CULTIVATING BIBLICAL UNITY
IN THE LOCAL CHURCH

The Greek word usually translated “church” is the word ekklêsia.This word occurs 118 times in the Greek New Testament. In the AuthorisedVersion, all but 3 occurrences of the word (Acts 19:32, 39, 41) are translated“church” or “churches.” However, among these 115 occurrences, we candistinguish three different shades of meaning.

In a few instances, the word is used to describe the sum total of all the electof God or the Invisible Universal Church (cf. WCF 25.1). Thismeaning is particularly in focus in Paul’s epistle to the Church at Ephesus.For example, he asserts that God has put all things under Christ and “gave himto be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullnessof him that filleth all in all” (Eph 1:22–23). Occasionally, also, theword ekklêsia is used to describe the visible church withoutreference to any geographic boundary (e.g., 1 Cor 12:28; 15:9; Heb 2:12). Whenit is used in this way, it closely approximates the concept of the VisibleUniversal Church which comprise the sum total of all who profess trueChristianity throughout the world (cf. WCF 25.2).

But, by far the most common use of the word, ekklêsia, in theScripture is to describe a circle of believers in a particular locality, whichis purposefully united together and regularly assembled together for worship(e.g., Acts 9:31; 14:23; 1 Cor 4:17; 11:18; 1 Thes 1:1; Rev 1:4; etc.). We maycall such circles of believers “Local Churches” (see PCC Bulletin,vol. 1, no. 11, dated 12 Sep 1999). From this preponderance of references tothe Local Church, we may have some idea as to the importance of the LocalChurch in God’s design. Every Christian must be united with a local church, andbe concerned about the being and well-being of his local church.

We spoke about the being of the local church when we studiedthe marks of a true church. In this article, we want to look at the well-being ofa local church as it pertains to her unity. This is a subject which urgently needsto be considered today because we live in an age of individualism andindependence, such as prophesied by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1–5. Thisspirit of selfishness has no doubt crept into the church, so much so that itwould be highly unlikely that an article as this will gain the readership ofmost members in the church. Indeed, humanly,—being painfully conscious of theextent and depth to which individualism has infected many of our hearts,—I fearthat many will read this article with nonchalance or even resistance, if it isread at all. But then, I am confident that the true child of God, beingreminded of the hardness of his heart and his resistance to the teaching of theWord of God, will awake in repentance. We must believe that grace can accomplishwhat even the most cogent persuasion and argument cannot.

With this in mind, may I recommend five points to consider in the cultivationand maintenance of unity in the church.

Confession of Faith

Although the Word of God is perspicuous, it is an undeniable fact that there“are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned andunstable wrest,… unto their own destruction” (2 Pet 3:16). This has happenedthroughout the history of the Church, so much so that every communion, that seeksto be faithful to the Word of God in the maintenance of true biblical unity,has found it necessary to state in clear systematic statements what it wouldconfess to be the teachings of the Word of God. Such statements constitute thecreeds (from Latincredo: “I believe”) or confessions (from “we confess”)of the church. The Confession is like a banner of truth under which the churchmarches (cf. Ps 60:4). It is the corporate assent to what the church believesis taught in the Scripture. It is not infallible. It is subordinate to theScriptures and derives its authority from it.

But it promotes unity in two ways. First it identifies the church with thechurches which hold to them in the past. Thus, for example, all the churcheswhich faithfully hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith todaycan honestly say that they have not departed from the old paths rediscovered atthe time of the Reformation. John Hooper is certainly right when he observes:

Doctrinal independence from thechurch of the past is the hallmark of sectarianism. Sects, by their verynature, reject and despise the creeds and confessions. They thrive in a climateof theological individualism. They epitomize the idea of all men believing thatwhich is right in their own eyes and then drawing others after them. Incontrast, churches that “hold the traditions” will with gladness in theirhearts join their fathers in common confession of the truth which they all asone believe.

If church unity is to be Biblical,therefore, the churches must be confessional churches (Biblical Church Unity,K&M Books, 1998, 35).

The second way in which the Confession promotes unity is by providing aframework for which the church may speak with one voice on vital issues.

We have in an earlier article noted that there are three principle uses of theconfession of faith in a local church, namely (1) the Constitutional orUnifying Use; (2) the Juridical Use; (3) the Catechical Use (see PCCBulletin, vol. 1, no. 14, dated 3 Oct 1999). We noted that, as a unifyingtool, the Confession is not intended to bind the conscience of all the membersin the church, and as such we do not require every member to subscribe to theConfession. But it does require members not to promote any view other than whatis the confessional position of the church.

Practically too, it means that members of the church should give priority tostudying the confessional stance of the church, where there are issues ofdiffering viewpoints. It will not do for a member of a confessional church, whohas not studied the confession the church, to read every article on theInternet that oppose the doctrinal positions of his church’s confession. In aperfect world, with perfect knowledge and sinless hearts, this may seem to bean innocuous thing to do. But common sense and experience show us how easilydeceived we can be. For example, if you have never studied Calvinism, you maybe easily swayed by the arguments of persuasive writers such as Dave Hunt orClark Pinnock, so that you become shaken if not hardened against theconfessional standard of the church. Do not get me wrong. I am not saying thatit is wrong for us to read or hear opposing views. I do believe that, allthings being equal, the truth will always prevail. And I believe we have thetruth in our Confession. However, it is not only prudent but biblical that wetake heed to our weakness lest we fall (1 Cor 10:12); and that we should guardagainst giving place to falsehood (cf. Eph 4:27). Moreover, it is simplyunnatural and perhaps even insincere to be found in a confessional church, buttaking heed to opposing views without giving due consideration to corporateconfession of the church. We are after all commanded to be of “one mind” in thechurch (Phil 2:2).

Submission and Respect of Authority

Closely related to the need to give attention and priority to the Confession ofthe Church, is the importance of submitting to the rule and authority of theelders appointed over the flock. No organisation can have real unity without adecisive leadership, and the local church is no exception.

The writer of Hebrews highlights this duty of the members of the local churchwhen he exhorts: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may doit with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Heb 13:17).

Countless pastors and elders have no doubt experienced grief when members ofthe flock under their care not only fail to submit to their rule and counsel,but are known to murmur behind their back. This grief is accentuated becausethe elders and pastors are set as under-shepherds under Christ so thatrebellion against them is rebellion against Christ (Ex 16:7–8); and yet anyattempt to rectify the situation will likely be construed as a tightening ofthe grip of power.

Many others must have also experienced having members of the flock pressurisingthem to lead the church according to their opinions. When this is done withmalicious intentions, it is individualism with a vengeance, and is amanifestation of the rebellion of Korah, which Jude warns again (Jude 11, cf.Num 16:1–31). Others may do the same out of genuine concern that the elders andpastors may be leading the church in a wrong direction. This is very noble, andsometime needful, especially if the leaders are leading the church away fromthe scriptural and confessional moorings. But anyone who may feel it is hisresponsibility to caution or query the leaders, ought not only to have concreteevidences (1 Tim 5:19), but to approach the matter with a genuine spirit ofmeekness. Anything less than that hints of a divisive and individualisticspirit.

God helping us, I trust that the session of this church will not imposeanything, which we cannot with a clear conviction and conscience believe thatChrist would Himself impose the same. As such, may I urge all of us to resolveto heed the call of the writer of Hebrew,—for the sake of the unity of the bodyof Christ and the honour of Christ’s name,—to submit to instructions that areeither biblically based or not contrary to the Scriptures.

Attendance at the Appointed Meetings

Regular assembling of ourselves together at the appointed meetings of thechurch cultivates unity in the local church in a number of ways.

In the first place, if we desire to know someone better, we would certainlywant to meet with the person as often as possible. In the same way, commonsense teaches us that if we are endeavouring to cultivate unity with othermembers of the church, that we must seize every opportunity to meet with themembers of the church. How may we exhort one another and to consider oneanother to provoke unto love and good works (Heb 3:13; 10:24) but that we befrequently assembled together with the saints.

Secondly, attending every appointed meeting ensures that we are one inunderstanding with the other members of the church because we hear the sameinstructions. Pastoral instructions and clarifications are often given insermons according to the appropriateness of the subject being dealt with, andso if members pick and choose what meetings to attend and what to miss, it isinevitable that detrimental misrepresentations and break-down of communicationswould result. Could this be the reason why many pastors today spend much timeexplaining and re-explaining what they have already made clear either inwriting or in sermons?

Thirdly, regular attendance at all the meetings appointed by the leaders of thechurch is a means by which a corporate spirit can be cultivated because theindividual picking and choosing what he wants to attend would ultimately becultivating a spirit of consumerism which is akin to the individualistic spiritby which the individual says: “I know what is good for me. I do not need the eldersor pastor of the church to tell me what is best.” Such an attitude is contraryto the attitude that the Scripture seeks to cultivate by having us realise thatthe leaders of the church will have to account to Christ for the well-being ofthe church (Heb 13:17).

May the Lord grant us obedience to the instruction of the word: “Not forsakingthe assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhortingone another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:25).May we be able to encourage and exhort one another as we ourselves resolve tomake every attempt to be present at all the meetings—not only for the good ofour souls but the well-being of the church and the glory of Christ our head.

Use of Spiritual Gifts

The Apostle Paul, describing the church universal declares:

For as the body is one, and hathmany members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whetherwe be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made todrink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many (1 Cor12:12–14).

But the local church is a microcosm of the church universal, and so it maylikewise be regarded as a body. By God’s appointment, this body, like the humanbody, has different members and different functions, interacting andinter-depending upon each other, so that there is unity in diversity. It isclear that the diversity that Paul has in mind is not only to do with ouroutward estate, but the bestowal of spiritual gifts by God as well (see 1 Cor12:4–11, 27–31). This is why there is repeated emphasis in the Scripture thatspiritual gifts are given for the edification of the church (see 1 Cor 12:7; 1Pet 4:10; Rom 12:5ff; Eph 4:11–16). This being the case, the faithful exerciseof spiritual gifts by members of the church is essential to building the unityof the church, as the members of the church learn to depend on each other.

We may have occasion to say more on this difficult subject, but for now, itsuffice to say that I do not think the specific list of gifts given in theScripture is intended to be exhaustive. In other words, I believe that one withmusical talents who serves as a precentor may in some sense be regarded asbeing spiritually gifted for that function. Of course we must not stretchspiritual gifts to include functions which are contrary to the Word of God. Atrained lights-man or a choreographer for the production of charismatic worshipcan hardly claim to be gifted for the task, for God cannot possibly grant giftsto be used to violate His own regulation of worship.

The implication of this thought is that unity of the church is promoted asmembers of the church learn to serve one another with the specific gifts Godhas given: be it a gift of administration, of ministering, of encouragement, ofdiscernment, of instruction, of giving, of music, etc. May the Lord grant usthat we may know how to stir to flames the gifts that He has granted us for theedification of His church.

Relating to One Another Biblically

It is amazing how many instructions are given in the New Testament concerninghow members of the church are to relate to one another. It is my contentionthat only if the members of the church are obedient to these instructions canthere be real unity of love in the church. As there are so many verses, I shallnot attempt to expound each of the verses in details here. Instead I will citethe verses with a brief comment of each, and trust that you will look them upand consider if you have been obedient to these scriptural injunctions. If youfind yourself falling short, I trust that you would resolve to do what the Lordrequires as you seek His help to obey His Word.

These are the duties towards our brethren that God requires of us: (1) We areto be ready and willing to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 Jn 3:16). (2)We must bear one another’s burden whether spiritual or material (Gal 6:2; 1 Jn3:17). (3) We are to confess our faults one to another, and pray one foranother (Jas 5:16). (4) We are to always speak the truth one to another inlove, even when the truth hurts (Eph 4:15), and so, if needs be, we must beprepared to admonish one another (Rom 15:14; Col 3:16). (5) We are to consider oneanother, to provoke unto love and good works (Heb 10:24). (6) We are to exhortone another daily lest anyone be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb3:13). (7) We are to edify or build up one another by our speech and actions (1Thes 5:11; Gal 5:13). (8) We are to comfort the feebleminded, to support theweak, to be patient towards all men (1 Thes 5:14). (9) We are to prefer oneanother in honour and to esteem other members in the church as better thanourselves (Rom 12:10; Phil 2:3). (10) We are to forebear with one another inlove (Rom 14:13; Eph 4:2, 32; Col3:13; 1 Jn 3:11, 23).

Conclusion

Unity is a very important aspect of the well-being of the local church. It is avery powerful testimony to the world that we are the disciples of Christ (Jn13:35). It is also much to be desired because when the church is united,members may serve the Lord together with joy without being distracted bypainful schisms and divisions. But true biblical unity must not be accomplishedeither by making the gates of membership admission narrower than the gates ofthe Kingdom of Christ, nor by amputating members of the body which are ofdiffering convictions. No, true biblical unity within the local church must beaccomplished only by obedience to the Word of God and by patient reliance uponChrist, the Head of the Church, to transform lives through His Spirit.

—JJ Lim