If there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. (Php 2:1-2)From the Psalms (e.g., Psa 133:1) to the New Testament (e.g., John 17:21; Eph 4:3-4; Col 3:14), we are called to be "one." In what sense?
It would be easy to conclude that unity was our primary goal, so we need to do what it takes to be united. If that is the aim, compromise would be mandatory and we'd have to seek the lowest common denominator. But is that what God is calling us to? Clearly not. In that Philippians text, the unity in view was "one mind," sure, but also one love, one spirit, one purpose. We know it is not "sameness" (1 Cor 12:1-27). The Body of Christ is designed to have and requires diversity. So when Jesus spoke on Christian unity (John 17:22-23), He did it with intention. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17).
Our instructions are to be united, but not simply for the sake of unity. We are to be united in truth. When a piano tuner goes in to tune pianos, he takes a standard -- a tuning fork. All pianos are tuned to that standard so, while all pianos don't play the same songs, they have the same tuning. When an orchestra tunes up at the beginning of a performance, they have one note played by one instrument. All other instruments tune to that one note so, while they all play different parts, they all have the same tuning. We are called to play different parts, but to be united by being tuned to the truth. That truth is found in Christ (John 14:6) and the Word. Without it, we're just ... whistling in the dark.
3 comments:
One body, with the goal of life, but with different parts with different jobs to sustain and grow that life.
Excellent point. What we unify around is so much more important than unity itself.
“United in truth.” I concur that this is a crucial clarification of a more general “Christian unity.” I became convinced decades ago that possessing and obeying biblical truth should be the principal goal in my Christian walk and that this pursuit would create the unity that truly honors and pleases God. Since I acknowledge that this priority is the "backbone" of my particular spiritual gifting, which I am called to exercise in service to the Body of Christ, I view it as a gift to me from the Holy Spirit.
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