Unity%20of%20the%20Spirit%20-%20-%20Unity%20in%20Diversity%20Are%20They%20Identical%20in%20Content%20and%20Practice?

1
Unity of the Spirit - - Unity in DiversityAre
They Identical in Content and Practice?

• Psalms 1331 Behold how good and how pleasant it
  is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
• John 1720-21 Jesus prayer
• Pauls instruction 1 Cor. 110
• Eph 41-6 Unity of the Spirit Pauls plea
• Created by the Spirit John 1613
• Takes characteristics from Godhead
• Maintained by brethren in bond of peace

2
Are They Identical in Content and Practice?

• Unity Concept is clear practice is difficult
• Is doctrinal unity possible? Is it of spirit?
• Jude 3 2 Tim 113 2 Tim 41-5 2 Jn 9f
• Acts 242 432 1 Cor 417
• Is fellowship in Man, not plan?
• Gospel vs doctrine actively taught
• Unity based on re-defined terms
• Unity in Diversity Taught as alternative

3
Is Doctrinal Unity Possible?

• If unity is a matter of seeing the Bible eye to
  eye, then believers will never be united, for
  they never have and never will see the Bible
  alike. And if believers ever have been united,
  such as in the early centuries (and other times
  as well) when they died together for their faith,
  it was not because of doctrinal agreement upon
  the Bible but because of their common devotion
  to Jesus Christ (Leroy Garrett, Restoration
  Review, Dec., 1987).

4
Only Unity is Unity in Diversity

• Some of those who mistake conformity for unity
  appear to be startled when they first learn that
  we suggest there may be unity in diversity.
  Actually we go much further than that. We assert
  that if there is any unity at all it must be
  unity in diversity (Carl Ketcherside, The
  Twisted Scriptures, p. 71-72).
• This is historic unity in diversity
• It is tolerant of error and offensive to truth

5
No Doubt About Unity In Diversity

• The implications of all this to unity and
  fellowship are weighty. It means that the gospel
  itself, not our doctrinal interpretations, is the
  basis of our being one in Christ and in
  fellowship with each other. That is, when one
  believes in Jesus and obeys him in baptism, he is
  our brother and in the fellowshipThis is oneness
  and this is unity...

6
Contd...

• That fellowship is strengthened and made joyful
  by doctrine, but it is the gospel and not
  doctrine that determines fellowship In doctrinal
  matters there can be and will be diversity of
  opinion and interpretation. It was so with the
  apostles themselves. But this is good, for we
  stretch each others minds and help each other to
  grow in knowledge in our mutual search for
  truth (Leroy Garrett, Restoration Review, Ch.
  17, pp. 42-46).

7
Grace Covers Sins

• The present frontier is the frontier of a
  grace-based fellowship with all our brothers and
  sisters in Christ. A truth began to dawn on us
  in the 1960s and 70s and increasingly through
  the 1980s. That truth is that Gods grace
  extends not only to our moral imperfections but
  also to our doctrinal short-comings (Gary
  Pearson, Image Magazine, Sept/Oct, 1993, p. 32).

8
What does Unity in Diversity Include?

• There should be room in the Christian fellowship
  for those who believe that Christ is the son of
  God, but who differ on eschatological theories
  such as premillennialism, ecclesiological matters
  such as congregational organization, on
  soteriological matters such as whether baptism is
  for or because of remission of sins (Carrol
  Osburn, The Peaceable Kingdom, 1993, pp 90-91).

9
Right About Christ - Wrong About Doctrine

• What is the basis of ones hope before God? Is
  it not that we sustain a right relationship with
  God through Christ?In other words - if one is
  right about Christ, then that one can be wrong
  about some doctrinal instruction without being
  lost, can he not? (Arnold Harden, The
  Persuader)

10
Historical Meaning ofUnity in Diversity

• Formed basis of new unity movement
• Tolerant of doctrinal differences
• Broadened fellowship to include sectarians
• Eventually excluded baptism as essential to
  salvation
• Havoc created by Ketcherside, Fudge, Hardin, et
  al in march to denominationalism
• Impossible to ignore definition history
• Yet it is taking on new life among brethren

11
Bounds of Christian Unity

• On what basis do we establish the bounds of
  Christian unity? That is the crucial question
  that lies before us. Are individual fellowship
  and congregational unity based on total
  agreement? Historical reality denies that
  unanimity existed in New Testament congregations
  or that it exists today.

12
Contd

• ... Is there, then, a scriptural basis for
  maintaining unity when brethren disagree? If so,
  what are the limits of the concept of unity in
  diversity? (Ed Harrell, The Bounds of
  Christian Unity, Christianity Magazine, March
  1989, p. 6)
• Doctrinal unity did not exist in NT Times
• Doctrinal unity does not exist today
• Therefore we must utilize unity in diversity
• But where are the limits to be found?

13
Romans 14 and Unity in Diversity

• Within certain limits, God grants to Christians
  the right to a private conscience in matters of
  faith. I believe that right is discussed in
  Romans 14. However, whether or not one accepts
  my exegesis of that passage, honest minds must
  acknowledge the reality of a past and present
  Christian world that tolerates contradictory
  teachings and practices on important moral and
  doctrinal questions (Ed Harrell, The Bounds of
  Christian Unity , May, 1990, p. 134).

14
Again...

• It would be less than honest to argue that
  scriptural local churches always exist without
  imperfections and, indeed, without some diversity
  of belief. At least two chapters written by the
  apostle Paul, Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 10
  speak in detail of the proper approach to
  disagreement (Ed Harrell, The Parameters
  of Fellowship, CM , March/April, 1997, p. 20).

15
Unity of the Spirit - - Unity in DiversityTwo
Mindsets

• Obviously, these are contradictory ideas
• Unity of Spirit attempts unity based on thus
  saith the Lord (doctrinal unity)
• Unity in Diversity tolerates important moral and
  doctrinal differences, sinful practices
• Debate began on divorce issues
• Have now broadened to other issues and will
  continue to broaden 2 Tim 313

16
How Will These Mindsets Be Resolved?

• Open discussion, brotherly debate, public and
  private study of Gods word, or...
• Closed journals, cancelled meetings, suspicions
  of one another, character assassinations and
  widening division
• Unity in Diversity now defended as correct
  approach to moral and doctrinal differences.
• Unity in Diversity is a new Hermeneutic!

17
Areas of Defense for Unity in Diversity -
Tradition

• We have practiced unity in diversity in the past
  and should continue to do so.
• Appeals made to notable brethren of past who were
  willing to maintain fellowship on divorce
  disagreements, even premillennialism, etc.
• Earl Kimbrough uses this historical approach to
  encourage brethren to fellowship each other in
  doctrinal disagreements in his booklet How
  Shall We Treat Brethren With Whom We Disagree?
• Cf. Matthew 152-9

18
Areas of Defense for Unity in Diversity -
Inconsistency

• Brethren Halbrook Willis are inconsistent
  since they disagree about mdr.
• Widespread falsehood based on prejudice.
• They do not disagree on the revealed faith one
  man, one woman, for life, with one exception.
  (Each able to speak for himself)
• They agree that the cause must be adultery.
• There are areas of judgment not revealed must
  adultery be in decree? who files first at the
  court house? when does actual divorce occur?

19
Areas of Defense for Unity in Diversity - You
Practice What we Practice

• No, we practice unity of the Spirit others
  practice unity in diversity
• Fellowship in differences of authorized liberty
  Rom 14 (things clean, good, pure )
• Unity in matters of the faith Jude 3 1 Cor
  110 2 Tim 113 1 Pt 411 2 Tim. 41-5 1
  Cor 417 everywhere in every church
• Discipline (patience) toward error Eph 411-16
• Unity in diversity is open-ended and on-going
  fellowship with error. This is different!

20
Areas of Defense for Unity in Diversity -
Accentuate the Positive - Eliminate the Negative

• A stated thematic of Christianity Magazine
  defended, practiced, and never retracted
• Does not allow whole counsel Acts 2027
• Restricts examination of public error 2 Tim
  42 reprove, rebuke, exhort
• Labels sound preaching as offensive Jn 659ff
• Continued use of writers who publicly defended
  error accentuate the positive
• Refuse examination of error eliminate the
  negative

21
Areas of Defense for Unity in Diversity - Rom 14

• RESOLVED The scriptures (including Romans 14)
  teach that ongoing fellowship may exist between
  Christians who believe each other are practicing
  moral and doctrinal error (for example, different
  practices and teaching regarding divorce and
  remarriage). (Internet message to Jeff Smith,
  Sept. 1999, from Jack Holt, Richardson, TX).

22
Areas of Defense Rom 14 - Contd

• Now the fellow who thought it could be a sin to
  eat those meats had to look at the other fellow
  and think he was sinning. Had to. In Rome, the
  fellow who thought it was a sin to eat any kind
  of meat would have thought you sinned if you ate
  a piece of meat. And yet Paul taught them that
  they should accept one another. (Bob Owen, We
  Differ, Can We Fellowship? Concord, NC., Feb.
  19, 1995).
• Basis for fellowship with sinful practice

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Text and Context of Romans 14

• Text Clean, good, pure, vv. 14, 16, 20
• Context
• Rom 1311-14 no fellowship with moral sins
• Rom 1617-17 no fellowship with doctrinal sins
• But unity in diversity demands fellowship with
  contradictory teachings and practices on
  important moral and doctrinal questions
• UID demands an on-going and never-ending
  fellowship with sinful practices. Are you ready
  for that? It is an open door for Satan!

24
If All Watchdogs Died Today -Unity in
Diversity Remains Active

• If we are doing it wrong, who else is going to
  step up and battle this error?
• The divorce issue (and others) and fellowship
  with those who promote it is alive and well
• Looking beyond character assassination and
  personal attacks, there is a battle to be fought
• The sword of the Spirit Eph 617 is unsheathed
  and must be used 2 Tim 23
• It is our time under the sun and we must not
  shirk our responsibility