Title: UNITY AND DIVERSITY
Focus: The unity and diversity (especially as that diversity results in disunity) confront Christians with a challenge: How to make the unity of the Church visible in a broken world?
Function: To encourage the people to affirm the unity of God’s Church, while working with the distinctives of Christian communities in such a way that we live a life worthy of our calling.
Text: Ephesians 4:1-16
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers,” so says the Apostle Paul in II Cor. 6:14. Historically, the Christian church has applied this injunction in the context of marriage. Thus we hear the Scriptures say that Christians should marry Christians. Two Christians, yoked together in the covenant of marriage, have a much better opportunity to live a life worthy of the calling Christians have received.
Many of us here today grew up with a narrower interpretation of II Cor. 6:14. Roman Catholics, for example, exhorted their members to marry in the Roman Catholic faith alone. So did Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Lutherans, and Methodists and Baptists and yes, Christian Reformed Church members—each group of Christians stressing to find marriage partners within their own distinctive community of faith.
Remember the days when parents and grandparents got into a “tizzy” when members of their family (who were CRC, for example) would marry someone from the “other church—“the Reformed Church in town? J
Today, things have changed. Most Christian parents are already glad when their offspring marry other Christians, regardless of the denomination or faith community. And today there is a far greater display of charity and openness toward other churches and denominations than ever before. And with good reasons: in a secular and increasingly pagan environment with anti-Christian values and mores, Christians from all stripes are trying to find commonalities that help them to stay united and strong in the world.
Today’s Scripture reading points to the unity of the Christian church, and it addresses the diversity of spiritual gifts and abilities among Christians. The unity we affirm and the diversity we uphold (but especially the diversity as it results in disunity) confronts us with a challenge: how to make the unity of the church visible in a broken world?
This is a complex question, and I will not pretend that I have all the answers. Tonight, however, I want to encourage us all to affirm the unity of God’s church, while working with the distinctives of Christian communities in such a way that we live a life worthy of our calling.
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We shall begin by considering the four movements of thought in Ephesians 4:1-16. Broadly speaking (cf. J. Stott), in chapters 1:1-2:10, we notice that the Apostle Paul talks about the new life in Christ. In chapters 2:11-3:21, Paul speaks about the new society (the church); and in chapter 4 all the way through chapter 5:21 Paul focuses on the new standards that belong to the church. Thus Ephesians 4:1-16 holds before us a way of living and behaving as members of the Christian church.
In chapter 2 Paul refers to the Christian church with terms such as “the one new man,” the “one body,” “God’s people,” “God’s household,” a “building,” and a “holy temple in the Lord.” Christians join this new society or community of faith through faith in Christ as marked in baptism. And by joining the church and being a part of the church, we are responding to a calling each Christian receives—the calling to be a vibrant and vital part of God’s church
And thus the Apostle Paul sets the stage in chapter 4 by writing: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” The first verse in chapter 4 makes up the first movement of thought in the text. Paul is preparing his readers to live and work together in unity and in spiritual maturity by embracing and taking seriously the calling we have received. This is the first movement of thought: live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Verses 2 and 3 explain to us what is needed in terms of Christian behavior or attitude. Listen: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” In other words, Christians must learn to produce a number of distinctly Christian graces or virtues: humility and gentleness for example; patience and forbearance; mutual love for each other (Elsewhere, in Romans 14, we learn that Christians owe each other the debt of love. Paul says: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law”).
What is also needed in order to live and work together in unity and to grow together into spiritual maturity is an earnest striving. Listen: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” So, the display of Christian virtues and efforts to keep the unity of the Spirit in the church are Paul’s concern in this second movement of thought.
Verses 4-6 make up the next movement of Paul’s thought. I will say more about these verses a little later in my message. But Paul is basically saying that the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is one God, who has only one church. As God is indivisible, so is his church, even though on earth, in this broken world, the oneness of the church is hardly visible. In fact, the diversity of faith communities leads to the obvious conclusion that the visible church of God is highly divided.
This indivisible unity, however, is what we must keep in mind at all times: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Having addressed Christians in a collective sense, as the church, Paul then develops his next movement of thought in verses 9-16. In verses 1-8 he speaks collectively; in verses 9-16, however, Paul sheds light on members individually, and especially on the grace of the Holy Spirit, gifting each and every member of the church individually, so that the church may grow strong and healthy.
Thus the movement of Paul’s thoughts flows as follows:
(vs. 1) Christians have received a calling as they belong to the church. (vs. 2-3) Christians, therefore, must demonstrate certain behaviors or virtues. (vs.4-6) Christians must keep in mind the indivisible unity of God’s church and strive to make that unity visible in a broken world. (vs.7-16) Christians must graciously accept the diversity of spiritual giftedness within the church, so that the church may grow strong and spiritually mature in Christ. These are the four movements of thoughts.
Now I want to focus on vs. 4-6, where Paul emphasizes the indivisible unity of God’s church. Pastor/theologian John Stott, in his commentary, points out that Paul works with a Trinitarian framework. That is, Paul alludes to the three Persons of the Trinity (one Spirit, verse 4; one Lord, verse 5; and one God and Father of us all, verse 6.
This one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—works in and unifies and builds the church universal. Listen: “There is one body and one Spirit” (The Spirit brings about, holds together, builds up the church).
“—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” (The Lord Jesus is the object of faith, hope, and baptism of Christians. It is Jesus Christ in whom we have believed, Jesus Christ into whom we have been baptized, and Jesus Christ for whose coming we wait with expectant hope) (cf. Stott).
And there is “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (God the Father has only one “household,” one “people,” one “temple in which he dwells today.” It’s the church).
Just as the triune God is indivisible, unified as one God, so is the church of God: United and, in the mind of God and from God’s perspective, one. Christians must uphold and affirm this truth as Biblical teaching by which we must live and demonstrate our calling as members of the church of God.
Of course, this truth raises a number of difficult (and, yes, embarrassing) questions for the church today: What about all these different faith communities and denominations in the world? Where do we see today a visible expression of the indivisible church?
We see diversity if not disunity. In this broken world, we see also broken churches. Surely, the disunity and broken bonds between Christian churches point to a failure to live up to this undeniable Biblical teaching: in the mind of God, from his perspective, the church is indivisible, one, united as the body of Christ.
In response to these questions, I make two observations: (1) The disunity or negative diversity we see among Christian communities or churches underscores that Christians are not yet perfected. This is not a “cop out” or excuse for the disunity of the church here on earth; rather it is a demonstrable fact that Christians are “under construction.”
We are being built, being sanctified, being shaped and formed over time, throughout history, into the body of Christ. Individual Christians are broken vessels, being mended by the Holy Spirit, and in need of daily healing and correction. In this broken world we fail to reach that perfection that is God’s alone. But the day will come when the indivisible unity of God’s people will become a visible manifestation for all to see and enjoy.
(2) The apostle Paul recognized our frailty and imperfect status when he said (vs. 3) “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” On the one hand, we note that Paul stresses the indivisible unity of God’s church. On the other hand, we also note Paul’s realization that Christians must strive to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. That is, the unity of the church from God’s perspective can only be made visible here on earth when we do our share of keeping the unity of the Spirit.
With our heads we are able to affirm the unity of God’s church; but in our attitudes and behavior we can only strive to maintain the unity. Affirming that unity, however, we must—because Scripture says so; and striving or making every effort to make that unity visible we also must do. Therefore, I say: let’s affirm the unity of God’s church, while working with the distinctives of Christian communities in such a way that we live a life worthy of our calling.
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So here’s my question for you: Does striving for the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace—a unity that needs to be reflected in the church—mean that the CRC should give up its distinctives and become a generic community of faith—a community where Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and you name it—will say: “This is my spiritual home, that teaches the full Word of God”?
I don’t think so. I don’t think that is possible in our broken world. What is possible, however, is this: Christians from all persuasions can express first order convictions. Second order convictions, however, are expressed by groups of Christians who see things from Scripture differently.
First order convictions (cf. Bob Webber) unite all Christians who find life and salvation in Jesus Christ. That’s where we start: in Christ. And then all Christians will affirm and insist together that we
Most Christians will affirm these convictions; they unite us.
Second order convictions
tend to distinguish and sometimes divide Christians. Second order convictions include insistence or demand for such things as
a. having a particular
experience (ex. Born-again eperience, a radical conversion)
b. belonging to a
particular denomination (ex. to the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, or a Protestant Church)
c. following a set of
rules (ex. I don’t drink; smoke, or dance)
d.
believing in a specific
system of thought (I
follow John Wesley; I follow Martin Luther, Augustine, or John Calvin)
When Christians stress first order convictions, we find a common unity; when we elevate second order convictions to first order status, we distinguish ourselves from each other.
In pursuing the mission of our church and in doing my task as a pastor, I find myself adopting this approach today: affirm the unity of God’s church, while working with the distinctives of Christian communities in such a way that we live a life worthy of our calling.
Thus I believe that it is good for the Christian Reformed Church, too, to be authentic in her faith and doctrine; to be true to who we are as a Christian community, and at the same time affirm with all Christians first order convictions. Thus we strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit who lives in the one, indivisible church of God.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.