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The prayer of Christ"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one. (John 17:20-22) In the face of today’s failed ecumenical movement, these words of Jesus should make us think. Was his prayer just a wishful hope or an accomplished fact? Is all going according to plan or not? How can we reconcile his repeated emphasis that we "be one” when “division,” more than any other word, seems to characterize His Church? Protestantism is said to embrace some thousand different denominations, opening the door for Catholicism, which despite its claims to be the one church, is deeply divided, too. Then there is the Greek Orthodox church. All this after the better part of the last century was spent trying to bring about ecumenism. Where is any unity? The answer, I am convinced, lies in our conception of what really constitutes the true unity that Christ prayed for. We presume that for unity to exist, it must be visibly evident with all Christians in lockstep. However, in His omniscience, God looks upon the hearts of all, able to distinguish between mere profession and actual possession of His life. Every believer is made one with Christ the moment he repents and obeys the Gospel. Moreover, he is made one with every other true believer. God’s ecumenical program is immediately fulfilled and continually enlarged as He calls out a people for His name. (Obviously, this discussion of unity is limited to the Church and not to the growing world ecumenism seeking to equate all religions as one and the same). From our standpoint it may be encouraging to think of the Church as one big family, bearing in mind that no family, even though tied together by an inseparable bond, is ever without differences (perhaps with some black sheep). Dissension has been present ever since the days of the apostle Paul. Remember how Israel initially insisted on Christians keeping the law and being circumcised? (Not much insistence on circumcision today, but making the law a condition for salvation is still often preached). I’m still looking for the believer perfectly in agreement with me. Further, as Christ has given me light, my views gradually have changed from time to time. Let’s think about this. Of all the Christians in the world, no two of us are identical. Each of us is unique, differing in heredity and an environment that has influenced our lives whether for better or worse. God isn’t in business to produce millions of clones that all think alike and act alike. Oh, yes, as we grow in appreciation of His grace, our lives will increasingly manifest our love for Him and each other, but each of us will glorify Him in a unique way. Presently, if we could look through God’s eyes, what a panorama of believers we would see, ranging from those just born again just beginning to take in the milk of the word to those who have grown to maturity having searched out and proven God’s promises over time. We would see those slow to understand, still living by their wits, others in love with this present world; we would see smart ones, dumb ones, emotional ones, those blessed with different gifts; there would be no end of variety. Obviously disagreement is inevitable, but it need not always be irreparable. A bit of humility, honesty and respect for others will work wonders in resolving opposite views, especially when aided by the light of scripture. Unfortunately, The real problem is that disagreements can grow into unyielding, dogmatic division. The saying, “You can prove anything from the Bible” is so often confirmed, and a biased view of scripture advanced by some group with an esteemed leader. Then, instead of following after the Great Shepherd, too many follow after another, holding to a particular persuasion without humbly heeding the whole counsel of God. No end of examples abounds, but probably none more far-reaching than the controversy over the teachings of Calvin versus those of Arminius. Whatever inclination we hold, it is instructive to examine how and why such division originated and continues today. What is so striking is that both sides claim scripture for support. The trouble is Satan is good at quoting (actually misquoting) scripture. The Devil may concede one truth if he can cause you to swallow a lie along with it. In this respect, it has been said that the appeal of all error lies in the kernel of truth within it. Consequently, we must learn to look for what is not there, much like a good proofreader who looks not only for observable errors but for less noticeable omissions from the original text. Likewise, when we encounter divisive issues, let’s research the scriptures used in opposition most carefully and thoroughly, making sure nothing is overlooked. No less important than doing our homework and being good proofreaders to examine the truth is the injunction of Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love. My friends, when in our excitement to defend the Lord, we fail to reflect His love and to show respect for our opponents, we will lose the battle every time. We should all know this, but how easy it is to forget! And how tragic! Allow me to cite a case in point for sake of illustration. In his book, What Love is This?, author Dave Hunt has presented an extensive review of Calvinism in great detail comprising well over 400 pages including footnotes, bibliography and a scriptural index. He examines it from the roots of its beginning dating back to Augustine to the advent of Calvin and on to proponents today. It treats of the history of the reformation detailing the lives of key figures and includes no end of quotations from Calvinists and opponents. Hunt is also the author of The Seduction of Christianity and A Woman Rides the Beast among many other works for which he has borne criticism from various quarters of Christendom. However, this latest work has brought him under fire like nothing he has ever published. He has received a flood of letters characterizing him as a liar, a deceiver, a destroyer of the faith, as one woefully ignorant and incapable of understanding Calvinism. His offices report an effort to suppress distribution of his book to Christian Bookstores, entire chains having refused to carry it. Both Hunt’s ministry and his publisher have seriously suffered financially. Acknowledging that not all Calvinists condone such treatment, T.A. McMahon, executive director, expresses surprise at the animosity prevalent in the majority of responses. He asks, “Why can’t such important issues be brought before the Church and every believer be encouraged to see which teachings are true to God’s Word?” Whether or not one agrees with everything Hunt says, such a tirade harms not only Hunt’s ministry but backfires against the critics themselves, not to mention casting a shadow on the unity of the Church at large. Sadly, McMahon’s hope that things might be different shows little promise of happening in today’s Biblically illiterate society. Let's each be sure that we are not part of the problem. Allow me to be up front about where I stand. I think Hunt has done a great service in bringing such a controversial issue before us for examination. I learned much from his book, which seemed fair and impartial in presenting well-documented facts. Is it entirely without fault? I doubt it but presently am unaware any serious misrepresentations. Anyone feeling Hunt has failed to accurately quote Calvinists or otherwise misstate his case should point to the specifics rather than resorting to name-calling. I encourage anyone unfamiliar with Calvinism to read his book before making a judgment. As one who was once a Presbyterian (who at the time knew little about that denomination), I have since studied Calvinism and respectfully disagree with certain of its premises. Without dealing with the issue in depth, let me briefly tell you why. First, the title of Hunt’s book “What love is this?” points to a major error that we as good proofreaders should look for—something omitted from the text. In this case, it is God’s love for His creation. R.C. Sproul, a Calvinist, has stated the attributes of God are not a smorgasbord from which we can pick and choose; they are a package that can't be divided. However, in focusing solely on the sovereignty of God Calvinism loses sight of God’s love and mercy. To appreciate this, one must necessarily digress to examine the five points (remembered by the acronym, TULIP) of Calvinism that may be reviewed in abbreviated fashion, though I think accurately and in harmony with basic, more comprehensive Calvinist teaching. Let me conclude by returning to the challenge before us to deal with serious division in a Christ-honoring way that will affirm we are one in him. God never violates one’s will. Love cannot be forced; it can only be won. We love Him because He first loved us (I John 4:19). If we want to unify rather than to divide, each of us individually must do our homework and share the truth in love and mercy as Christ did. It will not only demonstrate our unity but result in glory, not only for God and Christ but for ourselves. Remember Christ’s prayer. And the glory which You
gave Me I have given them, that
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