We
have said that Christianity as it now is has set up an
entirely false basis — an impossible basis — of
Christian unity, and divisions among Christians are
viewed and judged from a standpoint which is utterly
wrong. That standpoint is the one that views the whole
question in the light of the system which Christianity
has become. It is no longer the all-dominating EXPERIENCE
of the absolute sovereign headship of Christ over a
living spiritual organism, His church; but it is now a
matter of churches, missions, movements, enterprises,
organizations, with their respective memberships,
clientèle, officers, funds, etc. It is very largely what
in the world is termed “vested interests”, in
localities, countries, areas, personalities, personal
interests, proprietorships, and so on and on. The supreme
concern for the SPIRITUAL measure of Christ is
governed by all this, instead of governing it or making
it completely subservient, if not unnecessary. Realism
and honesty demand that we face facts and do not deceive
ourselves with false hopes and expectations.
An
expression of Christian unity in any adequate way is
absolutely impossible while the present position obtains!
We
have got to start all over again. Until we do, the
mission and testimony of the church is going to be
increasingly sabotaged by suspicions, prejudices,
ostracisms, and factions. This smoke from hell will
stifle and paralyse, and bring increasing limitation, so
that Christianity — yes, evangelical Christianity
— paralyses itself. The disagreements on points of
doctrine, interpretation, the taking up of one point and
enlarging it to eclipse ninety-nine other wholly
acceptable points on the one hand, and the wearing of
blinkers regarding many unscriptural things to get
benefits from a small proportion of what is good, on the
other hand, is a case of putting the hand upon the ark by
those who have no spiritual rights for governing the Lord’s
interests, and by their limited spirituality are both
standing in the Lord’s way, and ministering to this
enemy-action to fill the air with questions as to “soundness”
and “safety”.
We
have said above that a new beginning is the only way to
an adequate expression of unity. WHAT is that
beginning, and WHERE is it to take place? This is
a much happier line of enquiry and presentation than that
wallowing in the morass of the facts, causes and nature
of divisions.
The Starting Place and
Basis of Unity is the Cross
Is it
the dark shadow of legalism threatening to strangle, or
actually strangling, the life of the church as in the
letters to the Romans and the Galatians? Then see how the
Spirit of life leads the apostle to bring the cross into
full view as the only but sure means of deliverance!
Is it
the many-sided carnality, the reasserting of the natural
man, even unto the realm of the spirituals as at Corinth?
Again, see how “Christ crucified” is the EXCLUSIVE
remedy!
Is it
petty jealousies and standing for rights as at Philippi?
Then see the humbling of Himself by Christ, and “obedience
unto death, yea, the death of the cross” which is
presented as the example for victory! So it ever is: a
vital union, a union with Christ in His death which has
also become a critical experience in believers, in “ministers”,
in “workers”, and in “the work”, is
the one and only ground and way to an expression of
unity.
We
shall have to die, not only to the world and to
ourselves, but to our work, our denomination, our
mission, our enterprise or our movement, AS SUCH, and
in all have only one object which obliterates all other
interests and consciousness; that is Christ, His increase
and fullness! The “I” of Galatians 2:20, which
is supposed to be crucified with Christ, covers a much
larger area than a merely legal death, or the legal
aspect of Christ’s death. It touches the whole
matter of religious and traditional relationships, as the
context shows. Paul was really saying that the “no
longer I” meant his death to the Law and its
ordinances, which meant Judaism as a system which had
been transcended by Christ. The Cross not only makes
Christ superior to “Christianity” (as we know
it) but completely subjugates it to Him.
The
church — according to Paul’s statements —
is no combination of nations or nationals, or classes, or
denominations; it is not “inter” in any
respect, it is “uni”; it annihilates ALL,
and brings up “ONE NEW Man”, only
one, and entirely new — as Christ is the FIRST of
a “new creation”.
This
has to find its very beginning in a new consciousness of
a new-born child. Not this-or-that-conscious, but
Christ-conscious, and “all one in Christ” CONSCIOUS,
not mere doctrine or slogan. Until this ground is
really taken or occupied, and Christ-consciousness just
does transcend our religious connection or
tradition-consciousness, there will remain inner and
outer divisions.
The
Cross is a mighty power, and it has to be applied right
at the root of our being and of our system of things.
The
question is as to whether our measure of Christ is really
so much bigger than our particular Christianity-complex
that the latter fails to affect us in our attitude toward
Christ’s own, just because they are His. This is the
only way of manifested unity.