Christian unity- what is it? It's one of those terms that gets used an awful lot. Sometimes biblically and sometimes not. Do Christians have biblical grounds for calling out other teachers for error, whether it be doctrinal or behavioral? Or is that being "divisive?" Well, I guess that depends on how people are defining "unity" and "divisive." A large part of the problem in Christianity is that words and terms gert re-defined (usually on a subjective level) and therefore lose their biblical meaning. Think I'm overstating my case? Take a look at how Rob Bell defines "love" and then how he defines "hell." Not biblical at all. But some would say that maybe I'm being divisive and not showing Christian "unity" in calling out Bell. Back to my original point.
Paul's point here is simple. Gentiles are inlcuded in God's plan of salvation for man. Both Jew and Gentile are partakers of the promise through the substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. There is unity and the Apostle makes it even clearer in Eph. 4. There is no unity outside of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If then this is the case, why is it that there can be such a backlash from people, when the likes of Rob Bell are exposed? Clearly he preaches a different gospel and as a result is under the curse of Gal. 1:8-9. To point out the fact that he is - there is no soft way to say it - a false teacher is comletely biblical and commanded in Scripture (Rom. 1:17-18) Is Rob Bell a nice guy? I'm sure he is but that is not the issue. The believers that are exposing him did not wake up one day and decide to "hate" Rob Bell. No, but Rob Bell did decide one day to launch an all out assault on the Lord Jesus Christ. Those of us calling him out are are simply doing what we have been told to do in Scripture:
False teachers are free to teach whatever they wish (they will be held accountable for it) but they are not free to call it Christianity! Yet this is where their defenders come along. They are offended that other Christians would call out their favorite teachers or teachers they like and have used. They would have us call goats (unbelievers) sheep (believers)! Yet the issue here is not unity but disunity. We are not united with apostates. Period. I suppose the objecters want us to be "nice' about it. Yet, that was never the response from Christ nor the apostles to false teachers. When you deal lightly with fasle doctrine, people will take it lightly. I believe that is why Paul was so harsh with the Galatians- calling them idiots (Gal. 3:1), when they tolerated the "false brethren' and allowing themsleves to be duped by a return to the Law. So my friends unity can only be in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What about those in the body that we have secondary disagreements with? Is it disunity to call them out when they error in doctrine or unfairly portray another's theological viewpoint? Well, this is a different issue altogether. Unity in the Gospel demands that we hold one another accountable. If an individual is teaching or refuting a theological position publicly (it matters not if the immediate audience is Christian or not) they have a responsibility to fairly and accurately represent their opponents view point. If this is not maintained, even if it is deliberate or not, they have become the ones guilty of causing division. And their opponents are free to refute and call them on it in the public realm. This is not a Matt. 18 situation (where it is a personal sin committed by one believer to another). Paul certainly had no qualms about calling Peter on the carpet when Peter played the hypocrite (Gal. 3:11-14)! In fact, he confronted Peter face to face (because he had the opportunity) and before "them all." Was Paul being divisive? No, Peter was and Paul called him on it because Peter's behavior was leading others astray. This is similar to holding those accountable, when they misrepresent others and lead fellow believers on the wrong path.
And there is certainly nothing wrong in using polemics. In fact, if you think polemics is "divisive" then you're probably going to have a very difficult time reading the Bible, since it is highly polemical. I concur with George Whitefield- "I will not be a velvet mouthed preacher!"
Let be sure that we understand what Christian unity is and that we hold the responsible parties accountable when they cause division(s) by misrepresentation.
Christian unity is centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Eph 3:1–6).
Exposing false teachers is not limited to Rob Bell. The list is long, very long. The difference between false teachers and brothers that we have disagreements with is, that the false teachers have proven themselves to be apostates and are to be treated as such. They have become enemies of the Gospel. The biblical name for that is- "wolves in sheep's clothing."3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (Jud 3–4).
False teachers are free to teach whatever they wish (they will be held accountable for it) but they are not free to call it Christianity! Yet this is where their defenders come along. They are offended that other Christians would call out their favorite teachers or teachers they like and have used. They would have us call goats (unbelievers) sheep (believers)! Yet the issue here is not unity but disunity. We are not united with apostates. Period. I suppose the objecters want us to be "nice' about it. Yet, that was never the response from Christ nor the apostles to false teachers. When you deal lightly with fasle doctrine, people will take it lightly. I believe that is why Paul was so harsh with the Galatians- calling them idiots (Gal. 3:1), when they tolerated the "false brethren' and allowing themsleves to be duped by a return to the Law. So my friends unity can only be in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What about those in the body that we have secondary disagreements with? Is it disunity to call them out when they error in doctrine or unfairly portray another's theological viewpoint? Well, this is a different issue altogether. Unity in the Gospel demands that we hold one another accountable. If an individual is teaching or refuting a theological position publicly (it matters not if the immediate audience is Christian or not) they have a responsibility to fairly and accurately represent their opponents view point. If this is not maintained, even if it is deliberate or not, they have become the ones guilty of causing division. And their opponents are free to refute and call them on it in the public realm. This is not a Matt. 18 situation (where it is a personal sin committed by one believer to another). Paul certainly had no qualms about calling Peter on the carpet when Peter played the hypocrite (Gal. 3:11-14)! In fact, he confronted Peter face to face (because he had the opportunity) and before "them all." Was Paul being divisive? No, Peter was and Paul called him on it because Peter's behavior was leading others astray. This is similar to holding those accountable, when they misrepresent others and lead fellow believers on the wrong path.
And there is certainly nothing wrong in using polemics. In fact, if you think polemics is "divisive" then you're probably going to have a very difficult time reading the Bible, since it is highly polemical. I concur with George Whitefield- "I will not be a velvet mouthed preacher!"
Let be sure that we understand what Christian unity is and that we hold the responsible parties accountable when they cause division(s) by misrepresentation.
For His Glory,
Fernando
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