[Editor’s note: Today’s guest editorial is an abridged article by Don McLaughlin, the preaching minister of the North Atlanta Church of Christ.]
Unity or Oneness in Christ is a big deal. Even a basic overview of the mission of Jesus and the writings of the New Testament make this clear. But, unity among Christians remains as elusive as ever. Perhaps our approach to unity needs to be reviewed and recast.
For two millennia, followers of Christ have tried to generate unity through a variety of approaches, including the content of creeds and wording of confessions, claims of interpretive objectivity and superiority, the elevation of doctrinal distinctiveness, and the canonization of specific interpretive models. In essence, those participating in conversations about unity often think that what they believe should be standardized for all Christians. If everyone would believe like me/us, we would all be on the same page—the correct page—and thus we would be unified.
Under this model, unity is a human project. The tools I use to build my understanding of the faith become indistinguishable from the faith itself. For this reason, even the most well-intentioned call to unity comes up short. To illustrate, there are between 45,000 and 47,000 Christian denominations globally. In the U.S., there are more than 200 “umbrella” denominations (major identified Christian traditions).
I know… talk of unity can be a little depressing. But what if our approach to unity is broken, or at least misguided? I believe in unity and in striving for it. But unity in Christ requires a specific approach to come to fruition.
First, in Christ, humans pursue living the unity Christ already established. Christians do not create or control unity. Unity is made possible by what God accomplished on the cross through Jesus (Eph 2:11-3:11). Oneness is God’s gift, and we are called to live it, not take charge of it.
Second, unity is a matter of Christ-formed-character, not human made creeds. The history of creed-creation is both inspiring and disturbing. What is included in creeds matters but not more than a transformative relationship with the living Christ. In Christian unity, Christlike character counts, and the absence of it is devastating.
Third, unity in Christ is not created or sustained by Bible study. Unity in Christ is created by Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirit. This statement does not diminish the essentiality of Bible study. But no amount of Bible study or perceived interpretive expertise will unite us with Christ or with each other. Only Christ can reconcile us to God, and only the Spirit of Christ can reconcile us with each other (2 Cor 5:16-21).
The confession that Jesus Christ is Lord is the most profound confession in human history. And this confession is the foundation of Christian character, which is essential to unity. If Jesus Christ is Lord, then our response to his lordship in our lives is humility and curiosity. We reject the temptation of pride. We embrace the grace of Christ toward those who differ from us.
Unity is possible, but only in Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pursuing unity begins with a passion for the character of Christ.
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