The Truth is, We're United

I've been doing a lot of thinking about unity recently. How could I not? A daily perusal of Drudge headlines is all you need to have ample proof that we live in a world of strife and disunity. Ferguson, the abortion debate, conservative vs. liberal, class envy of the so-called "one-percenters", amnesty for illegals, FOX News vs the MSM . . . the list seems inexhaustible and a culture of "choosing sides" inescapable. For all the good lip service to "crossing the aisle" does (that's none, by the way), we are told to embrace shades of gray in a world that is ultimately black and white.

Even on that point I'm sure people will disagree. "The world is not black and white!" they would say.  "What is true for you for you is not true for me." But there is inaccuracy in that. An inaccuracy which leads to all sorts of problems because it starts our conversation from a false premise. A more accurate way to express the sentiment is "You believe things that I do not."

The reality is there is Truth—absolute Truth that stands, immutable, on its own regardless of anyone's affirmation or denial of it. When the light of Truth illuminates our questions and disagreements, that which is false becomes obvious. You might say, "as obvious as black and white."

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:1, 4-5). The world (aka secular culture) is trapped in darkness. Christians, however, see the black because we also see the light. Jesus is the Word. We abide in Him when we abide in His word. We abide in the light not only for ourselves, but also to shine the light of Truth, the light of Christ, into a world in darkness. Why? Because that's what disciples do. Jesus told us, "'If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free'" (John 8:31b-32). Notice it's not abiding in His word so we obey the rules of first importance. It's not abiding in His word so we have the knowledge to judge others. It's abiding in His word to be true disciples who know truth and are set free! Galatians 5:1 restates Christ's hope and plan for each of us, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery."

Listening to a sermon in the days after the chaos and discord that emanated from the 2014 GA of the PC (USA) as a result of the vote to open the door for homosexuality within the denomination, I was stuck by the universal call for unity within our fellowship. On an issue where there is no gray, where there is no middle ground, how can we make our way to unity?

I started feeling overwhelmed and a bit frightened as I started to think of the long days of debate that lie in wait as we sort through the GA vote and formulate our local church's response and stance. Conflict gives me hives. Even on the edges of it all, as a congregant, I dreaded knowing that our elders would be wrestling with culture and Truth.

As I started to nurse my worry, I remembered John 8:31-32 and began to feel a bit of hope well up in my heart and mind. Jesus promised, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine..." While we face opposition and discord from those who corrupt God's word, there are disciples in our church, in our denomination, all over the world who abide in God's word and we are united! There is unity in the church, there is hope for His bride! The issue suddenly turned around in my mind. For me, it's no longer an issue of acquiescing to tolerance, it's an issue of discipleship. We've allowed the un-discipled to instruct us and error has flowed in. Scripture (the word) is very clear. But that clarity muddles into gray when we listen to the voices of those who do not abide in the word. We've been asked to "dialogue", but when Scripture speaks, there is no room for opinion, only obedience.

Billy Sunday, a well-known evangelist from the turn of the 20th century, said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” He knew something we've forgotten. Somewhere along the way, we Christians lost our way by seeking numbers instead of disciples. In the last years of the last century we deteriorated even further and we started just seeking. Seeking individually, within the context of the community of church, but not to be part of a body as much as to be a better self. We were looking for things like our purpose, our happiness, our comfort, our peace, our prosperity. It's not like any of those things are intrinsically bad or are things that God doesn't want us to have. The problem is, He wants us to have so much more! 

We've allowed generations of people to sit in a pew, fill out the roll call, check the right boxes, and call themselves Christians (when they choose to)—all the while allowing them to miss out on discipleship and the Truth that would truly set them free! How tragic. We've fitted the yoke of slavery with pretty decorations and makeshift padding . . . but Christ came to set us free!

I realized the issue isn't "the issue" (fill in the blank with any current social problem). The issue is belonging to and following Christ. Jesus said, "You are My friends, if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). We often hear "But God loves everyone" used in support of whatever pet sin is being defended. Yes, God is love. Yes, God does love everyone. But, let's back up a couple of verses and see how God defines His love. "'This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do what I command you'" (John 15:12-14). Wow. Anyone looking for their own comfort see that coming? Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us, isn't calling us to a life of ease, He's calling us to a life of sacrifice, of others-serving, of self-LESS-ness. He's calling us to life in Him. He's calling us to a life that is real and robust, full of hope and joy. There may be seasons of plenty when we sense our purpose, are happy, are comfortable, enjoy peace—even prosperity. But, there will be seasons when the cold wind howls and all of those things go missing. In those seasons, Christians still have reason to sing for joy because we abide in His word, we are His disciples, we are His friends. We have His promise to remain with us in His final command to us, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18b-20).

Sadly, we have not done a good job of keeping this command. In that sense, we have not been Christ's friends. The issue of not having "unity" in the church is a failure of discipleship. We have not completed the work of Matthew 28:18-20. We have not made disciples.

Unity as an end will always come from one side being willing to "agree to disagree". That kind of "unity" is a false peace soon to deteriorate into discord again. However, unity as a by-product of embracing Truth—that is a unity that will stand to the end.

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1, italics mine).

Love. Perfect.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 4-7, 8a).

"God is love" (1 John 4:8).

"But now faith, hope, love, abide these three, but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Love is eternal. God is love.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end" (Ecclesiastes 3:11, italics mine).

He has come into our hearts by His grace through faith in Christ. We are washed in the waters of baptism to die to self and be raised to new life in Christ. We live the restored life of a heart transplant recipient...we trade ours for His, disease for vitality, stone for flesh.

Love is life-giving. God is love.

I recently reread 1 John 4:18, "...perfect love drives out fear..." and it dawned on me in a new way. I realized I shouldn't fear betrayal, loss, rejection, isolation, or any kind of calamity. These kinds of fear feed on a desire for self-preservation. The more we focus on what they might take away, the more self-absorbed and fearful we become. Incased in this type of fear we can't possibly have the love, and thereby grace or strength, required to overcome. But, there is a singular fear that, if embraced, will lead us to God. 

Psalm 111:10a tells us, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." We're not talking about fearing a tempestuous god with an itchy trigger finger on the "smite button". We're talking about a fear born of the realization that we have all fallen short of His glory and have sinned against Him. We are the guilty defendants. He is the righteous Judge reviewing the air-tight case against us. Fearing His justice and flinging ourselves on His mercy—that sounds like wisdom. With wisdom comes understanding, with understanding comes gratitude, and with gratitude comes love. Real, vibrant, trusting, tested love. 

Love is the strength to overcome. God is love.

As I contemplate all of this, I realize that God is with me and should everything I fear come to pass, even then, God remains. 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).

I gave an accounting of the things I fear and in the final equation, the only thing I truly fear is separation from God. That's the only thing I could not endure in this life or the next—existing apart from Him.

And with that final thought, fearful tears turn to tears of joy. "The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).

God is love. Love wins!

Covered in Christ, we do not have to fear the worst. Instead, we can trust God to bring about His best.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 KJV).

God is love. Perfect love.

All unmarked scripture references taken from the New International Version
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