Unity in the Church

Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches claim to be the one true church. Some Baptist, seventh day and Restoration churches claim to be the one true church. When Jesus prayed that his church be one did he mean in administration or in spirit? Since the beginning, there were five separate administrative areas within the Roman Empire in Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Rome. Outside the Roman Empire were also separate church administrations, such as in India, Armenia and Assyria.

To say that these were divided because they did not all fall under Rome or Constantinople is not true. Throughout the entire Christian Church, we agree on so much more that truly unites us in Christ. To deny communion to those who are in Christ is the height of human arrogance and a sin against the church which is far more unified than divided.

We agree that God is spirit, has personality, is gentle, love, kind, compassionate, faithful, forgiving, good, just, Life, inhabits eternity, unchanging, holy, righteous, just, truthful, immanent, transcendent, 3 in One.

We agree that Jesus is the Lord, God of the Hebrew Scriptures, God with us, the angels are his angels, he judges the world, he is both human and divine, born of a virgin, died for our sins.

We agree that the Holy Spirit makes choices, teaches, guides people into truth, reveals Jesus, convicts of sin, seals believers, can be grieved, can be blasphemed, possesses a rational mind, can be lied to, can be quenched, can be resisted, is distinguished from yet related to the Father and the Son, is a person, is God, Comforter and the “Spirit of Christ”.

We agree that the Angels are God's servants, ministering spirits serving the heirs of salvation, individual persons who can have curiosity, shout praises, and they have choice because some chose disobedience, holy angels rejoice in the salvation of believers, serving, protecting, encouraging and relaying God’s will to them. Satan is called the god of this age, the prince of this world, the prince of the power of the air, evil one, thief and the tempter. He is also called a murderer, the father of lies, the great dragon and prince of demons. His final end is the lake of fire.

We agree that humans are created in the likeness of God with a similar but limited ability to reason, rule over the earth and were created to have a relationship with God. We are essentially two parts, material and non-material, created to have a relationship with God, requiring trust

We agree that sin means a range of things from simply missing the mark to abject moral evil and that the consequences of sin are eternal separation from God. Our sins prevent us from finding true joy and happiness, but God offers us his help

We agree that God is revealed in the Bible, in creation, in Jesus Christ and other special ways.

We agree that salvation comes from God and not ourselves, and that applies to being saved from sickness and calamity today as well as for eternity and that salvation is open to all people of the world.

We all agree that Jesus established his church as an assembly of Christians as the body of Christ, a family, a vine and branches, the pillar and ground of the truth, a living temple that grows, a holy temple in which God dwells, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, living stones around the cornerstone, and salt and light. Church gatherings are places to be strengthened in faith, to be spiritually fed, a place for prophecy or inspired preaching, a place for collections for the saints, to learn of God’s wisdom, to get spiritually cleansed, to sing God’s praises, and a place to be healed.

We agree that there will come an end of all material things, that we will all die, Jesus will come again, there is a resurrection, and a judgment where our eternal state will be finalized.

We agree that this message is so important that it must be taken into all the world.

Jesus prayed that we would be one, not in human administration, but as the Father and He are one (John 17:20-23). That is God’s purpose in us. The only thing that perpetuates any division is the arrogant idea that we must all be administered by the same human beings, when we are in reality all administered by the same heavenly beings.