In a week when we are having a joint service with Generation Church (our Pentecostal brothers and sisters across the road) this seems particularly appropriate!
SEEK 48 – Christians Disunited.
Question: If all Christians believe in one God, how come they disagree a lot and divided up themselves into groups and they fight a lot and even kill each other sometimes?
Bible Reading: John 17:20-26
Text: “I have given them the glory you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me- so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23)
Christian disunity is real. And it is really embarrassing, because we are all supposed to be united in one family all sharing the love of Christ. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
So, what has gone wrong?
Let’s start with your question about Christians killing one another. This rarely happens. In the last question we talked about cultural Christians – that is those who claim a Christianity identity because of their tribe or country. So sometimes you get people saying because I am Greek, I am Christian (Orthodox), or because I am Irish, I am Christian (Catholic), or because I am American, I am Christian (Protestant). This is often a form of religious identity but not Christianity. Or perhaps it is better to say that it is Christianity without Christ. Christ does not tell us to kill one another in his Name. Indeed, he forbids it. He goes even further than that – he tells us that we are to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. (Matthew 5:43-45). How can we say that we are Christians if we do not follow Christ.
But that is not to say that true Christians never disagree with one another. We are a family. I don’t know about your family, but my family often disagrees. Of course, I would want my parents, wife, children and other relatives to recognise that I am always right, but that isn’t the way it is or should be! Likewise, within the Christian church there can be great divisions which are more often caused by personality and smaller matters.
Take for example the disagreement between Euodia and Syntyche in the Philippian church. Paul had to appeal to them to agree with one another (Philippians 4:2). It is possible he even wrote his great poem/hymn on the humility and suffering of Christ in chapter 2, because of them. We don’t know what their quarrel was, but I suspect it was relatively minor, perhaps whose house should the church meet in? I heard one old minister refer to them as ‘Odious’ and ‘Soon Touchy’. That may have been harsh, but the point was well made. Much division is to do with our own sensitivities and sinfulness.
Sometimes there are more serious issues. Money and power can be great sources of division, especially when people forget who it is we are supposed to be serving: Christ, his church and the poor.
But sometimes we do have to disagree. Because there can be harmful heresies and practices that come into the church. The leaders of the church are called ‘under shepherds’ – because The Shepherd is of course Jesus. However, the leaders are to follow Jesus’ example and teach and protect the flock. When a wolf comes in, they are to drive it away. Paul warned the Ephesian elders with tears that “savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” (Acts 20:28-31).
“The greatest menace to the Christian Church today comes not from the enemies outside, but from the enemies within; it comes from the presence within the Church of a type of faith and practice that is anti-Christian to the core” (J. Gresham Machen – Christianity and Liberalism p. 135)
Each generation has to fight this battle. Because the unity of the Church which Jesus prays for so movingly in John 17 is dependent on our unity in Christ. When someone teaches a different gospel, or a different Christ – or denies the true Gospel by their actions – they must be opposed.
But we need to be careful not to pick fights for the sake of it, or over secondary or trivial issues. Even when we are dealing with the most important, we should heed the advice of Paul to Timothy: “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:5).
Consider: This question is so important and a great reminder to us that Jesus prayed for the unity of his church and his people. However, given the fact that we are all sinners, it is astonishing just how much unity there actually is in the Church. I feel united with lots of Christians from many different cultures and denominations. I was pastor of a Church with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, different personalities and different views about many things. Yet, although we had disagreements, there was a basic, fundamental and deep unity. Nothing can explain that except the love and power of Christ. Let us pray that that would be our common experience and disunity would be our strange experience!
Further Reading:
Evangelical Truth – A personal plea for unity, integrity and faithfulness – John Stott
Christianity and Liberalism – J. Gresham Machen
Prayer: Father, we echo the prayer of our Saviour Jesus. May we be one as you are one. May we be in you. May we be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent your Son and that you have loved us, and you love him. Amen.