As you drive down the street in a country where Christianity is legal, you may see a bewildering variety of Christian churches. Not only is there Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and other major divisions, there are also subdivisions of each. I am a Lutheran pastor, part of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (which is not just located in Missouri). I was not aware of how many Lutheran “synods” there are in the United States alone. The doctrinal differences between this plethora of church bodies can vary between subtle to rather serious. All would claim the Bible as their source of information, but they don’t all regard the Bible as being the Word of God or only source of information.
If you are aware of religious history, you would also be aware of even wars that were nominally about doctrinal divisions. Closer examination of these wars reveals that they were more about who would rule, than what would be taught. Christianity was entangled with government for a long time in Europe. Christianity can also be entangled with culture in the sense that people who are truly connected to Christ may be in the same institution (congregation or denomination) as people who are merely culturally Christian.
That said, the Christian church does not feel united. What should we think about this prayer from Jesus?
20 “I do not ask for these only (the original disciples), but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
John 17:20-21 (ESV)
Given both history and the current situation, it would seem that this prayer has gone unanswered, but you need to look closely at what type of unity Jesus is speaking. It is a unity that is similar to the unity between Jesus and the Father. The unity is based on being “in Jesus”. This little phrase is found throughout the New Testament. What does it mean?
God does something to us that is beyond our comprehension and even our sensation. There is a supernatural, spiritual, mystical (you pick the word) unity formed between you and Jesus; and since there is only one Jesus it is formed between you and every other Christian that exists both living and dead. We are one even though little to nothing else seems to unite us.
This is the unity strengthened by the Lord’s Supper.
17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:17 (ESV)
What is this saying? My paraphrase is this: “Because there is one Jesus (the Living Bread from Heaven), we who are many (the very diverse, spiritually immature, and outwardly divided people who are saved by God’s grace) are one body (the Body of Christ), for we all partake of the one bread (Jesus, not what we think about Jesus). “
Think about what this says about the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper performs a variety of functions. From our side we remember Jesus’ sacrificial death for us and proclaim Jesus as our Savior. From God’s side, He affirms His covenant of forgiveness and eternal life with us and He gives us the body and blood of Christ to us to affirm His covenant of forgiveness and eternal life with us and to strengthen in some way the unity we have with Christ and with one another. By “one another” I don’t just mean the people worshipping in the room with you. I also mean every real Christian of every nation and at every point of growing in their knowledge of Christ. This would also include those who have left this world to be with Jesus in Heaven. It is not a doctrinal statement or unity.
Does doctrinal unity matter? It does, but for another purpose. I will write about that in my next blog post.
Giving Christ 