Ecumenicalism Unity.
Fellowship is a fact, it should not be included in doctrines or creeds or institutions or rituals, it is to be experienced.
As we make fellowship the center of Christian faith, creeds and institutions or the like will not be essential or the central element of our unity, our unity is to be under girded by love. We are united in His love which we are to express towards people.
This may seem very vague and uncertain to those who want some outward sign as the proof of ones being a Believers in unity or the outward conformity of agreement; but all who have any real degree of experience know that in the daily life of a believer it is the love of God that makes unity very real and practical.
At present there are all the sects and denominations standing side by side. Each thinks that theirs is the only true faith, or at least the most correct expression of it. Each believes it is their duty to convert others to their faith. They put large "labels" on themselves, showing the special points of their faith. They advertise their own brand of Christianity to get as many converts as possible. They put special weight and importance on their doctrines or special creeds, making them as conspicuous as possible. They condemn the “goods” of other "dealers" as of inferior quality and admonish people not to buy them.
Thus, on the Christian market the different brands are competing with each other in their selling their wares, just like businesses in the world. Sometimes they may have joint campaigns against extreme faiths, but finally they are not satisfied until each boasts of its own superiority over the others. In this way the churches can never have true unity, however much they may say they want it.
On the other hand, unity is quite possible if Believers simply live in fellowship with God and with Christ, as we realize that variety will, in many cases, make the life in the Body of Christ complete and abundant, as we mature as the Body of Christ in growth.
In taking this attitude we shall never be puffed up in our faith and thus shall be able to keep the admonition of Paul to Philippi: "If there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the saints, if any affection and sympathy, fulfill my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing through strife and vainglory, but in humility of mind esteem others better than yourselves. Let each of us not look on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:1-3).
Unity of the Body of Christ can be realized only in this attitude of love, forbearing each other, respecting the special gifts of others, and thus perfecting the Body of Christ. We must abandon the attitude that "orthodoxy is my-doxy and heterodoxy is thy-doxy" and unite in loving fellowship with God and Christ.
Then as Paul says, "Speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole Body joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, according to the working of every part in its measure, causes the increase of the Body for the building up of itself in love" (Eph. 4:15-16. See also Col. 2:19).
This is the real unity of the Body of Christ. Since it is an organism, there is no human method of producing it. Life as an organism has its source in life and not in any organization. As long as Christians think of themselves in as an institution, there can be no unity in Christ. The churches in their present state can never be united, because their very existence is based on the principle of division in the attempt to limit fellowship and visibly distinguish faith.
Is not the true Body of Christ already united, because its very existence is based on the fact of an already existing unity? That unity is the glorious unity of our all being one Body in Christ, which Body, by its very life, is in constant communion with the living Christ. If we see this simple and wonderful truth, let us let go of everything else including our experience in religion with its various forms so it can dissipate and disappear so the Church of Jesus Christ will again be seen in society.
As we make fellowship the center of Christian faith, creeds and institutions or the like will not be essential or the central element of our unity, our unity is to be under girded by love. We are united in His love which we are to express towards people.
This may seem very vague and uncertain to those who want some outward sign as the proof of ones being a Believers in unity or the outward conformity of agreement; but all who have any real degree of experience know that in the daily life of a believer it is the love of God that makes unity very real and practical.
At present there are all the sects and denominations standing side by side. Each thinks that theirs is the only true faith, or at least the most correct expression of it. Each believes it is their duty to convert others to their faith. They put large "labels" on themselves, showing the special points of their faith. They advertise their own brand of Christianity to get as many converts as possible. They put special weight and importance on their doctrines or special creeds, making them as conspicuous as possible. They condemn the “goods” of other "dealers" as of inferior quality and admonish people not to buy them.
Thus, on the Christian market the different brands are competing with each other in their selling their wares, just like businesses in the world. Sometimes they may have joint campaigns against extreme faiths, but finally they are not satisfied until each boasts of its own superiority over the others. In this way the churches can never have true unity, however much they may say they want it.
On the other hand, unity is quite possible if Believers simply live in fellowship with God and with Christ, as we realize that variety will, in many cases, make the life in the Body of Christ complete and abundant, as we mature as the Body of Christ in growth.
In taking this attitude we shall never be puffed up in our faith and thus shall be able to keep the admonition of Paul to Philippi: "If there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the saints, if any affection and sympathy, fulfill my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing through strife and vainglory, but in humility of mind esteem others better than yourselves. Let each of us not look on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:1-3).
Unity of the Body of Christ can be realized only in this attitude of love, forbearing each other, respecting the special gifts of others, and thus perfecting the Body of Christ. We must abandon the attitude that "orthodoxy is my-doxy and heterodoxy is thy-doxy" and unite in loving fellowship with God and Christ.
Then as Paul says, "Speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole Body joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, according to the working of every part in its measure, causes the increase of the Body for the building up of itself in love" (Eph. 4:15-16. See also Col. 2:19).
This is the real unity of the Body of Christ. Since it is an organism, there is no human method of producing it. Life as an organism has its source in life and not in any organization. As long as Christians think of themselves in as an institution, there can be no unity in Christ. The churches in their present state can never be united, because their very existence is based on the principle of division in the attempt to limit fellowship and visibly distinguish faith.
Is not the true Body of Christ already united, because its very existence is based on the fact of an already existing unity? That unity is the glorious unity of our all being one Body in Christ, which Body, by its very life, is in constant communion with the living Christ. If we see this simple and wonderful truth, let us let go of everything else including our experience in religion with its various forms so it can dissipate and disappear so the Church of Jesus Christ will again be seen in society.
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