(This is a chapter from my book: Where to find the Glory of Jesus Christ)         

          I, along with the church fathers, believe only in the biblical view of unity and feel that today's false idea of unity at the cost of truth is one of the most successful employments of the devil to cause many to stray from the true faith in Christ. I know from reading the Bible that the "truth will set you free" from sin, into the everlasting freedom of enjoying Christ Jesus. That's why John Calvin, in the earlier quote, was dumbfounded that certain people, while still standing on ground that wasn't quite dry from the blood of Martin Luther and others, would so soon toss this truth that the reformers died for (that is, the truth of free justification by the grace of God) in the name of unity. God told us to be loving, but not tolerant toward error.

I am amazed at how many people say that Jesus was all about love and "tolerance." If this is true, then why did they kill Jesus? If Jesus was tolerant toward all people, then they would never have killed Him. He was very loving, compassionate, and patient, but at the same time He claimed to be God and commanded all to repent and joyfully submit to His lordship. Luke 19:27 says, "But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me." In some ways Jesus can be looked upon as temporarily tolerant, but not as tolerant in the fullest sense. I like to use purely biblical words; therefore, since the Bible says that "patience" is a Divine attribute (Romans 15:5, "Now may the God of patience"), I feel more comfortable saying that Christ is patient and longsuffering than I do saying that He is "tolerant." The main definition of "tolerant" in the dictionary is to be tolerant of other people's beliefs, which is quite the opposite of what Jesus did. Jesus is not ultimately tolerant. The reality of hell proves He is not.

          The Bible tells Christians to be "longsuffering" (Col. 3:12). We are not to be tolerant of people's beliefs if they are contrary to Jesus Christ. Paul said he "warned" (Col. 1:28) every man, not tolerated every man. We could say that we are to be temporarily tolerant, but I see such phrases as adding confusion, because God is not absolutely tolerant of these things in the end. Thus I say that God is longsuffering and patient, but not ultimately tolerant. I believe, on a subject like this, that as long as close attention to detail is observed, with humility, we will be able to clearly see the truth. We may look at the examples of scripture for the truth of this matter. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul told the elders of Corinth to kick a man out of the church. The man was committing horrific sexual acts with other church members. Paul says, "That he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you...I have already judged him...deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus...purge out the old leaven" (1 Cor. 5: 2-7). This is as far from tolerant as one can get, but Paul was only doing what his Master and Lord had told him to do: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod" (Mark 8:15). Unlike many today, Paul honored the wisdom of Jesus Christ. He also wrote, "Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33, NASB), again repeating this truth.

          "But," you may object, "I thought Christ said to love your enemies." That is true, and may we all, by the power of the Holy Spirit, live out that command to the glory of Jesus Christ. But let's investigate this further. In 2 Timothy 4:14, Paul writes, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works." Here, Paul is praying that "much harm"be repaid to this man, for he harmed Paul and, more importantly, "greatly resisted our words" (4:15). This man was not only harming Paul personally, but was resisting the gospel and most likely, therefore, hindering other people from believing the truth. It is for this latter reason that Paul prayed God would repay the "much harm" done. How does this fit with loving our enemies? First, you can be loving to your enemy by being gentle to him in your words and character and still pray as Paul did toward him. In this case, I believe it goes one level deeper. Understand, it is one thing for a person to cause you personal harm or general problems in life, thus becoming your enemy. But biblically, there seems to be a distinction made when a person actually and willfully hinders other people from entering into the kingdom of God. This man in the Corinthian church was doing so by committing horrific sexual acts, thus hindering people by making that which is an abomination to God look good or common. Another example is the people corrupting pure doctrine in the Galatian church, of whom Paul said he wished they would "mutilate themselves" (Gal. 5:12, NASB). Christ charged the leadership of the church to "tend my sheep" (John 21:17, NASB). At times they, like Christ, for the sake of the purity of His bride, must rebuke those "whose mouths must be stopped" (Titus 1:10), and must at times even kick people out of the church and give them to Satan, or pray that "much harm" be repaid to those who are willful enemies of the cross. In Matthew 18:6, Jesus said that "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

        "So, I think it will be worth while briefly to review the points in which nothing can be yielded. I know it is a common saying with many, that we are not to stand out pertinaciously on other points, provided the doctrine of free Justification remains safe. But, there is a great difference between merely uttering the one expression - we are justified by faith - and setting forth the whole matter in a distinct explanation." (John Calvin)

          God never gave us the authority to choose which of His bloodstained doctrines to keep and which to throw out as not worth knowing. Therefore, don't speak as if Christ had given Himself up to be divided at your pleasure. The Son of God has given us the doctrine of His gospel to be enjoyed entirely, but to rip it for the sake of unity, in order to preserve some part for ourselves, is most dishonorable. God never gave us this authority.

          Below, I've included a quote from J. I Packer as he tells us the difference between grace and works, God's sovereignty and man's will, Calvinism and Arminianism. Notice the vast differences between the two. As C. H. Spurgeon warned his generation, I also warn us now: don't give up the truth for any reason. Spurgeon saw how the reformed teachers of his day were giving up truth in order to unite with believers in Arminianism, so that in his day "free will" once again reigned as the great idol of the church. I am not saying that we shouldn't love people and be gentle and longsuffering toward them, because we are to be and do all these things. I am saying that we shouldn't give up truth for unity's sake. I ask, have you ever read in the Gospels that Christ, for the sake of unity, threw away His teachings and united with the religious leaders of His day? Spurgeon said that acceptance of Arminianism was the norm in his day, that it was one step backwards, and that if God did not stop it, there was no telling where we would end up. Since then, the Church of England has for the most part died. Now we have grotesque teachings such as Open Theism being taught as truth in America's churches and abroad. Spurgeon did not warn us in vain, and "wisdom is justified by her children." History proves that what Spurgeon and the others told us was indeed the truth. May their voices be heard again for the sake of the church's faith in the only sure Rock, Christ Jesus, in His divine beauty, His nature, office, and will. Here now is J. I. Packer in A Quest for Godliness::

          "[Arminianism and Calvinism, or the idol of self and grace] are totally different things, which stand in evident opposition to each other. The difference between them is not primarily one of emphasis, but of content. One proclaims a God who saves: the other speaks of a God who enables man to save himself. One view presents the three great acts of the Holy Trinity of the recovering of lost mankind-election by the Father, redemption by the Son, calling by the spirit-as directed towards the same persons, and as securing their salvation infallibly. The other view gives each act a different reference (the objects of redemption being all mankind, of calling, those who hear the gospel, and of election, those hearers who respond), and denies that any man's salvation is secured by any of them. The two theologies thus conceive the plan of salvation in quite different terms. One makes salvation depend on the work of God, the other the work of man, one regards faith as part of God's gift of salvation, the other as man's own contribution to salvation; one gives all the glory of saving believers to God, the other divides the praise between God, Who, so to speak, built the machinery of salvation, and man, who by believing operated it."

Plainly these differences are very different and important!

          The question now is, what is the clear biblical definition of the word "unity"? What does the Bible mean when it tells us to be "like-minded"?

Romans 16:17-19 reads, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

          For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil."

        In 1 Timothy 4:13-16, Paul writes, "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine... Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."

          Titus 1:7 reads, "For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God... just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, ... whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain."

          1 Corinthians 1:8-10, 18-24 speaks specifically of unity: "...who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

          Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment...

        For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

          For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

          Philippians 3:16-19 continues the theme: "Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-who set their mind on earthly things."

          In 1 Peter 4:1, the apostle Peter takes up the matter."Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

          Listen to the words of these scriptures as well: "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion." (Romans 12:16)

        "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." (Philippians 2:2)

          "For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ... This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind." (Ephesians 4:12-17)

          Now, it is very important that you understand what I am about to point out. First, I am sure it is understood that the phrase "same mind" is another way of saying "unity." Therefore, what, from the above scriptures, is the biblical definition of unity? Notice that having unity or being of the same mind is not about joining a collection of different people's thoughts or ideas together while holding hands and singing "Kum Ba Yah."

          True unity, according to the scriptures, is not only unity of love but of "faith" and "knowledge." Unity is not found in the leftovers of the truths we could agree on. Unity comes when we are of the "same mind." Ok then-what mind, or whose mind, are we to be the same in? Yours, mine, whose? Christ's mind! Unity comes when we are alike in the love and knowledge of Christ and His gospel. What this means is that, as Calvin warned, we can't say that just as long as "justification by faith" is the base then the rest is negotiable. Ephesians 4:13 says that we are to be united in the same knowledge of the Son of God. And as Calvin and J. I. Packer stated earlier, when people define "justification by faith," there seem to be vastly different ideas in their definitions.

          Unity is when we share, not only in each other's love, humility, knowledge, and faith, but in Christ. The world is quite unified in its hatred toward God and His followers, but such unity is an abomination in God's eyes. We are not to be in unity first with each other, but with Christ, united in His love and His humility, united in faith and in the same knowledge of Christ. Those who are not in unity with Christ are not united with us, either. Maybe they are not wholly disconnected from us, but at least in some areas, where they are different from Christ's example and words, they are not in the "same mind" of Christ.

          Paul is even so bold as to say that those who don't share the unity and mind of Christ "are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-who set their mind on earthly things" (Phil. 3:19). Their minds were not on Christ alone, but also on "earthly things," meaning that they added to the truth of the Jesus things which did not belong. They did this because their "god was their belly"-themselves and their own lustful desires for "earthly things." They loved themselves at the expense of loving Jesus Christ above all things, therefore leading them to add to the gospel truths.

          See, these people's faith and knowledge was not united with Christ but with the world. Again, we read in 1 Corinthians 1:10, "that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Now what does it mean that we are to have "no divisions among you"?

          Is this saying that we are to lay aside truth so that we can be at a false state of peace and unity? Or does this mean that we will have no divisions among us when we are of the same judgment, speech, and understanding of the truth of God? I say the latter. I say this because of the first phrase in the verse, "speak the same thing." There will be no divisions among us when we "speak the same things." And what things are these? Are they the few leftover truths we can agree on, or are they the "whole counsel of God" which the Bible agrees on? If true unity is peace through the leftover truths we can agree on, then why does the letter to Titus instruct him "by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped" (Titus 1:10)?

          That does not sound like the typical peace-keeping mentality of the average churchgoer today. That's because the mentality of many today is not the mentality of Jesus Christ. To realize that there are some "whose mouths must be stopped" is very honoring to God and loving to people. First, God said it, and it honors Him when we believe it. Second, it is loving to people because we know that the "truth will set you free." The truth cannot be halved, divided into parts, or added to, for if it is then the power to set you free is taken out of it. To the degree that truth is clouded, freedom will not come. I don't want to rule out the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to work liberty where little truth is present, but if we don't fight for the pure truth of God, it is a clear sign that we are too in love with the wisdom of this earth.

         This does not mean we should leave a church merely over little doctrines which do not have a direct effect on the presentation of God's character or the gospel, or on the way a person is saved-differences such as worship styles or the belief that we will be given a brand new body in heaven vs the belief that our bodies will be merely be renewed. Every truth is important, but some are not worth leaving or causing outright division over. Truths directly relating to God Himself, His gospel, or the way a sinner is saved are truths worth standing on at all costs, even if it costs you your life. Here now is Michael S. Horton on "Evangelicals, Catholics and Unity":

"With our world in such confusion, people are asking: Isn't it time for Catholics and evangelicals to lay aside their differences and achieve a united front against secularism?

"While the core issues that have traditionally separated them are few, they are of eternal importance. So how best to navigate these troubled waters?

"In modern times the two sides have tried to do it by signing agreements. Yet these don't respond to the vital issues that keep Catholics and evangelicals apart. Explains Michael Horton, ‘For those who care about truth, Christian unity must be a marriage made in heaven, not a merger made on earth.'

"Our greatest hope, ‘is that both evangelicals and Catholics will enter a new period of reformation and come out of that with genuine agreement in-and understanding of-the Gospel. For this is the heart of the matter, as well as the heart of Christian faith.'"

We have learned that unity according to the Bible is unity, not first with each other, but with Christ and His truth, His love, His faith, His knowledge, His humility, and His will. True biblical unity is unity in the faith and knowledge of Christ, which unites us to everyone else who is united to the same Christ. This might not look like the world's definition of unity, but the unity that Christ has defined for us is the only sure rock on which the faith of the church is safe forever.