Unity With Diversity
By Patrick M. Phillips
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Anyone familiar with the brethren in the Church of Christ is aware that there is often disagreement over any number of things that the Bible teaches. In many cases, two brothers will have differing views of a point in question and yet still consider one another as being "in full fellowship."
But in many cases, sincere, truth-loving brethren will disagree as to what the Scriptures teach on a particular point and will consider one another as being "out of fellowship."
For example, here are some of the things that brethren have disagreed on, without dividing and/or severing fellowship: (1) Can a Christian take an oath? (2) kill in war? (3) inflict capital punishment? (4) vote? (5) serve in government? (6) engage in political activism? (7) play cards? (8) observe Christmas? (9) wear a swim, track, or basketball suit? (10) use force to defend himself? (11) use violence to defend the weak or helpless? (12) can a preacher join a ministers' association? (13) must a woman have long hair and wear a hat in the assembly? While in "full fellowship," we disagree on: (14) the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; (15) the work of the Holy Spirit; (16) the Trinity; (17) special Providences; (18) how God answers prayer; (19) fasting; (20) translations of The Bible; (21) the authority of the Elders; (22) Wednesday night contributions; (23) women deacons; (24) baptism in the Holy Spirit; (26) being born of the Spirit; (27) dimming lights for prayer; (28) singing during the passing of the loaf and cup of blessing; (29) singing during the collection; (30) the use of pictures of Christ and other visual aids; (31) the use of symbols--such as the cross; (32) stained-glass windows; (33) steeples and spires; (34) passing the collection basket, instead of laying the money on the table; (35) eating in the church building; (36) the grounds for disfellowshipping; (37) supporting Christian colleges from congregational "treasuries;" (38) who appoints and/or selects Elders? (39) divorce and remarriage; (40) the method and type of inspiration; (41) "re-baptism" (accepting immersed Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, etc. who did not fully understand baptism but knew that they were obeying Jesus); (42) the qualifications of Elders and Deacons; (43) "the five items of worship;" (44) the use of choirs, choruses, quartets, and solos; (45) partaking of the loaf and cup on Sunday night (or, Roman day vs. Jewish day); (46) the interpretation of the book of Revelation;
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All of these 76 differences of view and of practice are usually tolerated without dividing into separate congregations and without disfellowshipping.
However, many of our differences have often resulted in division and disfellowshipping. For instance, we have differing opinions about (1) Sunday School classes; (2) women teachers; (3) congregations cooperating in evangelism through a sponsoring congregation; (4) supporting Christian orphanages from the local church "treasury;" (5) benevolence to those not in Churches of Christ; (6) movies, television, stage, and radio entertainment; (7) the use of non-fermented fruit of the vine; (8) premillenialism; (9) the authority of an evangelist; (10) Christian colleges; (11) did the Elder-ship pass away with spiritual gifts? (12) whom shall we fellowship? (13) can a congregation own a church building? (14) can a person be baptized in an artificial baptistry? (15) speaking in tongues; (16) polygamy; (17) cooking or eating in the church building; (18) the use of more than one container to partake of the cup of blessing; (19) the "located minister" system; (20) the use of instrumental music; (21) the use of missionary, benevolent, and other types of societies or organizations to carry out Christian activities; (22) closed communion; (23) the use of make-up and jewelry; (24) breaking the bread before blessing it; (25) accepting as members of the congregation those who conscientiously have received affusion for baptism; (26) the order of worship; (27) partaking of the loaf and cup on days other than the first day of the week; (28) calling "the Minister" by the term Pastor and addressing him as "the Reverend;" (29) raising money by projects; (30) conventions, and associations of churches.
In many instances, though not always, these 30 differences of view and practice have resulted in division and/or disfellowshipping.
The question we need to ask is: why is there often diversity with unity and "full fellowship" while at other times diversity and a breach of fellowship? Here are some suggested reasons:
Perhaps the number one reason is a lack of love for the brethren. We cannot expect to have true spiritual fellowship with one another, or with God, until we come out of the darkness of hate and walk in the light of love. "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin." (1 Jno. 1:6, 7) "He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. He who loves his brother abides in the light and in it there
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Secondly, party spirit must be recognized as a real and sinful cause of our divisions. We should begin to obey God's clear and direct statements in regard to the party spirit and divisions, and then not been so clearly revealed. See if these Scriptures are not plain as to whether there ought to be unity or divisions among believers in Christ: 1 Cor. 1:10; 3:3; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:1-6; John 17:20-21; Philip. 1:27, 28; 1 Pet. 3:8.
Refusing to accept the Scriptural teaching on Christian liberty and tolerance is another reason for our factions. Romans 14 is the divine remedy for many of our disagreements. The key is in Romans 14:4: "Who are you to pass Judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand." We must also take care not to let our liberty in Christ cause a brother with a weaker conscience to "refuse fellowship" with us. Read I Corinthians 8 carefully and prayerfully.
Failing to limit "disfellowshipping" to Scriptural grounds is another cause for much of our strife. Reuel Lemmons wrote in the Firm Foundation, Feb. 20, 1968: "The unity of believers is of such importance that it should be maintained at almost any cost. Surely those who break the bonds of fellowship on any other than the most serious grounds will not be held blameless. Certainly there are grounds upon which fellowship must be severed. Those whose doctrinal teachings are of such a nature as to reflect upon the deity of Jesus, those who sow discord among brethren, and those who live immoral lives must be withdrawn from. However, most of the disfellowshipping that we are acquainted with has not come about upon these Scriptural grounds. Most of it has been over matters of opinion and differences of interpretation of Scripture. We hold that these are not valid grounds for disfellowship." Note that Lemmons lists only three valid. Scriptural grounds for disfellowship. Check these Scriptures with his above reasons: 2 Jno. 9-11; Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10-11; 2 Thess. 3:6-14; 1 Cor. 5; 2 Tim. 3:2-5; Eph. 5:3-11.
To label everyone who holds a different opinion or interpretation of Scripture as not walking in the light (1 Jno. 1:7), as perverting the gospel (Gal. 1:6-9), as not abiding in the doctrine of Christ (2 Jno. 9), as walking disorderly (2 Thess. 3:6), or as opposing the particular doctrine that you have been taught (Rom. 16:17), is to twist and misapply these five Scriptures. If these Scriptures mean that Christians cannot have fellowship with anyone of differing opinion or interpretation, then Christians must also refuse fellowship with anyone who differs about the 76 views or practices listed above, over which we usually do not divide! This is impractical, unthinkable, and unscriptural. It would eventually result in every Christian having his own church.
We should also re-examine each of the 30 differences over which we have divided and re-determine whether or not a break in fellowship was Scriptural. I venture to suggest that if we did this we might have unity among believers overnight! In the Bible, and practice--and remain in fellowship with one another. May God help us to realize that there is such a thing as "unity in diversity." Pray for that unity, as did Jesus, so we can better help the world to believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world!
(This article is a revision and enlargement of an article by the same title written in June, 1968 by Jim Bob Jarrell, editor of North American Christian.)