I just finished the small book by D. Martyn Lloyn-Jones and will post some excerpts and thoughts gleaned from it:
He wrote this to refute the ecumenical movement purposes and to clarify what true christian unity consists of. Dr. Lloyd-Jones approach was to show from John 17 and Ephesians 4, the two passages most frequently appealed to in this connection, that Christian unity was the result of shared faith in the gospel of Christ, not something arrived at by ignoring or minimizing truth.
'We must agree that it is a tragedy that division ever entered into the life of the church, that we regard schism as a grievous sin. But, having said that, one must also point out that there is obviously great confusion, and much disagreement, as to what constitutes unity, as to what the nature of unity is, and as to how unity is to be obtained and preserved.'
There are many divergant views with regard to htis. The Roman Catholic solution to the problem, of necessity, and in spite of what appears to be greater friendliness at the present time, is simply absorption into her institution and organization. Semper eadem is her great slogan: the church is 'always the same'. Therefore it is quite logical that her notion of unity should be that all other sections of the church should return to her who is 'the one and only true church of Christ'. The so-called 'Orthodox' churches, Greek and Russian, hold a similar view.
One other view must be especially mentioned at this point as it seems to be becoming fairly popular in evangelical circles. This regards unity in terms of coming together to form a kind of 'forum', where various views of the Christian faith may be 'discussed' and people may present their different 'insights' in the hope that as a result they may eventually arrive at some common agreement.
First, what is the nature or character of true unity?
Second, what is the place of doctrine and belief in this matter of unity?
Third, how does unity come into being?
The nature of unity is that it is produced by the Spirit and is spiritual. Eph 4:4-6 It is something that lifts us up into the realms of the blessed Holy Trinity, the Spirit, the Son, the Father! The unity must always be conceived of in this exalted way and never merely in terms of human fellowship, or co-operation, or organization.
What is this one faith? It is the great essential New Testament message concerning justifying faith. This was the kernel of apostolic preaching, that it is by faith a man is justified, not by the deeds of the law, nor any righteousness of his own. Rom 3:21
The popular idea is that, having decided to have fellowship together, though we may disagree fundamentally about doctrine, by meeting together, by being kind and friendly to one another, by working and evangelizing together, and by praying together we eventually can hope to arrive at an agreement even about doctrine. Of course, we must not starrt with doctrine, as 'doctrine always divides'. Our object is to show that the teaching here is actually the exact opposite of that!
How can two men pray together if they are not united in spirit and belief about access to Him?
In the same way, how can they evangelize together without bringing doctrine into it? If you call men to come to Christ certain questions arise! Who is He? Why should one come to Him? How does one come to Him?
Why is He called Savior? How does He save? From what does He save?
There is no fellowship among people who are not agreed about the 'one Spirit...one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God...who is over all'. There is no real fellowship and unity in a group of people where some believe in the wrath of God against sin and that it has already been 'revealed from heaven' Rom 1:18 and others dont believe in the wrath of God at all, but say that it is almost blasphemous to teach such a thing and they cannot believe in a God who is capable of wrath. Fellowship exists only among those who believe, as the result of the operation of the Holy Spirit, these essential truths concerning man's lost estate, that we are all 'by nature the children of wrath' Eph 2:3, and the action of God in Christ Jesus for our salvation and restoration. There is no fellowship between people who believe that and those who believe something else, which they may call a gospel but which, as Paul tells the Galatians, is not a godpel. Gal. 1:6-7
How ridiculous it is to suggest that there can be fellowship and unity between those who believe that they are saved and have access into God's presence solely because in His great love He made His own Son 'to be sin for us', 2Cor 5:21 and spared Him not 'but delivered Him up for us all' Rom 8:32, and those who believe that the death of Christ was a great tragedy, but that God forgives us even that, and ultimately we save ourselves by our obedience, good works and practice of religion.
We must expose error and denounce it and not be men pleasers only.
Conclusions:
Unity must never be isolated, or regarded as something in and of itself.
The question of unity must never be put first.
We must never start with the visible church or with an institution, but rather with the truth, which alone creates unity.
The starting point in considering the question of unity must always be regeneration and belief in the truth. Nothing else produces unity and it is impossible apart from this.
An appearance or a facade of unity bases on anything else and at the expense of these two criteria, or ignoring them, is clearly a fraud and a lie. People are not in a state of unity who disagree about fundamental questions such as, 1) whether we submit ourselves utterly to revealed truth or rely ultimately upon our reason and human thinking; 2) the historic Fall, and man's present state and condition in sin, under the wrath of God, and in complete helplessness and hopelessness as regards salvation; 3) the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ and the utter, absolut necessity, and sole sufficiency, of His substitutionary atoning work for sinners. To give the impression that they are one simply because of a common outward organization is not only to mislead the world which is outside the church but to be guilty of a lie.
To do anything which supports or encourages such an impression or appearance of unity is surely dishonest and sinful! Truth and untruth cannot be reconciled, and the difference between them cannot be patched over. Error is always exposed and denounced for truth's sake, and also, as we have seen, for the sake of babes in Christ.
To regard a church, or council of churches, as a forum in which fundamental matters can be debated and discussed, or as an opportunity for witness-bearing, is sheer confusion and muddled thinking. Before there can be real discussion and dialogue there must be agreement concerning primary and fundamental matters. Those who question and/or deny cardinal truths do not belong to the church and 'after the second admonition should be rejected. Titus 3:10
It is a waste of time to debate the implications of Christianity with people who are not agreed as to what Christianity is!
Unity must obviously never be thought of primarily in numerical terms, but always in terms of life. Nothing is so opposed to biblical teaching as the modern idea that numbers and powerful organization alone count! It is the very opposite of the great biblical doctrine of 'the remnant'.
The greatest need of the hour is a new baptism and outpouring of the Holy Spirit in renewal and revival.
Finally, it comes to this: Is our view of the church Roman Catholic (inclusivist, organizational, institutional, and hierarchical) or Reformed , emphasizing the universal priesthood of all believers and the need for keeping the church herself constantly under the judgment of the Word?
This is a small, 77 page book, which I found to be confirming of scriptural truth; that the unity of the church is spiritual and not to be attained by men but that has already been created and preserved by a holy sovereign God and that we are not to intermingle with false and/or strange doctrines but always to be reforming to His truth, in our heart, in our church, in our life!!
ISBN 085151846X Banner of Truth
He wrote this to refute the ecumenical movement purposes and to clarify what true christian unity consists of. Dr. Lloyd-Jones approach was to show from John 17 and Ephesians 4, the two passages most frequently appealed to in this connection, that Christian unity was the result of shared faith in the gospel of Christ, not something arrived at by ignoring or minimizing truth.
'We must agree that it is a tragedy that division ever entered into the life of the church, that we regard schism as a grievous sin. But, having said that, one must also point out that there is obviously great confusion, and much disagreement, as to what constitutes unity, as to what the nature of unity is, and as to how unity is to be obtained and preserved.'
There are many divergant views with regard to htis. The Roman Catholic solution to the problem, of necessity, and in spite of what appears to be greater friendliness at the present time, is simply absorption into her institution and organization. Semper eadem is her great slogan: the church is 'always the same'. Therefore it is quite logical that her notion of unity should be that all other sections of the church should return to her who is 'the one and only true church of Christ'. The so-called 'Orthodox' churches, Greek and Russian, hold a similar view.
One other view must be especially mentioned at this point as it seems to be becoming fairly popular in evangelical circles. This regards unity in terms of coming together to form a kind of 'forum', where various views of the Christian faith may be 'discussed' and people may present their different 'insights' in the hope that as a result they may eventually arrive at some common agreement.
First, what is the nature or character of true unity?
Second, what is the place of doctrine and belief in this matter of unity?
Third, how does unity come into being?
The nature of unity is that it is produced by the Spirit and is spiritual. Eph 4:4-6 It is something that lifts us up into the realms of the blessed Holy Trinity, the Spirit, the Son, the Father! The unity must always be conceived of in this exalted way and never merely in terms of human fellowship, or co-operation, or organization.
What is this one faith? It is the great essential New Testament message concerning justifying faith. This was the kernel of apostolic preaching, that it is by faith a man is justified, not by the deeds of the law, nor any righteousness of his own. Rom 3:21
The popular idea is that, having decided to have fellowship together, though we may disagree fundamentally about doctrine, by meeting together, by being kind and friendly to one another, by working and evangelizing together, and by praying together we eventually can hope to arrive at an agreement even about doctrine. Of course, we must not starrt with doctrine, as 'doctrine always divides'. Our object is to show that the teaching here is actually the exact opposite of that!
How can two men pray together if they are not united in spirit and belief about access to Him?
In the same way, how can they evangelize together without bringing doctrine into it? If you call men to come to Christ certain questions arise! Who is He? Why should one come to Him? How does one come to Him?
Why is He called Savior? How does He save? From what does He save?
There is no fellowship among people who are not agreed about the 'one Spirit...one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God...who is over all'. There is no real fellowship and unity in a group of people where some believe in the wrath of God against sin and that it has already been 'revealed from heaven' Rom 1:18 and others dont believe in the wrath of God at all, but say that it is almost blasphemous to teach such a thing and they cannot believe in a God who is capable of wrath. Fellowship exists only among those who believe, as the result of the operation of the Holy Spirit, these essential truths concerning man's lost estate, that we are all 'by nature the children of wrath' Eph 2:3, and the action of God in Christ Jesus for our salvation and restoration. There is no fellowship between people who believe that and those who believe something else, which they may call a gospel but which, as Paul tells the Galatians, is not a godpel. Gal. 1:6-7
How ridiculous it is to suggest that there can be fellowship and unity between those who believe that they are saved and have access into God's presence solely because in His great love He made His own Son 'to be sin for us', 2Cor 5:21 and spared Him not 'but delivered Him up for us all' Rom 8:32, and those who believe that the death of Christ was a great tragedy, but that God forgives us even that, and ultimately we save ourselves by our obedience, good works and practice of religion.
We must expose error and denounce it and not be men pleasers only.
Conclusions:
Unity must never be isolated, or regarded as something in and of itself.
The question of unity must never be put first.
We must never start with the visible church or with an institution, but rather with the truth, which alone creates unity.
The starting point in considering the question of unity must always be regeneration and belief in the truth. Nothing else produces unity and it is impossible apart from this.
An appearance or a facade of unity bases on anything else and at the expense of these two criteria, or ignoring them, is clearly a fraud and a lie. People are not in a state of unity who disagree about fundamental questions such as, 1) whether we submit ourselves utterly to revealed truth or rely ultimately upon our reason and human thinking; 2) the historic Fall, and man's present state and condition in sin, under the wrath of God, and in complete helplessness and hopelessness as regards salvation; 3) the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ and the utter, absolut necessity, and sole sufficiency, of His substitutionary atoning work for sinners. To give the impression that they are one simply because of a common outward organization is not only to mislead the world which is outside the church but to be guilty of a lie.
To do anything which supports or encourages such an impression or appearance of unity is surely dishonest and sinful! Truth and untruth cannot be reconciled, and the difference between them cannot be patched over. Error is always exposed and denounced for truth's sake, and also, as we have seen, for the sake of babes in Christ.
To regard a church, or council of churches, as a forum in which fundamental matters can be debated and discussed, or as an opportunity for witness-bearing, is sheer confusion and muddled thinking. Before there can be real discussion and dialogue there must be agreement concerning primary and fundamental matters. Those who question and/or deny cardinal truths do not belong to the church and 'after the second admonition should be rejected. Titus 3:10
It is a waste of time to debate the implications of Christianity with people who are not agreed as to what Christianity is!
Unity must obviously never be thought of primarily in numerical terms, but always in terms of life. Nothing is so opposed to biblical teaching as the modern idea that numbers and powerful organization alone count! It is the very opposite of the great biblical doctrine of 'the remnant'.
The greatest need of the hour is a new baptism and outpouring of the Holy Spirit in renewal and revival.
Finally, it comes to this: Is our view of the church Roman Catholic (inclusivist, organizational, institutional, and hierarchical) or Reformed , emphasizing the universal priesthood of all believers and the need for keeping the church herself constantly under the judgment of the Word?
This is a small, 77 page book, which I found to be confirming of scriptural truth; that the unity of the church is spiritual and not to be attained by men but that has already been created and preserved by a holy sovereign God and that we are not to intermingle with false and/or strange doctrines but always to be reforming to His truth, in our heart, in our church, in our life!!
ISBN 085151846X Banner of Truth
