In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity.
So much wisdom is packed into the three short phrases of this centuries-old dictum! It certainly expresses the thought of the Early Church leaders who gathered that historic day in Jerusalem.
The matters they discussed and debated there would decide the future of this new movement. Would it remain just an offshoot of Judaism, or would it be given the wings necessary for it to fly to the ends of the earth? And what exactly was it they would export to the world? Would it be a modified version of judaism, or would it be a new thing altogether?
The wisdom reflected by the early leaders of the Church allowed the momentum established by Barnabas and Saul’s first missionary journey to continue, opening the door for evangelistic activity to continue throughout the world. You are able to read this (and I am able to write it) because of the result of that meeting in Acts 15.
There are essentials to this Christian faith, and in these essentials we must have unity.
God is holy. Humanity is broken and unable to save itself. Jesus, being both fully God and fully human, is the only way for broken humanity to be repaired and restored in its relationship to Holy God. Such repair and restoration is freely available to all those who place their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. These people are Christians, and they must progressively grow in holiness and love.
This much is non-negotiable. In these essentials we must have unity.
Must someone believe in the verbal-plenary inspiration of the Scriptures? Must they affirm our position on End Times or charismatic gifts or the role of women in the Church? Must a person quit smoking or drinking or viewing pornography in order to be saved?
No. In fact, it could be argued that a person cannot do many of these things until they are saved!
There are essentials for salvation, and there are other things that are by-products of that salvation. There are essentials, and there are matters of opinion. There are essentials, and there are things that are open for debate.
Only God can give us the wisdom to practice unity in essentials, liberty in non-essentials and charity in all things. And He will give us that wisdom if we ask Him for it.
Prayer
Father, so many divisions and disputes have been generated by issues, practices and traditions that are not part of the fundamentals of the faith. Your Church is a glorious unity in diversity, but when we major on the minors, the spirit of factionalism replaces that of unity and peace. I ask for the boldness and courage to stand up and contend for the essentials of the faith, even if it means a lack of peace. I do not want to compromise the truth of the gospel for the sake of peace. But I also ask for the graciousness to demonstrate kindness and tolerance for believers who disagree with me about the non-essentials. I acknowledge that there are some things that are not clear enough in Your revelation for us to understand fully, but these are not the clearly revealed core issues of the faith. In all things, may I be loving and gracious to others.
In Jesus’s name, Amen
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