Working for Unity
by Laurence Windham

I can't tell you how psyched I am to belong to a denomination that has a committee on ecumenicity. That's right, your favorite dynamic duo, Bob & Larry Boy, belong to one slice of the Reformed ecclesiastical pie that is trying to bring all the slices together. And you thought we were divisive. Shame on you. We also work hard on unity in the body of Christ by talking to those outside of the Reformed faith. We do this because we believe that we are closer than others in being right about the sacraments, worship, ecclesiology, Christian liberty and God's sovereignty to name a few. That is not to say we are the most pious, most loving, or best examples of Christendom before the world, though we want to be and we are working on it. That is also not to say that we have a corner on God and are the depositories of all holy knowledge. You know that; some of you have met us.

But let's face it—people belong to a particular church for one of two reasons. They either believe that their church is correct doctrinally or the church has a coffee bar. For the rest of this article we are going to not waste any effort on the social church attendee. Let's examine the difference that doctrine makes.

In the Book of Acts we see the disciples converting everyone they meet to the Jerusalem way of theological thought. The Bereans are called noble because they gave critical attention to Paul's teaching. Apollos listened to Aquilla and Priscilla's instruction and was all the better for it. Disciples of the great John the Baptist were even converted over. And the Jewish believers had some major paradigm shifting to do after the Gentile, Cornelius came into the Kingdom.

What we are witnessing is those who are believers in Christ adjusting their thinking as they are convinced of Scripture. This is less painful than it seems. Nowhere in Acts do you see a struggle to change one's way of thinking. When the Word of God, which is also the will of God, is explained, the response is obedience. Every disciple is called to do this. That is the definition of discipleship. Every follower of Christ is called to embrace the truth of God's word. If you can be shown from the Scriptures that your thinking is wrong-you are called to change. That is why we all should remain teachable as we teach others. And we should be willing to discuss our differences. And in so doing, we should be careful to get all our ideas from the Bible.

In this spirit I have had the pleasure and pain of engaging leaders and pastors of different denominations in discussions on worship, salvation, sovereignty, liberty, education, and epistemology. I have had some thank me for always referring and expositing Scripture in our discussions instead of just quoting Luther or Calvin, the argument they were expecting. Others have refused to even consider a joint Bible study to investigate our differences with a commitment to following whatever the Scriptures reveal. All in all though, the effort is rewarding.

Allow me to share with you my suggestions for you doing the same. First and foremost, be Christ-like about this. Approach those of other persuasions in love. It is one thing to win an argument, quite another to win a brother. The unity we are supposed to work toward is characterized by love, not the number of notches on your Bible.

Secondly, do not get defensive when your ideas are challenged. This is important for several reasons. The greatest of these is YOU MIGHT BE WRONG. If you are not wrong and the other person is not persuaded in the first 15 minutes of your explanation, consider the fact that it may have taken you 4 years to come to your present conclusion. Why expect them to believe in minutes what took you years to get into your thick skull? Both discipleship and evangelism can take time. ("I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.")

Next, build relationships with these fellow believers. They are, after all, your spiritual brothers and sisters. Though they differ from you in belief and practice, God has never waited for anyone to get all their theology straight before blessing them and using them in His Kingdom. You will undoubtedly benefit from fellowshipping with them. And they, you.

Be strong. Seek to persuade. But always stay yielded to what the Scriptures say, not what you want them to say. Paul exhorted the Corinthians,"... did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord."

Be wise. Feed your soul daily on the Bible. Do not make the mistake of studying the Scriptures just for your next debate or lesson or sermon. There is a major difference in having a brilliant rebuttal and exuding the wisdom of God's word. Take time to examine how Jesus answered His opponents-you will see both apologetics and wisdom. Remember, life begets life.

Your greatest witness to others, the strongest apologetical persuasion you have is your spouse, your children, your home, and your character. Unity is based on being like Christ. This is our goal and the common denominator for all believers. We are all vitally connected together in the Faith. Consequently, we are called to work together. Let there be a continual, mutual commitment to follow what the Bible says.

Changing your thinking is easy if your allegiance is to truth. Applying truth, though, can be tough. Changing might mean a different career path, looking for another church to attend, moving, and most of all, repenting. But what is far worse is not changing. When we know what the Scriptures tell us and do not obey, chastening is sure to follow. Chastening, as well as, consequences.