Unity of the Spirit or the Spirit of Unity?

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1). Unity of the Spirit for believers is very important to God. But this is not the same as the spirit of unity found among some of the more conservative groups of Christians today.

Paul entreated the saints at Ephesus "to keep the unity of the Spirit" (Eph. 4:1-3). True unity is based on truth. If a group of Christians are unified on anything other than truth, there is not true unity. In fact, Jesus is the Truth, and He is the foundation. Our Lord prayed to the Father for the saints "that they may be one, even as we are one" (Jn. 17:22).

Much of the spirit of unity today (rather than unity of the Spirit) is based not only on some false doctrines, but also on traditions. And many conservative leaders, as a means of controlling the congregation, teach that it is the "spiritual leadership" of the church that guides you into all truth. And you must conform to all the teachings and practices of the church, which, in all cases of which I am aware, are an admixture of truth and tradition and false doctrine. In some conservative groups if you do not conform to, and agree with, their particular traditions you are denied what they call "Communion." (Personally, I have communed with the Lord every day for more than 25 years. I don't need to wait for the memorial of the Lord's Supper to remember His death twice a year.) In other words unless you accept all their teaching as the truth you are not submitting to a spirit of unity. God has nothing to do with this spirit of unity; it is an exclusive spirit that is not of Christ.

This exclusive spirit, which is becoming more prevalent, manifests itself in some groups who believe they are "the true Church" and everyone who is not a member of their group is not part of the Church and probably not even a Christian. (There is, of course, the opposite extreme of a more widely spread ecumenical movement that embraces virtually everybody who claims to be a Christian regardless of what they believe or how they live.)

There are many Christian groups who are caught up in a spirit of unity with various doctrines concerning who constitutes the Church, water-baptism, modes of water-baptism, filling of the Holy Spirit, divine healing, eschatology, particular Bible translations being the only Word of God, spiritual gifts, ad nauseam.

So, how can you guard against a spirit of unity based on things that are not truly of the Spirit? 

First of all, after being born again, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Second, you must be dead to self. 

Third, you must be willing to walk in the light received, regardless of the cost (which may mean losing marriage partners, loved ones, church leaders, material possessions, etc. Please see the three conditions for being a disciple (learner) of Jesus Christ in Luke 14:26-27, 33). 

Fourth, you must realize who your real Teacher is. It is true that many church leaders have a gift of teaching and indeed "teach" but this teaching is in a limited sense compared to the One who teaches you in a way that no church leader ever can. The only way you can know whether or not a human teacher is teaching truth is if the Holy Spirit of Christ reveals that to you. In fact, the only way you can know scriptural truth is if God teaches you by His Spirit. And these truths will never contradict the Scriptures. Any other knowledge of truth is, at best, only an intellectual assent.

"For one is your [Teacher], even Christ" (Mt. 23:8). "...A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven" (Jn. 3:27). Jesus said, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him....And they shall be taught of God" (Jn. 6:44-45a). "...The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things" (Jn. 14:26). "...When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth" (Jn. 16:13a). The apostle Paul said, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rm. 8:14). "...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:9-10a). "Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other" (1 Thess. 4:9). Paul told Timothy, "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" (2 Tim. 2:7). The apostle John said, "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him [the Holy Spirit] abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him" (1 Jn. 2:26-27).

Time is short. Let us make our prayer the prayer of Jesus for the saints: "that they may be one, even as we are one." 

Let us never forget that Jesus said He did not come to bring peace, but a sword; He came to bring division. (Please see Matthew 10:34-36 and Luke 12:51-53). Also, let us remember what Paul said about Christians who do not obey the Word, "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter...do not associate with him...Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother" (2 Thess. 3:14-15).

The Word is like a two-edged sword that divides. The Word of God is truth that divides those who do not love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. This includes not only unsaved people but many true Christians in these last days of apostasy. True unity is only possible when the unity is based on Truth, not compromise of God's Word.

God wants us to have unity in the Holy Spirit, but not have a spirit of unity that embraces false teachings, which is the essence of the end-time ecumenical movement.