Sunday, October 09, 2005
In a world of more than 22,000 Christian denominations, sects, groups, etc., how important it is for believers to do our part, making every effort to keep Christian unity. To my mind, that does not mean unity at all costs, however. Christians must certainly hold to sound biblical doctrine (Scripture exhorts us to do so), while at the same time remembering that there is but one body and one faith. As a Christian who stands within the Reformed tradition, I believe that the Reformed understanding of salvation is by far the most biblically sound. Moreover, I have no trouble in affirming with Abraham Kuyper that Calvinism "means the completed evolution of Protestantism, resulting in a both higher and richer stage of human development" (Lectures on Calvinism, p. 41).
On the other hand, I have so much to learn from other expressions of Christianity--for instance, the Pentecostal emphasis on life in the Spirit and the evangelistic emphasis of my Baptist brethren. In fact, I would even go so far to say that there is much to learn from Eastern Orthodoxy. I am thinking here of their exalted and majestic view of God, a view that is often lacking in evangelical circles. We evangelicals are known for our chummy God-talk and a "buddy-buddy" relationship (from our point of view!) with the Almighty. Surely one of the pressing needs of the hour is the recovery of a biblical understanding of God's holiness and transcending awesomeness.
Anyway, these are just a few of my disjointed ramblings on Christian unity! I realize I have much work to do in the area of making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
The big picture of Rome/Orthodoxy/Reformed bothers me, but even at the smaller level this exists. How carefully all the little presbyterian denominations distinguish themselves from each other!
I remember reading about a denomination split in Edith Schaeffer's "The Tapestry" where one church member told the Schaeffer's "You're not reformed." I can only imagine that being said in a condescending, slightly nasal voice. Come on! If even we presbyterians can't get along, I have little hope for the larger & faithful church bodies.
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