What
Do We Know About Bible Unity?
When the word "church"
is used, many people think of the building in which the church meets. The
Bible never speaks of the church as a physical building. The church in the
Bible is always people. According to Acts 11:22 the church has ears.
"Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem,
and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch." The church is always
saved people.
Many view the "church" as
a group made up of all denominations. A denomination is a religious group
separated from others by a particular name or doctrine. Denominationalism is opposed
to the will of God. "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)
In Ephesians 4:4-6 the Bible teaches
that there is one church. "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."
This one church is the body of Christ. "And He put all things under His
feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body,
the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22-23) In the
Bible there is one body or one church. Today, however, there are hundreds of
"churches" in the world.
What do we know about Bible unity?
We
know what divided original Christianity. Paul wrote to the Galatians to
show that division was caused by men perverting the gospel of Christ. "I
marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace
of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who
trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached
to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if
anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him
be accursed." (Galatians1:6-9) The Devil is always busy trying to pervert
God's message. He perverted God's statement to Adam and Eve. God told man that
sin would lead to death. The Devil perverted the message. "Then the
serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die." (Genesis 3:4)
The Bible spoke plainly to show that
men would depart from or fall away from the faith. "Now the Spirit
expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving
heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1) This
departure from the faith would come because men would not endure sound
doctrine. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4) One thing that caused
original Christianity to be divided was a departure from the "one
faith" to other beliefs. (Ephesians 4:5)
We know that denominationalism
does not please God. A denomination is a named division. Paul commanded
that there be no divisions among you. "...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)
Christians in Corinth were denominating themselves by wearing the names
of preachers who baptized them, thus dividing the church into "named
divisions" or denominations. "Now I say this, that each of you says,
I am of Paul, or I am of Apollos, or I am of Cephas, or I am of Christ."
(1 Corinthians 1:12)
Jesus prayed for unity. "I do
not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through
their word; 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." (John 17:20-21) But, denominating divides Christ's spiritual body,
the church. "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you
baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:13) Paul thanked God that
he had baptized only two or more of the Corinthians because the names of preachers
were causing divisions. "Lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my
own name." (1 Corinthians 1:15) Division is contrary to the will of God
for His church.
We know that we must work and
pray for unity. The faith was given once for all to Christians. It
must be "contended for" in every generation. "Beloved, while I
was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it
necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith
which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3) Our hope for
unity rests in the original truth being preached; as it was before men turned
away from it. (John 8:31-32) This truth which must be proclaimed with boldness
is the word of God. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."
(John 17:17)
We must restore the original unity
of the church as it was before denominations divided it. This restoration can
be accomplished only when the truth is proclaimed and truth must always be
proclaimed in the correct spirit. "But, speaking the truth in love, may
grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ." (Ephesians
4:15) Traditions of men often blind people to the truth of God. "He
answered and said to them, 'Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because
of your tradition?"' (Matthew 15:3) Restoration of true Christianity can
be accomplished only with God's word and with His help!
We know that the early
Christians were in one church and Christians today should be in one church.
Acts chapter eight gives the account of the conversion of a man from Ethiopia.
"Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch
said, See, here is water. What hinders
me from being baptized? Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart,
you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw
him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 8:36-39) After his
baptism which church was this Ethiopian man a member of? He was a member of
the church of Christ. You can be a member of the church of Christ and never be
part of any denomination. The saved are added to the church. "Praising God
and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily
those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47)
The church is composed of those who
have been freed from their sins. God's plan of salvation leads both to
salvation and introduction into Christ's church or kingdom. "For by one
Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." (1 Corinthians 12:13) Those
who are saved are delivered by God into the kingdom or church. "He has
delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the
Son of His love." (Colossians 1:13) The church into which the Lord
delivers people is His church. He has built only one church; but men have established
many. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will
build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
(Matthew 16:18)
All who comply from the heart with
the conditions set forth in the Bible become Christians, members of the Lord's
church. To become a Christian, you must believe (Mark 16:16), repent of sins
(Acts 2:38), confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized into
Christ. (Galatians 3:27, 1 Peter 3:21) Those who obey the gospel are saved and
added to the church. (Acts 2:47) That men should serve God in the one church
was the eternal purpose of God. "To me, who am less than the least of all
the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all people see what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden
in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the
manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities
and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He
accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:8-11) Are you a part
of the blood bought church of Christ?
By Charles Box, Walnut
Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama. 36037