Thoughts on Christian Unity

THOUGHTS ON LIVING IN UNITY

This past Sunday, I preached from Psalm 133 on the necessity of preserving the unity of the body of Christ. As we begin to implement the Steering and Capital Fund Committee recommendation, unity will be all the more crucial!

What is the basis for unity at HBC? The basis of unity is our Christian faith. As Paul said in Ephesians 4:5, there is “one faith.” We find common ground (unity) around the core teachings of the Christian faith. Among the core teachings of the “faith,” are that we believe in one God who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Spirit. He is the creator. The world that we live in is fallen and in need of redemption. Jesus lived, died, and rose again to provide this redemption. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be on mission sharing the Gospel of Christ. God will complete this work of salvation when He returns in glory. The Bible records this wonderful story and we seek to live our lives under its authority. These are the essentials of the faith. This is what makes us distinctively Christian. This is what unifies us.

We also find unity around the particular way that we exercise or practice our Christian faith, that’s where are Baptist heritage comes in. Baptists share everything I just mentioned in common with other Christians. However, Baptists have championed other biblical teachings as well. Biblical teachings such as that the church is made up of believers who have professed faith in Christ and followed Jesus in baptism by immersion. All believers are secure in their salvation and are priests before God. Baptists believe in the autonomy of the church and that every believer shares in the decision-making process (the vote last Sunday reflects that conviction). Baptists have stood for the separation of church and state, that there is no creed but the Bible, and have emphasized evangelism and missions as the priority of the church. So we find common ground in our faith and in our practice.

Sometimes problems arise in a church because people do not make distinctions between the essentials of the faith and what is non-essential. Christ as our redeemer is an essential, whether you are a democrat or republican is not. Others do not understand our practice as Baptist Christians. Because Baptists uphold the teaching of the priesthood of the believer, we value and rely on the participation of believers in the body to accomplish God’s work. This means that we encourage you to think, to pray, and to participate in the total life of the church.

Admittedly, this structure can be frustrating for people who like the security of a “top down” hierarchical model; that is, being told “this is what you should believe and do,” or for people who are used to the corporate business model or for people who become easily impatient. Congregationalism can be painfully slow, but it respects the biblical teaching of the Priesthood of the Believer, the Spirit of Christ, and it is the biblical model that we follow.

At this juncture in our history, let’s determine that we are going to continue to keep the main thing the main thing. Let’s move forward together in unity. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (v.1). “Lord, pour out Your Spirit upon us “like . . . precious oil . . . running down” so that all will see Your glory. Lord, let the “dew of Hermon” drench your people – refresh and revive us so that we can bring your life to a thirsty and parched world. Amen.”

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe