?

I heard a remarkable comment the other day from a preacher I love and for whom I have great respect. It was about unity in today’s church. So I decided to dig around a little to first find out what Gods Word says about unity.

Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in peace!”

John 17:22-23 "I have given them the glory you gave me. I did this so they would be one, just as we are one. I will be in them, just as you are in me. I want them to be brought together perfectly as one. This will let the world know that you sent me. It will also show the world that you have loved those you gave me, just as you have loved me.”

When Jesus returns, He will be here to collect His Bride – a perfect Bride – the Church. Before that happens, He will judge the church – that’s us by the way. As it says in 1 Peter 4:17 “It is time for people to be judged. It will begin with the family of God. And since it begins with us, what will happen to people who don't obey God's good news?”

How do you see unity at this moment of time? Certainly I see very little – bordering on none at all. I do see pastors and leaders refusing fellowship with each other because of one minor legalism or another. I have heard one pastor state that he will not fellowship with another because there is sin in the other’s life! Where is the love in that remark? If there is little or no fellowship, how then can there be any unity? If there is no unity – can Christ return? Perhaps we are avoiding unity in order to avoid judgement ?

That is the thought that came to me as I considered this remark. If you are nervous, or judgemental, or a refuser of unity, please sit down now – you will not like this at all. The startling comment I recently heard was this – “There is so little unity in the church at the moment. It is as though the only unity to be seen is what we might call ‘stab in the back’ unity when pastors and leaders come together to kill this or that initiative for any kind of unity. No wonder there is such a shaking going on at the moment – and it will continue until there is some unity among God’s people.”

Are we now so worried about not upsetting the apple cart that we would rather not join in at all. Will we sacrifice every opportunity to show any sort of unity because of our own doubts and fears? There is only unity in disunity. This church is jealous of that church because they have more people, money, or because they attract better visiting speakers. The leaders publicly deride each other and put out of fellowship any who dare to speak even the slightest well of the other. They ‘stab in the back’ any with whom they disagree.

In a slightly older, 2008, article I wrote about loving each other. On the other side of the coin, I also wrote about the great lack of mercy and forgiveness in the church. It is still a fact that the Church itself hurts and damages its members far more frequently and much worse than any outside body could do. Unity begins ‘at home’ – right there in your own church. If you are not a united congregation, how can you expect your leaders to be united with one another – even less with pastors and leaders of other local churches – less still with those in different denominations?

Is it not about time to start loving and forgiving once again? Is it not time to start uniting based on that on which we agree, rather than not uniting because we disagree on a minor point of doctrine? Is it not time to start listening to the Holy Spirit as He leads us in unity?

We are a family after all, and most families are fairly dysfunctional to some extent. Sure we will still have our squabbles and our disagreements but can we not start to act as a family and all pull together – in the same direction if possible. The Lord is looking for those who will listen to His voice and do His bidding. If that means I have to put down my pride in order to fellowship and maybe even love another from a different congregation, or denomination, or even (horror of horrors) a different country or colour.

In our ministry, we see the outworking of this every visit we go on. We go to strangers in other countries who don’t even speak our language and we don’t speak theirs. SO how do we do this. After all, they were saved by the same Lord as us; the same Jesus died for their sin as well as for ours. So what is it that makes our very small ministry so successful?

It’s simple – we love everyone the same regardless of any other consideration. We accept people as they are and not as we expect them to be. We do not judge them and we minister in mercy. No – we are definitely far from perfect. We are the same as everyone else we meet – sinners saved by the Blood of Jesus and living by Grace alone.

Dare I venture to suggest that we all need a little more love and mercy in our relationships with one another rather than our usual judgements. We need a little more unity based on that upon which we all agree rather than searching for the perfect match.

We need a little less back stabbing and a little more loving fellowship.