Unity is precious in God’s sight. The Lord Jesus on the night He was betrayed prayed that his disciples might be one, “even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). Certainly, a fractured Christianity loses its power to influence the world.
Unity comes from a commitment of love toward God and to His Son Jesus Christ. Before Jesus prayed for unity, He recognized that He had given his disciples the words and commandments His Father had given Him and that they had kept that word (17:6-8).
These words were important to Jesus, because they were the Truth. Jesus also prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth” (17:17-19). Before there can be unity, there must be sanctification in the truth. Unity without truth is not unity; it is only the appearance of unity.
Postmodern thinking suggests that we dismiss the concept of truth altogether and find our unity in our respect for one another. They believe truth cannot be known, so we don’t have to fear opposing views. Jesus knew better. He knew that there are wolves who will tear apart the flock.
A wolf may appear in sheep’s clothing and join a flock, but he will always be a wolf. Paul warned about wolves who “will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:28-30). Allowing a wolf to come in among the flock unguarded will always result in loss.
This is why, as much as the Lord wants unity, faithful shepherds must mark and avoid those who cause dissension by their teaching and turn away from them (Rom. 16:17-18). The Lord’s desire for unity must never become an opportunity for the wolf to get in the fold.
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I see from your recent blogs entries that this subject is coming up again. Until we all get on the right page of scriptures, I don't see how there can be any unity between the two. I am struggling with my own demons and trying to find my way back into the fold. I am amazed that these people who think they are going along and doing the will of God haven't taken the time to see themselves as they really are. I wonder if they are struggling as well to find their way back or do they think they have found the way that suits them and not considering what God's plan is for us. We can be so blind to the truth because is doesn't serve our purposes. Keep on posting little brother, you are helping more that you know.
David
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