Unity and important for Christians and the church. But what unifies us and what causes some divisions?

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What Unifies Believers?

We are united by and around the person of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

1. Jesus Christ is THE Savior (one and only).

2. Jesus Christ character: always existed, took on flesh and blood, born of a virgin, was fully God and fully man, obeyed the law perfectly, was crucified as a sinless Savior, died, and rose again.

3. Jesus Christ is preeminent: superior

   1. Christ is superior because He has always existed

   2. Christ is superior because He created all things and He created them for Himself

   3. Christ is superior because He is holy/sinless

   4. Christ is superior because He is head of the Church

   5. Christ is superior because He had dominion over death

4. Jesus Christ saves the wretched (which we all were – Ephesians 2:1-10)

5. Jesus Christ saves us into the Body of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22)

6. All believers have the Holy Spirit sealing us for redemption

What Does NOT Unify Believers?

1. Lies

2. Progressive agenda

3. Self- help and a self worship

4. Greed, idolatry, sexual sin

5. Darkness

6. Any sin!

If the church or a christian is embracing or accepting things that are not biblical, that depart from historic orthodox Christianity and depart from foundational truths like the atonement for sins through Christ’s blood alone, and that everyone is born sinful in need of a savior, there will be division.

Why Does Jesus Pray for us to be One?

This is Jesus’s prayer of unity:

John 17:20-23

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Unity of believers testifies to the glory and power of the Savior who was sent to die for sinners. It testifies to the love of God for those who repent of sin. Unity is a testimony of the ONE Savior and ONE Gospel. And we are unified in Christ and around Christ and because of Christ.

Watch out for Syncretism

Syncretism is a blending, or combining or attempt to combine different religions, cultures, schools of thought together.

Some Christians, for many reasons, but one of them being a fear of being decisive or unloving (because the new definition of loving is acceptance and endorsement), have combined other beliefs that have nothing to do with true biblical Christianity. But when we do this, we are distorting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and really what is being put forth to the world under the name Christianity, has moved away from the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hold The Line

Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

What accord has Christ with Belial (Satan)? 2 Corinthians 6:15

Resources

(amazon links are affiliate links)

SPF 083: The Preeminence of Christ and How it Changes Us: sheprovesfaithful.com/podcast/episode83

SPF 084: How to Accurately Interpret Scripture Part 1 : sheprovesfaithful.com/podcast/episode84

SPF 085: How to Accurately Interpret Scripture Part 2 : sheprovesfaithful.com/podcast/episode85

Progressive Christianity 101 Alisa Childers: https://www.alisachilders.com/blog/progressive-christianity-101-what-you-need-to-know

Top Five New Age Beliefs Melissa Daughtery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCDbO8Lc5NU

Books