United we stand, Divided we fall


The Lord Jesus once said: “If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mk3:25). This makes sense and has been proved true throughout the years in families, businesses, political parties, and nations. If people are always fighting and arguing with each other they cannot and will not stay together for long. If this is true of families, businesses, etc., it is also true of churches. If the church is divided against itself it cannot stand.

Urgent Unity: This is why the need of church unity is so urgent and pressing. A church which is full of Christians continually arguing with one another is signing its own death warrant. That church cannot stand. The Apostle Paul said: “If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Gal.5:15). Church unity is so important that some of Christ’s last thoughts and words were taken up with this subject. He prayed for his disciples: “That they all may be one...” (Jn.17:21).

God-like Unity: So why don’t we set aside all our differences, stop arguing and join up with all who call themselves Christians? Let us look again at Christ’s prayer for the answer: “That they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me and I in thee...” In other words, church unity is to be patterned after God. What does that mean? Well, in the Godhead, there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, they are all united in what they believe, teach and practice. It is a unity based on the truth. Sadly, much of the modern ecumenical movement is about trying to discard, ignore or blur the truth in order to give an outward impression of unity. Nothing could be less God-like. As Amos observed: “Can two walk together except they be agreed” (Am.3:3)? We must remember: “Unity is desirable, truth is essential.”

Saving Unity: WA united church impresses and influences those outside the church. Let us go back to Jesus’ prayer: “That they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me” (Jn.17:21). It is a solemn thought that more people would believe that Christ is the God-sent Saviour if His disciples were more united. What a responsibility this lays on all Christ’s disciples! Let us then work to discover, enthrone and submit to the truth. Let us put away all false doctrine, false practice and false unity. Let us pray and work, locally and nationally, for a church which is united in the belief, teaching and practice of the truth. That Church will stand, God will be glorified and sinners will be saved.


Any comments or questions please E-Mail me or Rev William Macleod the editor.

[Back to Reformed Christian Pages][Back to Free Church Foundations]