As a final entry on our series"Christian Love and Unity," I want to focus in on two aspects of unity specifically: Solidarity and Diversity. The proper understanding of these two things is vital to handling both how and when to unify, and how and when to separate.
Solidarity
Solidarity is unity and mutual support among a body of people centered on a belief, feeling, or issue. This is the very heart of Christian unity. We are all standing firm together around a shared body of belief.
In other words, we do not unite simply for the sake of being part of a larger group of people and feeling belonging—we unite hand in hand to promote and hold firm to a very specific belief. Those who would destroy the belief therefore undermine the source of unity; and for unity's sake must be singled out and removed in order to preserve the larger unity, and even more importantly the belief the unity is protecting and promoting.
Let us look at exactly what body of belief lies at the heart of biblical Christianity. We often use the term "Bible-believers." And while the term is accurate—we are Bible believers—we do not simply hold the Bible as a sacred writing or a religious text, as so many religions do. As the word of God, we recognize that we need to properly interpret the content with a common sense, logical, and well-studied hermeneutic. In other words, we believe in the properly interpreted content of the Bible. The primary truth uniting Scripture—the body of belief we gather around, the faith we all hold together—is the Gospel.
Uniting Around the Gospel
Philippians 1 is filled with references to love and unity, as we have seen over the last few weeks. Verse 5 identified the Philippian believers as being partners with Paul in the gospel. The word translated "partnership" here denotes an association, communion, or close fellowship. It is not partnering in an action as much as having solidarity in a shared experience of grace. They had the connection of love and unity because they both believed and were living out the same gospel. This is confirmed in verse 7. Paul holds the Philippians dear because they are "partakers with me of grace," that is, the grace of God through the gospel. This commonality bound them.
Paul continues by demonstrating that the flourishing of the gospel means more to him than his own reputation, sense of justice, or even life or death. He encourages the Philippian believers to live out the gospel consistently in verse 27, and then tells them to stand side by side, together for the gospel. This is the core around which they unify.
For many, this point is the most controversial. Many see the world divided into bible-people and not-bible-people. We want to either join hands with everyone who says they believe the Bible regardless of what they actually teach about it; or else we want to make an issue of division out of the interpretation of any and every text, until we alone are left standing holy in our own estimation. Neither of these paths are sound according to Scripture. It is far better to see the world divided into gospel-believers and not-gospel-believers. We must understand that what we unite or divide over is the gospel.
In order to understand how the gospel is central to Christian belief and unity, we need to understand the gospel. The gospel is not a system of merit we earn, nor is it a prayer we recite in order to get our "ticket to heaven."
The gospel is God taking those who believe in him and doing a work in their lives that continues throughout, culminating in their glorification in heaven. Believers are made followers of Jesus through the grace of God and the work of the Spirit.
This is the gospel. Jesus died for sinners, and those who through the grace of God believe on him and repent are forgiven and receive eternal life. Having their sins taken out of the way through the shed blood of Jesus and a way to new life made possible by his resurrection, believers undergo a spiritual resurrection and an adoption into the family of God. In no way have they earned any of this, nor was it done by them, it is all a gift of God.
Separating Over the Gospel
Sharing Christian unity and fellowship with all who profess any kind of belief in the bible is problematic since Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and many other religions all believe the Bible to varying degrees. However, all but one of these groups perverts the gospel in some way; and Paul’s warnings in Galatians 1:6-12—that all who present a false gospel are to be accursed—still stands. We are not to have solidarity on the grounds of all respecting the Bible. The true church isn't a "fans of the Bible" club. The true church are those who believe the true gospel, and have been supernaturally redeemed as we see in Ephesians 1 and 2.
Biblical separation from those teaching a false gospel is real. Not only this, it is an inescapable part of New Testament Christianity. The false brethren in Philippians 3 walk specifically as "enemies of the cross of Christ." In other words, their actions are contrary to the gospel. Paul tells them to look out for such people. Mark them and do not be deceived. In 2 John we see that those who abide not in the doctrine of Christ (the gospel) are not from God, and should not be received into fellowship. John has already told them how to determine what is false. In 1 John 4:1-6 we see the true test for what is true or false in this world: what is true confesses Jesus, and the totality of his atoning work on the cross and his resurrection. Romans 16:17-18 instruct us to mark and avoid those who "cause divisions…contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught." They do not serve our Lord Christ. The Gospel is the issue. Those who do not believe the gospel do not share in our unity and fellowship. Threats to the gospel undermine and destroy our unity, causing divisions.
Let’s look at church discipline now.
One of the main arguments from the holier-than-thou crowd is that if we only unite around and divide over the gospel, that people will be sinning left and right and excuse it with the gospel. That itself is a perversion of the gospel. The true gospel does not excuse sin. Sin is a serious business to the gospel, and paid for with a heavy price. If people are sinning willfully and unrepentantly, they are living inconsistently with the gospel. Furthermore, those dominated by sin have no proof they are true, regenerated believers.
Many see the purpose of church discipline as punishing sin. It’s not. Rather it is to call out unrepentant sin. The issue is not that the person fell to sin, we see in Galatians 6:1 that church members who fall are to be helped back up in humility, not excommunicated. However, if someone is unrepentantly living a life inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus, showing no struggle or sign of the Holy Spirit's intercession in their life; they are living in opposition to a true understanding of the gospel. They have no proof of a redeemed life; and they must understand the seriousness of their situation. This is why they are to be confronted, and if they repent, they are helped back up, not disciplined from the church. This is clearly explained in Matthew 18:15-20 and Titus 3:9-11.
In 1 Corinthians 5 we see that the church is to turn an unrepentant sinner out of the church in hopes that his soul would be saved. In other words, that he see the inconsistency in his life, truly believe the gospel, and bring forth fruit verifying his belief. The gospel brings forth fruit—fruit of repentance—that is inescapable. Church discipline is ultimately about the gospel more than sin. And it's definitely not about getting the "sinners" out—we are all sinners. It's about a belief that is real and deep enough to affect an individual's life.
This is gospel-centrality, that the gospel is the center-piece of our belief, and our understanding of Scripture. It is how we are reconciled to God, and therefore is woven into all of our dealings with him. If someone refuses to obey the Bible in some obvious area, they are ultimately disobeying the gospel—for the gospel calls us to be followers (disciples) of Jesus. Jesus, after all, is to be our Lord.
Overlooking Differences Because of the Gospel
In the first century the meat sold at market throughout the Greek and Roman world was traditionally offered to idols. Some Christians understood that this was simply a powerless cultural tradition, others were worried about the association and abstained from meat. Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians 8, and deals with matters of division more in Romans 14:1 and continued his discussion to 15:7. Although Paul reinforces that the tradition in question did not have power to defile, the end result of the discussion isn't primarily an advisement to eat or not eat. Paul's prevailing advice is to set aside differences over this issue, and get along. To unite over the gospel, not divide over other issues. Let's look at the Romans passage, in 14:1 Paul tells the people there to receive even the weak in faith, but "not to quarrel over opinions" (put that on a T-shirt!). It is the gospel, not our preferences, opinions, or reactions to the culture that constitute Biblical unity and separation.
To be continued with a discussion of Diversity next week...
Under Grace,
John Fritz
John Fritz is the Volunteer Coordinator for Thoughtful Life Ministries and the primary author of the Thoughtful Life Journal, which is published weekly from March through September. The purpose of this blog is to challenge and encourage those who have a desire to cultivate a more meaningful walk with Christ. Visit our Homepage to learn more about the ministry and our annual two-week summer Discipleship Program for teens and young adults.