Kathyyee: Protected "Unity in Truth and Love" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

Kathyyee — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:53:37 GMT

Protected "Unity in Truth and Love" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

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JoyaTeemer at 17:27, 8 February 2010

JoyaTeemer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:27:59 GMT

JoyaTeemer: Created page with '{{info}} '''If we fail to display the unity that is the fruit of''' love, the world will not know that we are Jesus’ disciples.John 13:34–35 If we pursue unity at...'

JoyaTeemer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:22:51 GMT

Created page with '{{info}} '''If we fail to display the unity that is the fruit of''' love, the world will not know that we are Jesus’ disciples.<ref>John 13:34–35</ref> If we pursue unity at...'

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'''If we fail to display the unity that is the fruit of'''
love, the world will not know that we are Jesus’
disciples.<ref>John 13:34–35</ref> If we pursue unity at the expense of truth,
we are dispensing with apostolic priorities.<ref>e.g., Gal 2:14–18; 2 Cor 13:1ff.</ref> How shall
we get this matter right—not only as a theological
question, but in practice? Taken together, the
following ten observations may encourage us to
‘make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace’.<ref>Eph 4:3</ref>

<big>'''1'''</big>As important as it is, unity,
unlike holiness, is not an
ultimate goal. One cannot imagine a
biblical writer encouraging us to turn
aside from holiness, but many biblical
texts warn us against certain kinds of
unity. Jehoshaphat was an otherwise
excellent king who made hopelessly
foolish alliances with wicked rulers.<ref>2 Chron 17–20</ref>
Every time there is discipline in the
church over a moral issue<ref>e.g., Acts 5; 1 Cor 5</ref> or division
over central doctrinal matters,<ref>e.g., 1 John</ref> unity
is threatened — and rightly so: ‘For
what do righteousness and
wickedness have in common? What
fellowship does light have with
darkness?’<ref>7 2 Cor 6:14</ref>

<big>'''2'''</big>Nevertheless, the unity of
believers is designed to reflect
the unity of the Father and the Son —
in short, the unity of the Godhead.<ref>John 17:20–26</ref>
The love of the Father for the Son,<ref>John 3:35; 5:20; 17:24–26</ref>
and the love of the Son for the
Father,<ref>John 14:31</ref> is to be the adhesion that holds believers together
as one.<ref>John 17</ref> This intra-Trinitarian love of God is more than a
model (though it is not less): the love of the Father for the
Son fires the divine resolve that all will honour the Son,<ref>John 5:20–23</ref>
and the love of the Son for the Father ensures he always
does what the Father gives him to do<ref>John 14:31</ref> — and hence
Gethsemane and the cross. In other words, this intra-
Trinitarian love issues in the cross and resurrection, and
thus in the gospel which redeems and transforms broken,
guilty people, re-shaping them into a community of the
blood-bought, who are called upon to reflect the character
of their God and Saviour.

<big>'''3'''</big>This unity brings together not only Jews and
Gentiles,<ref>Eph 2</ref> but men and women everywhere. As all are
commanded to repent,<ref>Acts 17:30
16 Rev 5:9; cf. 7:9</ref> so also this gospel saves men and
women drawn from every tribe and language and people
and nation.<ref> Rev 5:9; cf. 7:9</ref>

I cannot resist an aside. People sometimes ask what
language will be spoken in heaven. The usual answers are
full of whimsy: Chinese, because there are so many who
already know the language; English, because otherwise the
Americans won’t have anyone else to talk to; and more of
the same. But when we speak of many ‘tribes’ and
‘peoples’ in heaven, we expect continuity in their
distinctiveness. There will be Kikuyus and Bantus in
heaven. We do not ask, ‘What colour of skin will people
have in their resurrection existence?’ Rather, we anticipate
the full diversity. On the same reasoning, why not also
diversity of ‘language’ too? And if it takes me a million
years or so to learn Mandarin, who cares? This unity
sweeps in an incredibly rich array of human beings, and it is
grounded in the gospel as the gospel itself is grounded in
the relationships within the Godhead.

<big>'''4'''</big>Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17 has been more
deeply and fruitfully answered than many people
think. Very often people appeal for unity with an emotive
appeal: ‘We must have more unity, for otherwise the prayer
of Jesus will not be answered and Jesus himself will be
frustrated.’ Often they want an organisational unity at all
costs. But I have found brothers and sisters in Christ,
instantly forging surprisingly deep links with them, in
Kyrgyzstan and Malaysia, in Brazil and Hong Kong, in
Australia and Spain, in the UK and the US, in Papua New
Guinea and Kenya, in countless other places, and among a
wide diversity of denominations and ethnicities — and my
experience, far from being unique, is merely typical. Of
course, Jesus’ prayer will not be perfectly fulfilled until the
consummation, but it is unthinkable to suppose that the
Father does not wonderfully answer his dear Son now —
and experience confirms this theological conclusion.

<big>'''5'''</big>Vital Christian unity is not based on what
mathematicians call the LCD — the lowest common
denominator. On such a construal Christians achieve a
measure of unity by agreeing not to talk about anything
over which they might differ. The result is that the bigger
the catchment of ‘unified’ Christians, the less they have to
talk about. By contrast, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and especially
Philippians, urge believers to ‘think the same thing’. This
does not mean putting up with differences: that’s called
forbearance, and of course forbearance is often needed.
But Paul wants something more: he wants the believers to
whom he is writing to bring their different opinions to the
test of revelation, to the touchstone of the gospel, to
submission to the Lordship of King Jesus. That takes time,
energy, humility, a willingness to be corrected, gentleness in
personal interactions, and sometimes confrontation.<ref>e.g., Gal 2:11–14</ref> But
the result can be gloriously rich and fulfilling.

<big>'''6'''</big>This unity is not achieved by cloning, but by
celebrating the diversity of gifts which God, by his
Spirit, has poured out on the church. The body of Christ is
not one big eyeball or nothing but a toenail: it is made up of
many parts,<ref>1 Cor 12</ref> and they are to function together in mutually
helpful ways, recognising that while there are different gifts
(and no one has them all), there is only one universally
mandated ‘most excellent way’ — the way of love.<ref>1 Cor 13,</ref>

<big>'''7'''</big>What I have written so far has repeatedly sidled up to
a point of superlative importance, without quite
articulating it. Now I must make it clear. Christian unity is
first of all the unity enjoyed by genuine Christians. It flows
from the cross, from the gift of the Spirit, from regeneration;
we were all baptised in one Spirit into one body, whether
Jews or Greeks, slave or free, Asian or Caucasian or
African, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.<ref>1 Cor 12:13</ref>

<big>'''8'''</big>Inevitably that imposes upon us the test of the gospel
itself. If people are claiming to be Christians, but are in
fact preaching another Jesus and a different gospel,<ref>2 Cor 11:4 — in this case a gospel of triumphalism, not unlike the ‘health, wealth, and prosperity’ gospel widely circulated today</ref> then
they are ‘false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as
apostles of Christ’.<ref>2 Cor 11:13</ref> Our current infatuation with the
widespread cultural commitment to refuse to say anyone is
wrong makes us uncomfortable with such plain speech.
Paul’s own assessment is more robust: he says we should
not be surprised by false apostles and deceitful workers
because Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.<ref>2 Cor 11:14–15</ref>

<big>'''9'''</big>In fact, discernment in this arena demands that we
cultivate the ability to hierarchialise our beliefs, and focus
most attention on the most central matters. That is what Paul
does: he can overlook slights and even questionable motives,<ref>Phil 1</ref>
and he urges Timothy and Titus to learn how to correct gently
the false teaching and inconsistent living of some of those who
confront them. On the other hand, when it comes to the gospel,
he boldly articulates the matters ‘of first importance’<ref>1 Cor 15:3</ref> — and
that includes a well-formed grasp of Jesus’ cross and
resurrection. Elsewhere he testifies to his resolution to focus ‘on
Christ and him crucified‘.<ref>1 Cor 2:2</ref> Christians today are unlikely to be
snookered by a Richard Dawkins, who dismisses the entire
Christian revelation with spectacular scorn. They are far more
likely to be taken in by a trusted voice that speaks fluently about
diverse ‘models’ of the atonement while refusing to rejoice over
one who was wounded for our transgressions, who bore our sin
in his own body on the tree, who became a curse for us, who
died the just for the unjust.<ref>Isa 53:5; 1 Pet 2:24;
Gal 3:13; 1 Pet 3:18</ref>

The need for discernment may be clarified a bit by two further
reflections. First, among those trying unreservedly to submit to
the Bible, there are refreshing constraints. Last year, Zondervan
published the African Bible Commentary, edited by Tokunboh
Adeyomo. Much of the advertising hype focused on how this fat
volume brings fresh eyes and new interpretations to the task of
reading and preaching Scripture. Now that I have read much of
it, I was much more impressed by another feature of the book:
most of the exposition was the sort of faithful reading of the
Bible that could have been undertaken by believers in India or
Singapore or Chicago or London.

True, a little more space was devoted to
demon-possession than is typical of
Western commentaries; there was more
emphasis on communitarian interests
and a little less on the individual. But
faithful reading of Scripture is not so
open-ended that it becomes impossible
to say that no reading is wrong. Second,
Scripture itself encourages us to be
gentle and encouraging with fledgling
believers, whose understanding is still
very immature. They are heading in the
right direction and need to be taught
and encouraged.<ref>e.g., Jude 22–23</ref> By contrast, teachers
in the church who are now heading
away from central confessionalism are
to be exposed<ref>e.g., 1 John 2:19</ref> and in some cases
excommunicated.<ref>e.g., 1 Tim 1:18–20</ref>

<big>'''10'''</big>Finally, many biblical texts tell us
how to foster loving unity within
the constraints of truth. For instance,
Christians are to speak the truth in
love,<ref>Eph 4:15</ref> not in pompous arrogance. While
we are to speak truthfully,<ref>Eph 4:25</ref> we are never
to nurture bitterness, but to refuse to let
the sun go down on our wrath.<ref>Eph 4:26</ref> ‘Get rid
of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every
form of malice. Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave
you’.<ref>Eph 4:31–32</ref> In sum, the gospel is not only
to be articulated and defended, but
to be lived out in the unity of the
church’s life.

====Notes====

<references />

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:27, 8 February 2010
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	<big>'''1'''</big>As important as it is, unity,		<big>'''1'''</big>As important as it is, unity,
	unlike holiness, is not an		unlike holiness, is not an
-	ultimate goal. One cannot imagine a	+	''ultimate'' goal. One cannot imagine a
	biblical writer encouraging us to turn		biblical writer encouraging us to turn
	aside from holiness, but many biblical		aside from holiness, but many biblical
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	appeal: ‘We must have more unity, for otherwise the prayer		appeal: ‘We must have more unity, for otherwise the prayer
	of Jesus will not be answered and Jesus himself will be		of Jesus will not be answered and Jesus himself will be
-	frustrated.’ Often they want an organisational unity at all	+	frustrated.’ Often they want an ''organisational'' unity at all
	costs. But I have found brothers and sisters in Christ,		costs. But I have found brothers and sisters in Christ,
	instantly forging surprisingly deep links with them, in		instantly forging surprisingly deep links with them, in
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	<big>'''8'''</big>Inevitably that imposes upon us the test of the gospel		<big>'''8'''</big>Inevitably that imposes upon us the test of the gospel
-	itself. If people are claiming to be Christians, but are in	+	itself. If people are ''claiming'' to be Christians, but are in
	fact preaching another Jesus and a different gospel,<ref>2 Cor 11:4 — in this case a gospel of triumphalism, not unlike the ‘health, wealth, and prosperity’ gospel widely circulated today</ref> then		fact preaching another Jesus and a different gospel,<ref>2 Cor 11:4 — in this case a gospel of triumphalism, not unlike the ‘health, wealth, and prosperity’ gospel widely circulated today</ref> then
	they are ‘false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as		they are ‘false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as
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	The need for discernment may be clarified a bit by two further		The need for discernment may be clarified a bit by two further
-	reflections. First, among those trying unreservedly to submit to	+	reflections. ''First'', among those trying unreservedly to submit to
	the Bible, there are refreshing constraints. Last year, Zondervan		the Bible, there are refreshing constraints. Last year, Zondervan
-	published the African Bible Commentary, edited by Tokunboh	+	published the ''African Bible Commentary,'' edited by Tokunboh
	Adeyomo. Much of the advertising hype focused on how this fat		Adeyomo. Much of the advertising hype focused on how this fat
	volume brings fresh eyes and new interpretations to the task of		volume brings fresh eyes and new interpretations to the task of
Line 176:		Line 176:
	faithful reading of Scripture is not so		faithful reading of Scripture is not so
	open-ended that it becomes impossible		open-ended that it becomes impossible
-	to say that no reading is wrong. Second,	+	to say that no reading is wrong. ''Second'',
	Scripture itself encourages us to be		Scripture itself encourages us to be
	gentle and encouraging with fledgling		gentle and encouraging with fledgling

Unity in Truth and Love - Revision history

Kathyyee: Protected "Unity in Truth and Love" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

JoyaTeemer at 17:27, 8 February 2010

JoyaTeemer: Created page with '{{info}} '''If we fail to display the unity that is the fruit of''' love, the world will not know that we are Jesus’ disciples.John 13:34–35 If we pursue unity at...'