The Basis of Christian UnityHaving considered the diverse reality of religion in this world,

let us now consider the means by which we may unite, and the basis that must be considered.

Ps. 133:1-3¶ <<A Song of degrees of David.>> Behold, how good and

how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down

upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

• Add to this the passage of John 17, the Lord’s prayer, and we should strive for unity.

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established,

the causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• 6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

• Today, nearly every home has a Bible, but few read them. Few can distinguish between truth and error!

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the causes

of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause.

Hosea 4:6• Today, nearly every home has a Bible, but few read them.

Few can distinguish between truth and error! Heb. 5:11-14• 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be

uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.• 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have

need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

• 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

• 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the

causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Paul admonished to follow him, as he followed Christ! 1 Cor.

11:1• 1 ¶ Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.• We should not follow the teachers and preachers blindly. Mt.

15:14• 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if

the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.• It is also argued that the Bible is too difficult to understand,

so trained leaders must do the leading, reading, and teaching. 2 Cor. 11:3

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the

causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Paul admonished to follow him, as he followed Christ! 1 Cor.

11:1• We should not follow the teachers and preachers blindly. Mt.

15:14• It is also argued that the Bible is too difficult to understand,

so trained leaders must do the leading, reading, and teaching. 2 Cor. 11:3

• 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

• Simple enough it produced a unified body of Christians, who basically were uneducated.

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the

causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Paul admonished to follow him, as he followed Christ! 1 Cor.

11:1• We should not follow the teachers and preachers blindly. Mt.

15:14• It is also argued that the Bible is too difficult to understand,

so trained leaders must do the leading, reading, and teaching. 2 Cor. 11:3

• Follow leader who follows the scripture. Acts 17:11• 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in

that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the

causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Third, the pull of “the doctrines of men”. Division comes from

a lack of agreement over things taught. Of two opposing teachings, both cannot be completely right. 2 Tim. 1:13

• 13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

• We dare not compromise with false teaching! The conflict of truth and error, is actually caused by the doctrines of men.

• Fourth, Human Creeds and confessions of faith are yet another factor in religious division. They are the embodiment of the doctrines of men. Not all the info in creeds are error, but it is evident when we observe that no two of them are alike, and most are contradictory. They crystallize false doctrines, and become a huge barrier.

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the

causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Third, the pull of “the doctrines of men”. Division comes from

a lack of agreement over things taught. Of two opposing teachings, both cannot be completely right. 2 Tim. 1:13

• Fourth, Human Creeds and confessions of faith are yet another factor in religious division. They are the embodiment of the doctrines of men. Not all the info in creeds are error, but it is evident when we observe that no two of them are alike, and most are contradictory. They crystallize false doctrines, and become a huge barrier.

• If each religious body will surrender its creed and unite with Christ upon the one source of authority, that must be recognized by all, THE BIBLE, then a great stride for Unity will have been made.

The Causes of Division• Before a positive basis of unity can be established, the

causes of division must be removed. Let us consider these causes.

• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause. Hosea 4:6

• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Third, the pull of “the doctrines of men”. Division comes from

a lack of agreement over things taught. Of two opposing teachings, both cannot be completely right. 2 Tim. 1:13

• Fourth, Human Creeds and confessions of faith are yet another factor in religious division. They are the embodiment of the doctrines of men. Not all the info in creeds are error, but it is evident when we observe that no two of them are alike, and most are contradictory. They crystallize false doctrines, and become a huge barrier.

• Fifthly, Denominational Names are a cause. To many, these are as sacred as the name “Christian”. These must be forgotten.

The Causes of Division• Ignorance of God’s word is perhaps the greatest cause.

Hosea 4:6• Second, Human tendency is to follow men rather than God. • Third, the pull of “the doctrines of men”. Division comes from

a lack of agreement over things taught. Of two opposing teachings, both cannot be completely right. 2 Tim. 1:13

• Fourth, Human Creeds and confessions of faith are yet another factor in religious division. They are the embodiment of the doctrines of men. Not all the info in creeds are error, but it is evident when we observe that no two of them are alike, and most are contradictory. They crystallize false doctrines, and become a huge barrier.

• Fifthly, Denominational Names are a cause. To many, these are as sacred as the name “Christian”. These must be forgotten.

• Lastly, Denominational Organizations. A suggestion is the agree to disagree, pulling all denominations under one banner, each keeping their creeds, etc. This whole system must be destroyed for unity to finally exist. (thought and action.)

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• The mere removal of the causes of division will not of itself

produce unity. A positive basis of agreement must be found.

• Many have failed to unite because they attempt to unite men with men, rather than to Christ. 1 Jn. 1:5-7

• 5 ¶ This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

• 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

• 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• The mere removal of the causes of division will not of itself

produce unity. A positive basis of agreement must be found.

• Many have failed to unite because they attempt to unite men with men, rather than to Christ. 1 Jn. 1:5-7

• Unity with Christ means we accept his absolute authority! Mt. 28:18

• 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

• He then instructed the disciples to go and teach all. Vs. 19, which we have in the New Testament. It then becomes the basis of authority to unite all men. Vs. 20.

• 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• The mere removal of the causes of division will not

of itself produce unity. A positive basis of agreement must be found.

• Many have failed to unite because they attempt to unite men with men, rather than to Christ. 1 Jn. 1:5-7

• Unity with Christ means we accept his absolute authority! Mt. 28:18

• Acceptance of the authority of the Bible implies we strive to duplicate the pattern revealed. Eph. 4:1-6

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• Unity with Christ means we accept his absolute authority!

Mt. 28:18• Acceptance of the authority of the Bible implies we strive to

duplicate the pattern revealed. Eph. 4:1-6• 1 ¶ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that

ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,• 2 ¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,

forbearing one another in love;• 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of

peace.• 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called

in one hope of your calling;• 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,• 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through

all, and in you all.

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• Unity with Christ means we accept his absolute authority!

Mt. 28:18• Acceptance of the authority of the Bible implies we strive to

duplicate the pattern revealed. Eph. 4:1-6• Those were 7 things we must agree with for unity.

Underlying these is true love. 1 Cor. 13:13• 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the

greatest of these is charity.• We have little difficulty in accepting the fact of these

oneness: Spirit, hope, Lord, and God. Even those divided accept these, but the passage adds these as being one: body, baptism, and faith. Col. 1:18 defines the body as the ONE CHURCH.

• 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• Unity with Christ means we accept his absolute authority!

Mt. 28:18• Acceptance of the authority of the Bible implies we strive to

duplicate the pattern revealed. Eph. 4:1-6• Those were 7 things we must agree with for unity.

Underlying these is true love. 1 Cor. 13:13• We have little difficulty in accepting the fact of these

oneness: Spirit, hope, Lord, and God. Even those divided accept these, but the passage adds these as being one: body, baptism, and faith. Col. 1:18 defines the body as the ONE CHURCH.

• Since He mentions ONE FAITH, it must make a difference what we believe and teach. It must be based upon God’s word.

• And ONE BAPTISM must imply that so vividly described in the Bible, immersion for remission of sin. Rom. 6:3-4

THE PLAN-To unite with Christ and His

Teaching completely!• Unity with Christ means we accept his absolute authority!

Mt. 28:18• Acceptance of the authority of the Bible implies we strive to

duplicate the pattern revealed. Eph. 4:1-6• Those were 7 things we must agree with for unity.

Underlying these is true love. 1 Cor. 13:13• Unity of the faith cannot be accomplished without our

duplicating the Church of the first century. This means we teach the same doctrine of salvation, the same congregational organization of the church, the same worship, the same name, and the same lifestyle for Christians. This will cause men to recognize us as the “called out of the world”. Thus we are one with Christ and will all who are united with Christ.

What if the world does not unite this way?

• The plan may seem unattainable to some, and most will not strive to unite. They won’t give up their doctrines, for God’s will.

• In the meantime, individuals can choose to follow God and leave behind the man-made doctrines and creeds. Afterall, we are judged individually, not congregationally. Each congregation will contribute to the division or towards unity.

• Individuals need to seek out those Christians who have returned to the 1st Century pattern and join them, being content to be undenominational.

CONCLUSION

• Where do you stand?

• Are you helping division grow, or striving to return to the pattern, and unity?

• Are you striving with or against a denomination?

• Come to Christ, only He can save you!