Everest: The Ascent Toward Unity

I appeal to you brothers by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 

that all of you agree, that there be no divisions among you, 

but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.    

I Corinthians 1:10

Have you ever considered the vast differences that potentially exist between us on any given Sunday? 

How we were reared with our innate values and fears.

How we are hardwired with our nuanced personalities, quirks, and passions. 

From different socio-economic levels to political ideologies, we’re different. 

From educational backgrounds to theological ideologies, we’re different. 

From personal convictions and opinions to personal tastes, we’re different. 

Some carry unfathomable life tragedy, others seem unscathed.  

Some are infants in Christ, others are more mature.

While the possibilities of what differentiates us are endless our aim is singular.  Gospel-centered, Christ exalting, interpersonal unity is the divinely established standard.  And while the church faces many trials and challenges, there is but one Everest: we are to unite.  

Gratefully, in I Corinthians 1-4 Paul provides solid footing for our ascent:

1. Unite in the power of Christ’s cross (1:18-2:5)
2. Unite in the depth of Christ’s mind (2:6-3:23)
3. Unite under the authority of Christ’s apostles (4:1-21)

Truthfully.  The climb toward unity is daunting and the temptation to settle for lesser expressions is great.  After all, why climb the mountain when we can simply snap selfies at it's base and grab souvenirs from the gift shop?  Why invest all the emotional energy and spiritual discipline necessary when easier substitutes exist?

Indeed, alternatives to God-honoring unity abound.  Think about it.  As the Spirit seeks to cultivate supernatural unity in the church, be assured the enemy has created knock-offs.  

Utilizing the psychosocial phenomena of large groups, the Spirit works to form collective identity, meaning, and belonging.  Through the regular preaching of God's word, the administration of the ordinances, and the offering of public praise and worship, the Spirit moves throughout the collective whole.  In the end, this unity exemplifies trinitarian doctrine and function - as Jesus prayed we are to be united as the Father and Son! (John 17:20-23) 

Similarly, the enemy can take the exact same phenomena and create substitutes.  Alternatives to biblical unity that feel authentic but ultimately lack the depth of God’s design.  These substitutes are shallow and susceptible to splintering and fragmentation.  Often rather than doing the hard work of uniting, these choose uniformity rather than genuine, biblical unity.  In fact, as we’ll see below, the Corinthians succumbed to the cultural practices of their day and settled for an unfortunate alternative (1:10-17).  

In the days ahead, we'll explore the three aforementioned footholds but for the moment I'd encourage us to exercise biblical discernment as we consider the possibility of counterfeits.  Simply put, what are potential alternatives to the Christ-exalting congregational unity set forth in I Corinthians 1:10?    

While this is list certainly isn't exhaustive, I'd offer the following:  

We unite around figureheads.  These bonds are built upon a particular preacher’s charisma and/or skill set (1:11-12).  A core threat to the “cult of personality” is reflective questioning.  The system, or more grievous the leader, discourages such inquiries often perceiving them as ungrounded challenges. 

We unite around preferential norms.  These bonds are built upon common cultural faith experiences and expressions.  A culture’s nuances provide a familiar sense of sanctity to those within the system.  A core threat is the idea of change.

We unite around nuanced doctrinal statements.  These bonds are primarily built upon particular systems of theology rather than the gospel.  A core threat is the theological diversity reflected in the universal body of Christ.    

We unite around excitement.  These bonds are built upon that which is either new and/or captivating.  Whether upbeat worship, the newest and largest building project, creative marketing, or the latest ministry fad this manner of unity craves anticipation and stimulation.  A core threat is the perceived monotony of daily church life.  

We unite around busyness.  These bonds are built upon cluttered calendars and accomplished tasks.  Consider Martha serving in the kitchen, what holds these bonds together is the achievement gleaned from “doing the Lord’s work.”  This degree of unity is susceptible to being defined by productivity, what “we do” is more important than who “we are”.  The one who rests is often seen as slacking.  Accordingly a core threat is the necessary “no”.   

Biblical discernment is crucial.
Substitutes do provide something but they're lacking.
Be honest about our bonds, much is at stake.
Paul gave us distinct pathways to tread.
Let's get ready to climb!

Grace and Peace