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First of all, the Bible is clear that we, God's church, are called to be united. After sharing the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus talked with them for quite a while. He also prayed. This is an excerpt from that prayer: "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 Here, our Jesus is praying that God would make us perfect in one. Why? So that the world might know and believe that God sent Jesus and that God loved them. Dischord and divisions in the church make it very hard for the world to look at us and see God's love. Unity makes the church more effective in its primary purpose: to spread the gospel.
Paul repeated this plea for unity in several of his letters to early churches.
To the church at Corinth, he wrote, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Corinthians 1:10
Then to Ephesus: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Ephesians 4:1-6
And also to the Philippians: "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:1-4
So, it's clear that we are called upon to be united. Well, who are we supposed to be united with?
In the past century, there has been some bitter rivalry between different denominations. There have been denominational splits. There have been heated debates over matters of sometimes small significance. Different honest interpretations of the Bible were often viewed as sinful, and different methods of worship were sometimes called aberrant. Some denominations have gone so far as to say that if one was not a member of their church, they were condemned to hell. Are we called to be united only with those with whom we agree?
At the beginning of each of Paul's letters is a salutation--a greeting that tells us to whom he is writing. This greeting can shed some light on to whom Paul is addressing his call for unity in the passages above. At the beginning of his letter to Corinth, Paul writes "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours" 1 Corinthians 1:2 Then at the beginning of his letter to Ephesus, he writes "To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus" Ephesians 1:1 From these passages, it is clear that we are called to be united with all people everywhere who are faithful in Jesus Christ and call on Him as Lord. This unity should extend beyond our church walls, although that is a good place to start. It should also extend beyond our denominational and national boundaries. This unity should be shared with every believer everywhere in the world!
So, what does it mean to "be united"?
Well, it does NOT mean we will all be uniform. We are not expected to be cookie-cutter Christians. In fact the health of the church depends upon us having different strengths and different functions. 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 draws a wonderful analogy between the body of Christ and a human body. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts."
We can be different and be united. We can have different backgrounds and stations in life: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slave or free" 1 Corinthians 12:13 We will have different functions, and that is good: "If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." 1 Corinthians 12:17-18
We should be caring for each other because we are dependant upon each other. 1 Corinthians 12:20-22 says that even the seemingly weaker parts of the body are necessary, and we can't pretend not to need other members. 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 teaches that when "one member suffers, all members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.", so we should care for one another. It doesn't make much sense to step on your own toe or poke yourself in the eye because it would cause your whole body pain. Does it make any more sense to hurt a member of the body of Christ?
Does this mean that having different denominations is bad? Not necessarily. A nose may not want to hang out all day with a foot. They're both important, but not necessarily compatible. We may benefit from different styles of worship or types of service. There is even room for different beliefs on doubtful things in the body of Christ. "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks." Romans 14:5-6 I believe that different denominations can meet the spiritual needs of different believers. The key thing to remember is that regardless of what denomination we claim, we are part of ONE body. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Ephesians 4:4-6 We are with our denomination for maybe a few hours a week. For the rest of the week, we are part of Christ's one church and should be laboring together and living in one accord with every other believer. If denominational teachings promote separation from and condemnation for other Bible based denominations, then that is sinful and causes schism in the body of Christ.
We should do our best to teach and learn from each other, so that we can be like-minded and speak the same thing. "Be diligent to present yourself to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 However, the Bible does teach that we may not agree on everything, but that should not be a stumbling block. "But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." 2 Timothy 2:16
"Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand." Romans 14:1-4 This passage teaches that we are not to dispute doubtful things. There are some things that are not doubtful. We should firmly assert those things that are clear teachings from the Word of God. But we must understand that people who are earnestly seeking the Lord may, with clear conscience, interpret parts of the Bible in different ways. How can this happen if the Bible is infallible truth (and it is)? "For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 We are unable to understand everything here in this life. We just don't have the whole picture or the maturity to understand it. When we join Christ in eternity with our perfect heavenly bodies, then and only then will we have a clear understanding of God.
So, if we can be different and disagree, what is it that makes us united?
The answer is LOVE! Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 Remember that in John 17:21-23, Jesus' purpose in praying for unity was so that the world may know that God sent Jesus and that God loved them as He loved Jesus. The only way the world will see God's love is if they see the love that members of the church have for one another.
Love makes everything else worthwhile and everything else is worthless without it.. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Love makes it easy to overlook other wrongs. "And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'" 1 Peter 4:8
So, we are called to unity but not uniformity. We are called to unity with all believers, not just those with whom we agree. We can be different and disagree on some things as long as we share the same Spirit, call the same Jesus Lord and have the same source for all truth, the Holy Bible. What binds us together is love: God's love for each of us and our love for each other. Our shared purpose should be to reach the world for Christ. "that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." John 17:21