[This is my second post of three in my “Vintage Wednesday” series on “Unity in Diversity,” re-written/updated from a blogpost back in February of 2011.]

John Trapp reminds us that, “Unity without verity [truth] is no better than conspiracy. In fact, many folks excuse themselves from the pursuit of unity for this very reason. And while that may be noble in certain situations, I believe that most of the time many Christians are misguided by their unperceived arrogance. Their feelings of superiority based on their belief that they have greater insights and revelation than other believers makes them prime candidates for opposition. Not opposition from the enemy however. The Apostle James makes it very clear that “God resists the proud” (4:6).

I have no doubt that true unity cannot occur apart from a commitment to truth. Yet why do we tend to fight over the 10 percent (or less!) of nuance and application rather than unite on the 90+ percent of essentials we all agree on? The old ecumenism put little emphasis on truth…a new ecumenism must move forward on the essentials of the Gospel. It must also grow in the context of relationship as we mutually influence each other to become more like Christ. In other words, what's strong or beneficial in someone else's faith tradition becomes a learning point for us, and what's useful and valuable in our faith tradition becomes a learning point for them. 

Frederick Coutts once said that, “Few things make a mockery of Christianity more than disunity among believers.” The present day fragmentation of the church must end. Not necessarily an end to all denominations and groupings, but rather an end to the isolation, turf wars and posturing these barriers have created.

Jesus saw unity in terms of missional impact. “By this will all men know that you are My disciples,” He stated, “by your love for one another.” What are you currently doing to fulfill His vision for unity in the body?

Practical exercise: Beginning with the Apostles' Creed, write down all that is absolutely essential to being a Christian. What has been considered orthodox since the early church? What is non-negotiable? What is “prescriptive” and what is “descriptive” in Scripture? Principles, preferences, applications, etc.—what prevents you from building God's Kingdom with other believers?

[Next week in my final post on this series I will share a case study on a man named Ivan—a Conservative Mennonite man I had the privilege of meeting and learning from several years ago and a great example of unity in diversity.]