There is a kind of ‘unity’ which is a unity that comes at the cost of truth and the witness of the gospel. Our context in the West, in particular, is full of it. It is where the faith of the gospel, and the claims and teaching of our Lord and the Scriptures are reduced to the lowest common denominator, to the point where nothing is recognisable as apostolic faith. It’s like Paul writing in his opening chapter of Galatians:
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! (Gal 1: 6 – 9)
What caused Paul to be so sharp and upset? People had got in about the church in Galatia with a message denying the fundamentals of the gospel, which lead to such a distortion that it was an unrecognisable ‘other’ gospel. And having said what he said, Paul goes on to state, ‘I’m sure you realise that I’m obviously not saying this to make you happy and get you to like me, but to be a true servant of God.’ The tone of Galatians doesn’t sound to me like the writing of a man who was enjoying the process. It would not be surprising to me if he was writing through tears.
True unity is built on the Lord Jesus Christ. His death, his burial, his resurrection, his appearing to the disciples (1 Cor 15), his ascension to the right hand of God and his promised return. That true unity is not built on simply assenting to these ideas like you’d tick off a check list, but between those who are now genuinely ‘in Christ’ through repentance and faith and the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit. Something much deeper than some vague association.
Paul writes yet again to the church in Corinth, and in 2 Cor 6, speaks about the need to have a certain kind of spiritual discernment about who we are yoked together with. This is not a blanket ‘do not associate with non-believers’ as some have mistakenly applied this. The context is a deeper ‘joining in with’ and association with those who have dishonoured God by their idolatry, and the call to ‘come out from among them’, implying more than casual acquaintance or loose association. Idolatry is setting something up against the worship, glory and allegiance that God alone deserves. Whether that be an idol carved of wood or gold, or whether it be the preciousness of our our own arguments that we set up against the gospel and the scriptures – same result.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. – 2 Cor 6: 14 – 16
I don’t even want to continue writing. I mourn the state of the Bride in our land, and I think of our Lord Jesus who wants to come looking for a people who have made themselves ready, and for whom he died in order that they would be washed pure with his word – a radiant church without stain, wrinkle, blemish, but holy and blameless (Eph 5: 26 – 27). ‘Impossible!’, you say! ‘Commanded!’, I say. To be true to Christ, to forsake our sin and cling to him and to his word, is our call as the Bride.
Yet, my own posture must be one of repentance. There is no place for any spiritual pride. I am in desperate need of the grace of God, that I might be strengthened to be faithful to Christ in all things. I must own my own compromises along the way, forsake them, return to him always, and to take up my cross and follow him. The path to resurrection always passes through Calvary, so Paul reminds us in Philipians 3: 10 – 11.
Then, I must find out how to cry out to God for his people and go regularly to my knees to plead.
4 Restore us again, God our Saviour,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
(Psalm 85: 4 – 7)
Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus.
