A Case for Unity

By Jerry Cisar

"No kingdom has ever had as many civil wars as the kingdom of Christ." (Charles Baron de Montesquieu, 1721) 

Disunity among churches is not unique in our generation, and sadly it still harms the church’s witness to the world. Christ Jesus Himself pointed out that a kingdom divided against itself will come to ruin (Matt 12:25 and parallels). It isn’t revolutionary to suggest that division in the church has severely damaged the church’s witness in the world.  

How can the Gospel be credible to the world? 

Well-known missionary and missiologist of the late 20th century, Lesslie Newbigin, described what he believed was most significant for the Gospel to have an impact in the world at large as the “Christian congregation.” He asks, “How is it possible that the gospel should be credible, that people should come to believe that the power which has the last word in human affairs is represented by a man hanging on a cross?” The answer to that question is central to why the church exists. 

Newbigin answers the question: “I am suggesting that the only answer, the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it” (Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralistic Society, 227). What does it mean that “the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a congregation of men and women who believe it and live by it”? A hermeneutic is a method of interpretation or understanding.  

Newbigin is suggesting that the church (in its various gatherings) is the grid through which people outside the church will try to understand the gospel. For example, when we speak of how Christ gave himself up for us, the world should have some sense of what it looks like for people to give themselves up for another. When we talk about Christ’s command to love one another, onlookers should think, “I know what that looks like. I see you doing it.” When we say Christ died for His enemies, they might understand that because they see the church as people who love their enemies. The list could go on.  

In relation to unity, we could say that when the world sees Christians unable to unite in their love of Christ for the benefit of others, there is nothing that helps the world understand how the Gospel breaks down “the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph. 2:14) between people who would otherwise not relate together in love. If we can work together, then they begin to see Jesus up close and personal.  

How can a united church transform the church’s witness? 

I agree with Newbigin and it seems reasonable to offer that “the only answer, the only hermeneutic of the gospel” is not only a congregation, but congregations united as one to accomplish the work of Christ in a particular place. Jesus said as much.  

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23 NIV) 

Let’s get this straight. The unity of Jesus’ disciples is essential to the world believing two things. First that the Father has sent Jesus and second that the Father has loved Jesus’ disciples as much as He loved Jesus. In a day and age when many might say, “I like Jesus, but I don’t like His church,” Jesus wants the world to know that the Father loves the church as much as He loves Jesus. How will they know? When the church is brought to complete unity.  

It is worth considering the value of unity from a strategic or even pragmatic vantage point. One can make the case that unity is vital because we can accomplish exponentially more in unity than we can divided. Or one can say that it just makes better strategic sense to work together in addressing major issues in the community. But before these, and even if it made no pragmatic sense, we must seek true unity as Christ’s disciples because it makes a radical difference in our witness to the world. It changes their understanding of who Jesus is (sent by the Father) and what God thinks of the church (loved by God as much as Jesus).