CHURCH UNITY—ITS PARAMETERS

The unity that Jesus prayed for in what we know as His “High Priestly” or “Intercessory” prayer  (John 17) can only exist within certain parameters. These parameters, defined as “defining characteristics or limiting factors that influence how something works and is done” are found in the Word of God.

The unity Jesus prayed for brings to mind the words of the psalmist: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

This unity is what the church had in Jerusalem, when, "they were all with one accord in one place,” and 3,000 people were saved, baptized, and added to the church in one day (Acts 2). It’s what was had when “the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul” and thousands more were saved (Acts 2; 4:32-5). This unity is what the apostles were concerned with and addressed first, in every church epistle—unity existing within the parameters of Truth.

The connection between unity and Truth is made clear in Scripture. God must be worshipped “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).” Each church is intended to be—“the pillar and the ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The worship, work and witness of churches are all meant to be done in a spirit of unity and within the parameters of Truth.

Many churches today have confused unity with union, and are content with the substitution. But the two are not the same. While unity can only exist within the parameters of Truth, union can get along fine without any such framework, limitations or boundaries. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, union is a mere “bringing of people together in order to form, coordinate or blend them into a functioning or unified whole.”

Union minus unity is what Herod and Pilate, had when they became temporary “friends” for the sake of condemning Jesus to death (Luke 23:12). It’s what communist Russia had during World War II as it temporarily allied with the democracies to defeat Nazi Germany. It’s what members of a ball team have where members "play" together, but are envious of and contentious with one another. It’s what Democrats and Republicans have in assembly as Congress with political platforms that are as different as night and day. Union minus unity is what ecumenical religious organizations have—mixed bags of faiths and beliefs come together to pool their ignorance. If you tie the tail of a bobcat to the tail of a bulldog, you’ll have union minus unity.   

Church members can be unified by a shared love for music, sports, social interaction or attraction to charismatic leadership, etc. and get along fine by carnal and worldly standards. But unity, the kind Jesus prayed for, where hearts are “knit together in love,” can only exist where the parameters of God’s Truth serve as guide, guard, bellwether, scale, plumb line and acid test for the rightness or wrongness of everything with which a church has to do.