why the churches do not have unity

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complete list of  editorials:

2004 election    *    "Sanctity of Life" is a "false doctrine"      *    Abortion       Divorce

God's Purpose for Hurricane Katrina    *   Why Do Muslims Hate Jews?   *   Masturbation

The Meaning of Life    *   Why Churches Don't Have Unity    *    Who Can Be Saved?

Can you love Jesus too much?

Recently, I heard a message about unity in the church and about loving the brethren.  The speaker said (paraphrase) “Jesus brings unity”.  I considered that comment and concluded that Jesus sometimes brings division and sometimes brings unity.

I remember that, when Jesus walked the earth, He said “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth?  No, I tell you, but division.  From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.  They will be divided , father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother , mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (NIV - Luke 12:51-53) 

Since there was already a division between the Jews and the gentiles, Jesus was probably referring to the division between the established religion, which is based on a code of traditions and Old Testament laws, and the New Covenant, which is based on grace.  Basically the choice is to obtain righteousness by grace, through faith in Jesus, or according to the Old Covenant, where righteousness is obtained through obedience to laws. [“It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.” (NAS Deut 6:25)]

The aforementioned speaker was no doubt referring to what the Bible calls “the unity of the Spirit” and “the unity of the faith”. As Paul exhorted the brethren; “Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (NAS Eph 4:3) and, referring to Jesus, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God…” (NAS Eph 4:11-13)

Certainly, we as Christians are commanded to love one another and to pursue peace with everyone, especially among the brethren.  The Spirit of Christ puts the desire for unity in our hearts and causes us to tolerate people and opinions even though we may not agree with them.  This is the “unity of the Spirit”.

The “unity of the faith” comes from the work of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.  This “unity of the faith” comes from a “unity off purpose” and a “unity of doctrine”.  It is the “unity of doctrine” that seems to be lacking in our Christian body.  I would like to discuss some causes for the lack of unity in our Christian doctrine.

We have many denominations and many more churches not associated with any denomination.  These churches, generally, have doctrines that are so different that the members are not able to regularly meet together.  

The biggest division in Christian doctrine is between the Catholic and protestant groups.  The large difference in doctrine between the Catholic and protestant groups come from the fact that Catholic doctrine is based partly on the Bible, partly on church tradition, and partly on the teaching of the Catholic elders.  Protestants, generally, attempt to base their doctrine entirely on the Bible.

The fact that there are so many different protestant doctrines, based on the same scriptures, would indicate that there are many wrong doctrines.  Some doctrinal differences are miner. Other doctrinal differences are more serious because they involve salvation. Where do these doctrinal differences come from?

Paul said, speaking of knowledge; “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” (KJV 1 Corin 13:9)  And also, “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (KJV 1 Corin 13:12)

Many of our differences come from our partial understanding of spiritual truth.  This problem is not going to go away until we are made complete in our eternal bodies.  There will always be honest differences of opinion, between believers, because of the dark glass that is between the temporal and the eternal. 

My thought is that these honest differences of understanding, between believers, become greatly exaggerated because we are basing our doctrines on things in addition to the Bible. 

In essence, most Christians are not really making the Bible their only standard for “truth” but are making the teachings and customs of their culture equal to scripture. Christians of the protestant group are deciding on “truth” the same way that the Catholics do – they make their traditions and the teachings of their elders equal to scripture.   Who are the elders that we should be following?

The Bible says: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (NIV Acts 17:11)  In this instance, the “Scriptures” referred to the Old Testament.  For Christians, “Scripture” now refers to the Bible that includes the Old Testament and the New Testament. 

Paul said: “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.  For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (NIV 2 Corin 11:3-4)  

Revelation 22:18 (NIV) seals the Bible with the warning: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.  And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

The “prophets” and “teachers” and “elders” that we are supposed to follow are those in the Bible.  Paul instructed Timothy: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (NIV  2 Tim 3:14) 

It is a common teaching, in the church, that we should follow our natural fathers and the leaders of out local church.  This is, in my opinion, “false doctrine” and is the cause for much of our wrong doctrine.  As Christians, we should not be following anyone or anything except the Bible.   Certainly we should admire our parents and the leadership of our church and we should learn from their good and bad example. We should also realize that their teachings are tainted with untruth.  The teachings of our natural parents and our experiential elders should be held in relative disregard when compared to the teachings of the Bible.

After the New Testament was closed, there is no other perfect truth. Everyone who stands in front of you to teach or preach would like to believe that they are speaking the “truth” as given to them by the Holy Spirit.  In fact, we all have plenty of “self” and culture in between us and the “truth”. 

Every book, other than the Bible has untruth mixed in with the truth.  Every teaching and every preaching has untruth mixed in with the truth.  Even words spoken directly from the Bible can become untrue if they are presented out of context or incompletely.  What are the sources of wrong doctrine? 

The sources of wrong doctrine (doctrines based on something other than Scripture) are:

1)      We each come from a place and a culture which have produced preconceptions of “truth”. 

2)      Christians are exhorted, by pastors and teachers, to emulate and follow their parents and the church leaders.  They count themselves worthy of the same high regard that is to be given to the pastors and teachers in the Bible.

3)      Our life experiences and thoughts can lead to wrong conclusions about “truth”.  (Any conclusion that differs from the conclusions in the Bible is wrong.)

4)      There is plenty of superstition mixed in with the Gospel of Christ for most Christians. Even in America’s Bible-Belt, the individual Christian’s personal doctrine includes superstition.  Christian have superstitions such as:

a.       It is bad luck to take the broom with you when you move.

b.      You will have 7 years of bad luck if you break a mirror. 

c.       Get up and walk around your chair if you want to change your luck.

d.      Throw some salt over your shoulder to ward off bad luck.

e.       And many more.

Superstitions are evil and must be eliminated from your belief system.

5)       Christians seem to be divided into opposing teams.  There is great competition within churches and between churches.  I don’t know of any basis, in scripture, for competition between Christians or Christian groups.

6)      Political, social and Christian activist groups use hype and slogans in order to draw sharp lines between good and evil so that Christians are manipulated for the benefit of the special interest group.  These extremist doctrines are not from God.

Some ways to reduce wrong doctrine are:

1)      Realize that you have been following cultural or experiential standards of “truth” in addition to the Bible.  Repent and turn from your wicked ways.

2)      Begin, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to read the Bible afresh and open your mind to the “Truth”, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.  (In order to have “Truth”, you must love it more than you love to be affirmed and more than you love your culture and traditions.)

3)       Make a conscious and continuing effort to get all superstition and cultural values out of your doctrine.  There is no righteousness in your culture.

4)      Eliminate competition within churches and between churches.   There is no place for it.

5)      Reject extremist doctrines.  The Bible says: “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself?  Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool – why die before your time?  It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.  The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.” (NIV  Eccles 7:16-18)  Question - How will you know if doctrines or groups are extreme?  Answer - If the laws are so legalistic and so sharply drawn that there is no room for mercy or to allow for judging “the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” then the rules are too extreme. 

The Scriptures are our only pure source for “truth” and we are to search them daily to see if what we are being taught is true.  Implicit in that instruction is the thought that we should take some action if the words are not true according to Scripture.

As most of our churches are set up, unless you are an elder in your church, you have no real authority to question the doctrine.  In the event that you church has an “open door policy”, you are free to discuss your objections.  It has been my observation that most churches are not open to change from the congregation. 

Unless you feel that the Holy Spirit has told you to stay, you are free to leave that church or denomination.  Nowhere in the Bible does it command you to go to a particular church or to submit yourself to any particular spiritual authority.  If you are in a church or denomination that has mixed culture, traditions and superstition with the Scriptures, you are free to leave.  If you choose to stay and tolerate the false doctrines, it might indicate that you love your traditions and your relationships more than you love truth.

©Terry Lefler, 06/2005  All rights reserved