²² “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one…”

What does it mean for Christians to be united, even when there are strong and important disagreements? Doctrinal differences have often resulted in division, new denominations, church splits, inquisitions and executions. Hatred for those who hold different views has often become ugly throughout church history. The heart of fallen man, when cloaked in religious garments, resorts to force in order to gain compliance.

There is some biblical basis for extreme censuring of and separation from individuals in certain situations, as was the case with Alexander and Hymenaeus, whose false teaching was leading people to spiritual ruin (1 Tim 1:18-20). Serious moral failure requires believers to separate from “… any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—[do] not even … eat with such a one” (1 Cor 5:11).

Christians have struggled to reconcile these contrasting attitudes. However, the unity Jesus spoke of was not intended to over-ride the truth. It was a unity that was based on truth. That is the kind of unity He desires, for He Himself is Truth. That is the glory He spoke of. It is a truth that unifies. When people are pursuing the Truth of Jesus Christ, this leads to unity. We are all aiming for the same destination. As the old illustration goes, as we move closer to Jesus, we invariably move closer to each other. But if we set as our focus moving closer to each other, then there is no guarantee of moving closer to Jesus. He is the anchor point, the solid reference point.

The struggle in practice is what do you do when the pursuit of Jesus leads to sharp doctrinal disagreement? We suggest first that movement toward Jesus should not lead to pride of doctrine, but to humility. Truth should so overwhelm us that in times of disagreement we bend toward the self-awareness of our own fallenness. Is that not what Galatians 6:1 teaches us? “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted” (Gal 6:1). When I believe another Christian has fallen into a doctrinal “trespass,” I must recognize my own proneness to also err in doctrine. My judgment that the other has nefarious motivation in his beliefs should cause me to consider that I too, could be judged in the same way. Unity comes with great difficulty, for it comes at a cost to our individual self-deceptions. And to recognize this in ourselves sets us on the path to glorious unity.

Lord, search my heart for self-deception and fleshly pride of doctrine.