“Perfect UNITY – Fact or Fiction?”

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

January 22, 2017  (Epiphany 3 A)

Is total, perfect, complete, pure UNITY . . . fact or fiction?  I can understand why people might instantly say, “Fiction!” The world of politics, for example, shows us how divided up every country in the world is.  Brutal dictatorships from North Korea through the Communist Bloc, from Nazi Germany through the Islamic world – seek to establish unity through FORCE, threats, and isolation . . . but it never works, and it never lasts. 

Open, free and democratic countries – even the most prosperous and powerful ones – have bitter divisions within them.  In the United States, the presidential inaugural speech is supposed to, in theory, bring the country together / heal the bitter election wounds, and showcase a united America.  It doesn’t work.  Fancy speeches from past presidents who promised healing and a new tone of unity in Washington – proved it was just empty words when they proceeded with an agenda that pleased some people and infuriated others – leaving even deeper divisions.  This time around Donald Trump didn’t even really try to bring everyone together in his speech – he knows a huge chunk of Americans detest him, and I don’t think he really cares.  While it’s true that war and tragedy can bring a country together for the sake of survival – as soon as the threat is defeated or fades away, the bitter divisions float right back to the surface. 

When politicians like our Prime Minister here in Canada, claims he can bring everyone together and put an end to the “politics of division” – we laugh, because we know it’s a total lie – and that he’s going to do what pleases him and his supporters, while throwing everyone else under the bus. 

We struggle with unity in our own homes and with our own family members – having husbands and wives, parents, in-laws, teenagers, and children – totally agree and see eye-to-eye on everything, seems like pure fiction / a total unrealistic pipe dream. 

In religion . . . it’s impossible.  Even within Christianity, people think perfect unity is a total myth.  They say that with all the different interpretations people have, it’s not even possible – so most of them have given up even trying.  Why bother, if perfect unity is nothing but an impossible MYTH to begin with? 

But . . . there’s a PROBLEM – and it’s a big problem: Jesus said it’s NOT a myth; it’s reality – and He prayed that we, His believers, would have this unity HERE – in this broken world.  Listen to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

There is real, total, and perfect unity in God’s own Triune Essence: between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  They are different and distinct Persons who exist in total and complete UNITY.  That’s a fact.  In HEAVEN – where all sin is gone, there is total, complete, perfect unity between God, His angels, and the souls of every human being who has been brought there through the Blood of Jesus and by saving faith in Him.  They are all different and distinct individuals – living in total, complete, perfect unity . . . that’s a fact.  

And, since Jesus prayed for us – His people who believe in Him on this side of glory / the Church – to have that perfect unity . . . it is real, and with His power, it is possible for us to have it.

The Apostle Paul begged, pleaded, and prayed for the Christians in that church in Corinth, along with congregations of God’s people across the globe and down through time – to pursue, to seek, to have, to embrace, and to enjoy that perfect UNITY – made possible by God alone.  It’s no myth, but it is a miracle – and it’s one of the blessings that God wants His people to have. We see that in the first verse of our text for today:1 Corinthians 1:10–17 (NIV 11)

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

What makes this so hard, and so elusive to find – even among God’s children who love and trust in Him?    SIN.   Yes, I agree, that’s the simple answer – but can we narrow it down to expose and understand more fully, precisely WHAT the great enemy of unity is?  I think so.  I stewed on this for quite a while, and I have a theory I want to run by you: I think the great enemy of perfect unity is PRIDE – pride expressing itself in 2 specific ways:

Firstly: Pride versus God / versus Jesus / versus His Word.  Christian unity falls apart and can’t exist when someone says, “I know better than you God!”  Every false and destructive heresy that brings disharmony into the Church can somehow be traced back to someone who, in human pride and arrogance, stood above God and stood in contradiction to His Word . . . because they thought they knew better.  Early Christian heresies denied the Trinity because people through they had it figured out in a way that made more logical sense to them.  In human pride and arrogance people deny the historical resurrection of Jesus, the virgin birth, the miracles He performed, the creation of this planet as described in Genesis – as if they somehow know better than the eye-witnesses who were there, and better than the God who recorded this history for our benefit.  Of course, they must also deny the miracle of Scripture itself.  God could not have actually spoken through human beings (as He claimed) to give us an accurate testimony of His plans and the history of our salvation by grace . . . they say that’s all a myth, and that they know how it all really happened, and what it all really means.  Even Christians who trust in God and trust in Scripture, are capable – in their pride and arrogance, of denying what God said about the power of Baptism, the Real Presence in the Lord’s Supper, the miracle of conversion – or any other topic that seems unreasonable to their “brilliant” intellects.  Each and every false, destructive, unity-destroying heresy – can be traced back to people stepping outside of / stepping above God’s Word – because they think they know better.

But, you can also see the flip-side of that – when God humbles a person and puts us in our place / on our knees – that’s a miracle in itself – when we dump whatever ideas we might have and cling to what God has told us with child-like faith.  We then strive for unity in our church and in our synod by teaching what the Bible says in all its truth and purity.  Once a person has come to the belief (by God’s power) – that this Book (the Bible) is accurate, as it claims, and given and preserved by God Himself . . . the rest is easy, it’s just a matter of putting all the doctrinal pieces of the puzzle in place. 

That’s the work that Paul did, that he has called us to keep doing, and that Jesus prayed for.  That’s the most important thing – but . . . that’s only part of it.  Pride not only rears its ugly head toward God and His Word – it also rears its ugly head toward our brothers and sisters too.  Paul addresses that side of it in verses 11-17:

11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Paul’s not disrespecting baptism here; he teaches us the full power and glory of this Gift in many places.  The act of baptism itself, however, is the easy part that any one of God’s people can do (and it doesn’t matter who performs it) – what he was called to do is preach and teach the pure doctrine of God’s saving Truth. 

PRIDE shows us when people think they are somehow better, wiser, smarter, and/or stronger than others – and they begin to look down on others, and form their silly little groups.  Pride is all about ME.  That “I / I / I – and – me / me / me” attitude tears churches apart, ruins families and marriages, and is deadly poison to true Christian Unity.  Therefore, as Paul encourages us: KILL IT!  Stomp it out!  Repentance means tearing this ugly prideful demon out of our heart – which is no easy thing to do.  If you have a problem with God’s Word / a problem with what He says / a problem with what He does / what His commands are / or what His plans are for you – CRUSH that monster – it seeks to destroy the bond of faith and unity you have with your Lord.  If you have a problem with those around you, because YOU are right / you deserve more / you demand better / you are fighting for yourself – that is your pride – STRIKE it down – for it will destroy any unity between you and those you love.  This is a brutally tough thing for us to do, but God’s powerful LAW can and does crush and destroy our pride, and His GOSPEL love and forgiveness lifts us up as new people – humbly thankful for His grace and forgiveness / humbly yielding to His Word and taking it to heart / humbly seeking the good of others and fighting for them rather than fighting for ourselves. 

And – miraculously – a little glimpse of the heavenly culture appears here among God’s people.  We can show the world that this unity is not fiction – it’s a fact!   As a church we can be perfectly united in mind and thought – even as we are unique individuals who look at things differently.  Families and marriages overflowing with humility and putting God first and the needs of our loved ones before ourselves – can show the world that the unity Christ provides is indeed a FACT, not fiction.  Let’s strive for that, and be an answer to Jesus’ own prayer, as we wait to be gathered home to that Land of perfect, never-ending, UNITY.