Buff Scott Jr.
Sophomore
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2023
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- 452
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Unity in Diversity or Conformity—Which?
Of course the early Christian believers had their differences, yet they were united. There were a couple of local pockets of discord, but no universal division, as it is today. It is my sentiment that the only unity possible among believers is unity in diversity. Even apostles Paul and Peter were united, although they had an occasional disagreement. Paul took issue with the apostle Peter, and stated, “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to the face, because he was clearly in the wrong” [Gal. 2:11]. Peter had discriminated against the Gentile believers.
Romans, chapter 14, is an excellent reading on unity in diversity, for it portrays the weak vs. the strong. In our current Christian culture, we find some who are weak in the faith, doctrinally and behaviorally, while others are mature in the faith. Paul told the strong and more knowledgeable believers in the faith, “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own Lord that he stands or falls” [verses 1-4].
Paul says in another place that believers are to live “in harmony with one another” and “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you” [15:5-7]. My point is that harmony and unity can and should prevail even when diverse and miscellaneous views are prevalent. We have zero right to contend that all doctrinal conceptions and/or theories of others conform to ours—or that our sundry doctrinal conceptions be adopted by others. Our Lord was a strong advocator of unity, as depicted in John 17:20-23. But in our current religious culture, disunity is the byword. Sad—yes, sad indeed.
However, should I insist you adopt my assorted doctrinal conceptions, I have, at that point, become divisive. Paul says to “avoid foolish controversies” and if a brother “stirs up division,” becomes divisive, “warm him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” [Titus 3:9-11].
Unity in conformity is not the solution to our divided dilemma. However, as a means of clarification, a divisive brother may be excommunicated or withdrawn from—as per Paul in the Titus admonition above. A divisive brother fosters disunity and advocates disharmony in the body of believers.
Final Note— An honest and upright believer who acknowledges God as his only creator and His Son as his only source of salvation, but embraces some questionable beliefs, is to be accepted as part of the one body of believers. If we try to deny him brotherly acceptance, we will have placed ourselves in an identical predicament because we, too, possess questionable beliefs!
Romans, chapter 14, is an excellent reading on unity in diversity, for it portrays the weak vs. the strong. In our current Christian culture, we find some who are weak in the faith, doctrinally and behaviorally, while others are mature in the faith. Paul told the strong and more knowledgeable believers in the faith, “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own Lord that he stands or falls” [verses 1-4].
Paul says in another place that believers are to live “in harmony with one another” and “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you” [15:5-7]. My point is that harmony and unity can and should prevail even when diverse and miscellaneous views are prevalent. We have zero right to contend that all doctrinal conceptions and/or theories of others conform to ours—or that our sundry doctrinal conceptions be adopted by others. Our Lord was a strong advocator of unity, as depicted in John 17:20-23. But in our current religious culture, disunity is the byword. Sad—yes, sad indeed.
However, should I insist you adopt my assorted doctrinal conceptions, I have, at that point, become divisive. Paul says to “avoid foolish controversies” and if a brother “stirs up division,” becomes divisive, “warm him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” [Titus 3:9-11].
Unity in conformity is not the solution to our divided dilemma. However, as a means of clarification, a divisive brother may be excommunicated or withdrawn from—as per Paul in the Titus admonition above. A divisive brother fosters disunity and advocates disharmony in the body of believers.
Final Note— An honest and upright believer who acknowledges God as his only creator and His Son as his only source of salvation, but embraces some questionable beliefs, is to be accepted as part of the one body of believers. If we try to deny him brotherly acceptance, we will have placed ourselves in an identical predicament because we, too, possess questionable beliefs!
