Yep. I’m gonna’ say it.
So, when I trained years ago for my pastor credentials - we were taught that “ecumenism” or unity of the church was bad. In fact, we were told (dare I say threatened) NOT to seek it OR to cooperate with it.
That’s lunacy.
Unity of the church is exactly what Jesus died for.
John chapter 17 (yes, the number 17 means complete victory over evil in Hebrew) - reveals that this was the dying prayer of Jesus.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:20-23
Jesus is literally saying (Alanized), “The world will believe I’m legit when the church stops squabbling with each other, acts as one, and shares My glory to praise and honor each other.”
In fact, Paul says in Ephesians 1:9-10 that Jesus died to “unite all things in Him” and Paul also says:
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” Ephesians 4:11-13
Folks. We are called to maturity. We are called to more. We are called to mentor and grow each other.
We must drop pride, arrogance, my way is right, and instead truly seek to love, honor, lift up, praise, and encourage those we don’t agree with.
Those demanding lack of cooperation with our fellow brothers and sisters, are those afraid to give up their prideful and self protective dogmatic positions of doctrine.
Folks. We look silly to those outside the body of Christ.
Yes. Believe it or not. What’s coming in the earth, will ride on the coattails of humility from the church acting in one accord.