Unity in Diversity
Many Christians strive for greater unity among the many denominations. They speak of the "scandal" of division and disunity and remind us that Christ repeatedly called for unity among His followers. Unity also is a key theme for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is threatened by fragmentation and polarization from within. But the unity Adventists seek cannot be reduced to mere organizational unity or uniformity in worship styles and other traditions. It must go much deeper.
What are key qualifications for true Christian unity? John 14:6; Eph. 4:3, 13.
To be united in Christ means to be united in the truth. Christ defined Himself as the Truth. That is not to say that there cannot be true unity between people who differ with regard to certain theological views or in the interpretation of certain passages. But true unity does require a common commitment to the Scriptures as the Word of God and to its fundamental teachings, and a common desire to practice what the Word teaches. It does not require, however, that all members think alike and worship in exactly the same way. It does not annul the wonderful cultural diversity that so much enriches our worldwide church community.
How does the description of the New Jerusalem illustrate the rich diversity that characterizes God's people? Revelation 21 and 22:1-6; in particular, 21:12-14, 19, 26, and 22:2.
The New Jerusalem refers to something concrete and real that God creates for His people, even if the description is highly symbolic. What strikes us as we read it is the emphasis on diversity. No wonder, because the redeemed will come from "every tribe and language and people and nation" (Rev. 5:9, NIV; cf. Rev. 7:9).
The peoples who will enter the gates of the New Jerusalem and will populate the new earth are like the many branches that issue from the same vine. "In the branches of a vine there is diversity, and yet in this diversity there is unity. Every branch is united to the parent stalk. Every branch draws its nourishment from the same source. When we are branches of the true Vine, there will be no quarreling among us, no strife for the supremacy, no disparaging of one another."—Ellen G. White, General Conference Bulletin, April 25, 1901.
| If there is to be such diversity in heaven, why is there ethnic strife in our churches today? Why do we tend to want to congregate with those of our own ilk as opposed to others? What kind of message are we sending by doing this? |
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