The Only Basis For Unity Of The Spirit
Certain principles pertaining to unity of believers in Christ have been preached so frequently and widely by gospel preachers during the last one hundred years that they have become axiomatic among churches of Christ all over the world.
- Jesus prayed that all who believe on him through the apostolic word may be one, that the world may believe that he was sent by the Father. (John 17:20-21.)
- Christians are commanded to speak the same thing and to be of the same mind and judgment (1 Cor. 1:10), and to give diligence to keep "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:3.) "The unity of the Spirit" is that kind of unity which the Spirit sets forth in the New Testament.
- The kind of unity that the Spirit advocates is possible, because all of God's commandments are possible; His commandments are "not grievous." (1 John 6:3.)
- The fact that Jesus prayed that all may believe on him "through their word" (John 17:20) makes that apostolic word the sole basis for oneness among all who do believe on him. (John 17:21.) A unity based on anything else is not "the unity of the Spirit." A unity based on human opinion, creeds of men, additions to or subtractions from the word, or any compromise or violation of New Testament truth was never endorsed by the Spirit, and such cannot be "the unity of the Spirit."
- If the unity that the Spirit advocates is to be made a universal reality, all believers must adhere rigidly to two rules: (1) They must abandon every doctrine or practice that may be called in question, or prove by the New Testament that it is right, whatsoever it may be; that is, they must be "ready always to give answer to every man that asketh" for a reason, and they must do so "with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15.) (2) They must add to their work or worship everything that anyone may, by divine authority, prove to be any part of "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) for His people today; that is, they must be "doers of the word, and not hearers only." (James 1:22.) Unless these two rules are observed, Jesus' prayer for unity of all believers will not be answered. These two principles are emphasized and illustrated in the following topics:
I. On Keeping The Law Of Moses
Some of the disciples in the early church believed and taught that God would receive uncircumcised Gentiles under the covenant of grace on the same terms that he received circumcised Jews. While certain others taught that Gentiles must be "circumcised after the custom of Moses" to be saved. (Acts 15:1.) They were divided on this issue; churches were perplexed, and trouble was brewing. How did the apostles and the elders meet this issue and settle this disturbance of unity? The following diagram will explain:
| Jew | Gentile |
| Jer. 31:31-34 | Amos 9:11-12 |
| Fig. 1 | Fig. 2 |
They all understood clearly that the Jews were included in God's grace; they could present Jer. 31:31-34(and other passages) for proof of that, as shown in Fig. 1; there was no question on that point.
The issue was: Will God receive uncircumcised Gentiles? How did they settle that question? Did they settle it by an iron curtain? by quarantine? by suppression? by refusing to give but one side an opportunity to be heard? by ignoring the issue and attacking one another personally?
The truth was learned and unity was restored by open and honorable discussion of the real issue in the light of God's word. Speeches were made and "much questioning" was done by men on both sides. Then James made a speech and presented Amos 9:11-12 (Acts 15:1318), as shown in Fig. 2. The truth of God's word was the only basis of unity to which they gave any consideration at all.
If James and all the others had been unable to put a passage of scripture in the circle in Fig. 2, then every one who preached that the Lord would receive uncircumcised Gentiles would have been guilty of going beyond the teaching (2 John 9), and would have been responsible for all the division that resulted there from. But since a passage of scripture was presented, which taught beyond reasonable doubt, that God had included uncircumcised Gentiles in the covenant of grace, then every one who taught to the contrary was responsible for all resultant division. (Gal. 5:10-12.)
II. On The Salvation Of Believers
Two kinds of believers are mentioned in the Bible: (1) Obedient believers; (2) Disobedient believers.
That obedient believers will be saved is no longer an issue among students of the scriptures. All admit and agree that Hebrews 5:9 (and other passages) clearly teaches that the obedient believer will be saved.
| Obedient Believer | Disobedient Believer |
| Heb. 5:9 | Amos 9:11-12 |
| Fig. 3 | Fig. 4 |
A great majority of religious people teach that all believers will be saved; that lost sinners are saved by faith only — saved by faith without further acts of obedience. They refuse to give any consideration at all to the fact that the Bible makes a clear-cut distinction between the two kinds of believers. And not one of them can put the passage in the circle in Fig. 4 that teaches that God will save the disobedient believer. When one of them does put a scripture reference in that circle, the passage is wrested and misapplied, as has been shown many times in honorable debate.
Who then is responsible for the division that exists in the religious world over the kind of a believer that God will save? The man who can present the passage that proves what he teaches, or the man who cannot produce the passage to prove what he teaches?
III. On A Church's Sending Donations To Another Church
Two kinds of church work are mentioned in the Bible: (1) A work to which all churches are equally related; (2) A work to which the churches are not equally related.
Every church has a work which is strictly its own, and to which it bears a relationship that no other church bears. For example, it is the work of each church to care for its own worthy poor. In case of famine or other disaster a church might not be able to do this work, without the financial assistance from other churches. On two occasions the churches in Judea were in that condition. The New Testament presents both precept and example for other churches' sending donations to a sister church for that kind of work. (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8 and 9.) There is no difference at all among us on this point. But division and strife spring up when men teach that churches should send contributions to another church for a work to which all churches are equally related.
| Unequally Related | Equally Related |
| 1 Cor. 16:1-2 | |
| Fig. 5 | Fig. 6 |
Like the faith only advocates of Fig. 4, certain of our own brethren fail to give any consideration at all to the fact that the Bible makes a clear-cut distinction between these two kinds of church work; they are teaching that a church should send donations to another church for a work to which the contributing church and the begging church are equally related; but not one of them can put the passage in the circle of Fig. 6 that authorizes such.
For example, all churches everywhere are equally related to the work of preaching the gospel in all the world. Now, if the Bible contains one verse authorizing a church's turning its funds over to another church for this kind of work, why doesn't somebody find it, and step forward and put the passage in the circle of Fig. 6, and settle the issue like James settled the circumcision controversy? Who is responsible for any division that may exist over the kind of work for which one church may contribute funds to another church? The man who can present the scripture for what he teaches, or the man who cannot give book, chapter and verse for his doctrines? "The judgment lies ahead of us."
At his latest change of mind, Brother E. R. Harper says he will engage in two debates with Yater Tant. Harper must be able to put the right scripture reference in the circle of Fig. 6, or he probably will be pressed hard in every session of both debates to do so. When the "faith only" advocates are pressed in debate to place the right passage in the circle of Fig. 4, they usually put John 3:16 or Acts 16:31 in the circle; but it has never been difficult for their opponents to show that the promises of these scriptures are to the obedient believer, and that to try to make them apply to disobedient believers is to wrest the scriptures to one's own destruction. If Harper pursues the common course of sectarianism and writes the wrong scripture reference in the circle of Fig. 6, Tant can show easily that Brother Harper wrests the scripture, and must answer for it in the "judgment that lies ahead of us."
IV. On Music In Worship
There are two kinds of music: (1) Singing; (2) Instrumental.
That singing is divinely appointed for true worshippers is not an issue among religious people. All agree that Ephesians 5:19 teaches that singing in worship is scriptural and right.
| Singing | Instrumental Music |
| Eph. 6:19 | |
| Fig. 7 | Fig. 8 |
The great majority of worshippers in America use instrumental music in worship. No man on earth can put the passage in Fig. 8 that authorizes the use of mechanical instrumental music in worship.
The spiritual body of Christ has been torn asunder over this practice of instrumental music in worship. Who is responsible for this alienation, strife and division over the kind of music that God will accept in worship? The man who presents book, chapter and verse for the kind of music he advocates, or the man who cannot give the scripture passage for the music he wants? What is the basis for unity on the music question? (1 Peter 4:11.) What is the right way to settle the music controversy?
V. On Financing The Work Of The Church
In the work of the church, many things that cost money are needed. How shall the local church obtain the funds necessary for the work God has assigned to it? Brethren are not united on this question.
Some of the churches of Christ today are receiving income from three perpetual sources: (1) Free-will contributions; (2) The operation of secular business enterprises; (3) Other church treasuries. Under Roman notation III, in this article, I have already shown when a church may scripturally receive funds from another church. The purpose now is to find a basis for unity regarding the other two methods employed by churches to obtain funds for their work: (1) Free-will gifts; (2) Secular business operations.
One of two things is true: (1) God has expressed His will in the Bible on how a church should obtain funds for its work; or (2) He has not expressed it, but left the method for uninspired men to decide.
If God's will on a church's method of raising money has been made known in the Bible, then Christians never can unite on any method of church fund-raising except the method that meets the expressed approval of the Lord; and he who advocates a church's staging a pie supper, rummage sale, operating a farm, ranch, grocery store, or other secular business for profit is responsible for all division that may result there from, unless he can present the passage of scripture that authorizes such.
If the Lord has not revealed his will on this point, but left it to human judgment and opinion, then any local church can (1) employ any one or all of these money raising methods, and (2) exclude or reject any one or more of these methods (including free-will contributions) and adopt a plan never yet tried by any church; and he who opposes a church's employing or rejecting any one or all of these methods is responsible for all division that may result there from.
But where can a preacher be found, who is so ignorant of the Bible that he will deny that God's will has been revealed on how the churches are to obtain funds for their work? All agree that the scriptures (1 Cor. 16:1-2; Acts 2:45; 4:34-87) teach that it is God's will for a church to receive money for its work by free-will gifts. We are not divided on that method; we are divided on the methods unknown to the word of God. We are not divided on what the Bible says; we are divided on what it does not say.
| Free-will Gifts | Secular Business |
| 1 Cor. 16:1-2 | |
| Fig. 9 | Fig. 10 |
The brethren who are teaching that it is scriptural and right for a church to operate a pie counter, cow ranch, chicken farm, cotton gin or any other secular business for profit must do one of two things: (1) They must present the scripture that authorizes it; or (2) They must answer in the judgment of the last great day for disturbing the churches with the precepts of men (Matt. 15:9), and for going onward and abiding not "in the teaching of Christ." (2 John 9.)
No man on earth can write a suitable scripture reference in the circle of Fig. 10.
VI. On The Lord's Supper
All agree that the scriptures teach (1 Cor. 11:23-27) that bread and fruit of the vine are elements in the Lord's supper. He who advocates these, to the exclusion of all other food elements, is not responsible for any division that may exist on this phase of the Lord's supper.
| Bread & Fruit of Vine | Mutton |
| 1 Cor. 11:23-27 | |
| Fig. 11 | Fig. 12 |
But he who advocates the introduction of the mutton of the Jewish passover into the Lord's supper, must do one of two things: (1) He must find the New Testament passage that authorizes it; or (2) He must answer in the judgment for disturbing the churches with the precepts of men (Matt. 15:9), and for going onward and not abiding in the teaching of Christ. (2 John 9.)
No man on earth can write a suitable scripture reference in the circle of Fig. 12.
Conclusion Why can't we unite upon the firm foundation of God's word? Why can't we all speak the same thing? Why can't we speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent? How many will join hands with us on these two propositions?
- If I am teaching or practicing anything which you believe to be without the approval of God's word, I earnestly request you to call my attention to it, and I immediately will abandon such, or prove by the New Testament that it is right, whatsoever it may be.
- If you believe I am neglecting anything that God demands of me, I positively promise to add to my work and worship anything and everything that you may, by divine authority, prove to me to be in harmony with God's revealed will.
How can any man, who prayerfully and honestly follows these two resolutions, be guilty of disturbing the peace of the brotherhood, or be responsible for any division that may exist in the religious world?