Middle Ground - Unity

I encounter a great many problems with 'unity' when it comes to homosexuality and so the point for discussion (by posted comments perhaps rather than emails, although they are welcome) is:

"We will seek unity in our fellowships and make every effort to keep the bond of peace. We pray for the Holy Spirit to highlight areas of weakness, criticism and self-sabotage and we will deal with these promptly, prayerfully and with humility."

Before I try to post my position I think it might be helpful to consider the many positions (not definitive, just a quick splurge off the top of my head) that assault me with regard to 'unity' (and I have many - but mustn't digress) with regard to this topic:

Don't Tell Me
I struggle with those who are happy to fellowship with anyone as long as they know nothing about them or their situation. 'Don't tell' is such a hypocritical place to reside for it permits people to do whatever they like as long as no one finds out! What this means is that they are not happy to fellowship and worse still are happy to permit whatever it is that they don't know as long as they don't know.

The Defining Sin
In many areas, not just the one 'middle ground' is concerned with, there are people who wish to portray an act, theology, lifestyle or attitude as being in possession of, or making incarnate, the 'defining sin'. For some this is being homosexual, for others it is not being homosexual (the sad attitude that considers heterosexuality to be in some way homophobic). What is strange that in every encounter that I can recall with the 'defining sin' brigade they are always more concerned (of gleefully) with the sin of those they condemn than they are with their own shortcomings and double-standards.

Let Me Tell You Everything
The wonderful people who push whatever it is into the light to confront those who they consider oppose their lifestyle choices. The problem is that if one wants to make an issue of something then they really shouldn't be uptight when it becomes an issue! Not only that but it brings about a nasty knee-jerk reaction from the 'don't tell' types and so the battle is really engaged - but peace is never sued for.

Let's All Just Be Happy!
This is the one that drives me bonkers in that I am told that we just need to be happy! One person recently told me that we, "Need to put down our old attitudes and silly divisions that the Bible causes and just love everyone and have a church that is happy!" My problem is that happiness and obedience are two words that go together (obedience begets happiness and vv) and that to assume we can remove the hallmarks of orthodoxy, Stand upon 'The Truth' or revise what the Bible says to support a view so that both sides can condemn others (as so many 'orthodox' and 'liberals' do - there is no monopoly held here by either side it seems) is bonkers.

We should all be happy and this happiness comes from relationship with God through Christ; Through seeing the image of the invisible God made visible in the form of a brother or sister (and that's regardless of who they are, what they think, what they believe or how they live - with the caveat that there are times when we need also to 'restore gently' those who we see caught up in sin).

That'll do for now (there are more but tea is drunk, office is said and 09:00 is fast approaching) and so my views:

We must always seek to live as Church (universal) in a place of peace and concord and this means that we can't expel some without first looking at the beam in our own eyes or without seeing, and acknowledging, the places that we fall short. Unity is not being silent about differences and is not served by the trite utterance of those awful words, "Let's just agree to differ!"

In John 17: 20-23, we find the words:

"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."

Unity is essential if we are to take the Gospel out into the world and have them believe that Jesus is the Christ. Our unity is essential for those who do not believe, it is the remedy for ALL the world's ills and is the path by which others will come.

Unity only works if we are honest with one another. Whatever the relationship, dishonesty undermines and destroys it and Church is no different. The problem here is that pointing out that one doesn't share a viewpoint, doesn't choose to act in a certain way or believe what another believes is so often taken by the other party as a criticism and this is not always because of the way the difference is stated. We need to state our differences in love and look to dialogue and understand where the bumps in the road to peaceful living might be. It could be that some parts of the road just need to be subject to a detour or cones off, but this is the last resort.

Unity is not sitting in a room being shouted at or abused in the hope that eventually the other party will capitulate and surrender (seen that on both sides of the homosexuality 'debate') and neither will it come from the assigning of labels and attempts at humiliating or engaging in the game of 'ad hominem' to defeat the other party. It will not come from dialogue where one party shouts and then sticks their fingers in their ears whilst the other side has a turn (which is pretty much my experience I'm sad to say!).

Unity is reading the Word with the hermeneutic firmly fixed, understanding the context and bringing it with you to the writings of other, not always comfortable or agreed with, authors (best kind - not much fun reading stuff you agree with!). It is taking this and trying rationally to work within our own experience, feelings and situation with love always a forethought and obedience always our guide.

That's what unity is (phone call says 09:15 pick up - so have enjoyed an extra few minutes - hope you will!).

And me? I'm flawed, fallen and struggle with my daily walk on a daily basis. I can do nothing without looking to the grace of God and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit as I try to live out the life won for me by Christ on the Cross.

I pray that this is the same of others and that we will, in unity come to that great day when Christ returns and takes us home to be His Bride - spotless and without blemish or separation.

Pax