But I fear, lest by any means,
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety,
so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ.
[2 Corinthians 11:3]
A Crazy Idea: Unity of Doctrine
“Unity of doctrine?” people ask with an astonished look on their face. “Do you really think that the church has unity of doctrine?” One of the marks of our modern age is that each person holds an individual belief. A recent survey of religious convictions showed that most church goers were not that convinced about their convictions. The Pew Forum survey says:
A major survey by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that most Americans have a non-dogmatic approach to faith. A majority of those who are affiliated with a religion, for instance, do not believe their religion is the only way to salvation. And almost the same number believes that there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their religion. This openness to a range of religious viewpoints is in line with the great diversity of religious affiliation, belief and practice that exists in the United States, as documented in a survey of more than 35,000 Americans that comprehensively examines the country’s religious landscape. (http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report2religious-landscape-study-key-findings.pdf)
There is a disconnect between what an individual confesses and what their church confesses. How many Southern Baptists believe everything their church teaches? How many Roman Catholics believe all the thing the pope believes? For that matter, how many Lutherans hold to the teaching of the Small Catechism and the Lutheran Confessions?
And more, not only is there a disconnect between the individual belief and the church's confession, but many people don't know what their church teaches. And many people don't even care what their church's believes. A church's teaching is often understood as “man's opinion”, and, after all, “my opinion is just as good as yours.”
In this the confession of faith is reduced to opinion, making tolerance the order of the day. After all, putting my opinion over your opinion is arrogant. But this is not about opinions. In the church we are to cast aside our opinions; the Lord's Word is all that has sway.
Anyhow, all this long introduction is to get to this: when we Lutherans say there should be unity of doctrine in the Lord's church we sound, to the world, like we are crazy. “The church rejoices in doctrinal unity” sounds about the same as “My unicorn prefers baby carrots.”
Because the teaching of closed communion is built upon the assumption that there is unity of doctrine, our practice of closed communion seems equally nutty. Closed communion is a difficult teaching because there is hardly a person who believes that the church can or should have a unity of doctrine. To establish our teaching of closed communion we have to first establish the Scripture's teaching that the church can, should and even must have a unity of teaching.
Unity of Doctrine in the Lord's Church
Back, then, to the original question: “Do you really think that the church has unity of doctrine?” Let's take that question to the Scriptures.
Over and over in the Bible the church is commanded to be of “one mind.”
1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
This “one mind” is a unity of faith and love.
Philippians 2:1-4 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Jesus prays for us, His church, that we would be one. This unity is manifest in the Lord's Word.
John 17:11,17 [Jesus prays,] “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. ... 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
This unity is agreement in doctrine, in teaching, in the Lord's Word. It is “the faith” of which Jude speaks.
Jude 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
St Paul gives the same instruction to St Timothy, who, as a young pastor, was to be very careful with His teaching and doctrine, not to stray from the sound word and teaching of the Scriptures.
1 Timothy 4:6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
1 Timothy 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
2 Timothy 1:13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Timothy is to stick to the Lord's Word because it is the Word of salvation. This is why the Lord constantly warns us about false prophets who would bring a different teaching into the church.
Jeremiah 23:16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
When the Scriptures use the word “Beware”, they are most often warning us to beware of false teachers.
Matthew 7:15 [Jesus says,] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 16:6,12 Jesus said to them, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." ... 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Philippians 3:2 Look out for [Beware of] the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Colossians 2:8 See to it [Beware] that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
2 Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care [Beware] that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
False teachers are dangerous because they bring false teaching. False teaching is dangerous because it draws us away from Jesus; it pulls us away from the Gospel of our salvation. St Paul has the harshest words for those who would turn us away from the Lord's Gospel with false teaching.
Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Never is St Paul more forceful, never more severe. He knows the danger of false teaching, the sound of the devil's lies, the taste of his poison. The true Gospel brings Jesus with the forgiveness of sins, life and eternal salvation; false teaching brings death and hell.
The church that has lost this understanding and no longer cares for the truth and clarity of the Gospel, the church that has lost this zeal for the truth and this unity of doctrine is a church that has lost her love for Christ and the salvation of mans souls. Concern for the unity of doctrine is concern for the Lord's saving Word, and it is concern for all sinners who have life only in that word.
Divisions
False teaching breaks fellowship. False teaching causes divisions.
We are so worried about the church dividing, splitting, that we are willing to endure error in the church to keep things together. But this is a sham unity; a false fellowship. The one-mind of the church has already been broken.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
What would the Lord have us do with those who cause divisions? St Paul answers the question:
Romans 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
This text is very important. False teaching causes divisions. The Lord's church is to watch out for those who would cause divisions and avoid them. “Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” This teaching is clear.
If a church is so sick that false teaching does not cause division, but that truth and falsehood live together under the same roof, then something is very wrong. As long as the liver is working the body can filter out toxins and poisons, but if the liver shuts down the toxins build up and the body dies. So it is with false teaching in the church. The devil will always breath the putrid air of his damning false doctrine into the church. The danger comes when this teaching is not exposed and rejected.
This is the purpose for which the Lord uses false doctrine.
1 Corinthians 11:19 ...for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
The Lord would have the truth of His Word and the simplicity of Christ to be recognized and manifest. This unity of teaching is commanded, expected, and, praise God, given. It is the mind of Christ, that is, the teaching of the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.
Far from being the achievement of men, an accomplishment that we achieve, the unity of faith is the gift of God. Far from a cause for pride, unity of doctrine comes to the humble faith which simply receives the Lord's Word.
This unity of teaching is the “fellowship” which the Spirit gives to the “one, holy, Christian and apostolic church.”
Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Every thing good comes from God. This is especially true of the unity of doctrine that the Lord gives to His church. We give Him thanks that He has brought us into fellowship with Himself, His Son and the Holy Spirit, through the Gospel, and we pray that He would keep us in the same until we reach the new heaven and the new earth where no false teaching will threaten to divide us from Him. Amen.
INJ,
Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Hope Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO
The 8th Sunday after Trinity Sunday, 2008
I'm curious how detailed an agreement in doctrine you claim we require. For instance, can we simply agree "I believe Jesus died for my sins and is the only hope for salvation"? What about perfect agreement in the small catechism? Perhaps the full Book of Concord? At one end, if we don't require some agreement, we're violating scripture. On the other end, if we require perfect agreement on all theological issues, no matter how minor or nuanced, we will never reach full agreement. So, where is the proper line?
FYI, I ask these question as an LCMS congregation member in Colorado, but not at your congregation.
Posted by: Chemical Erik | July 29, 2008 at 07:34 PM
Even the Lutherans have split over doctrine. The treatise you present is also used by the Roman Church to keep people in line. The church is not a denomination, it is the collection of born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, EACH of which is accountable for his beliefs before God. Just believing what your church teaches for the sake of unity is unbiblical.
For we shall all give account... (not the "church" in our place). By your definition Luther should have kept his mouth shut and keep the "unity".
Posted by: Rick Frueh | July 30, 2008 at 04:43 PM
Rick,
Thanks for you comment. Of course Lutherans have split because of false doctrine. That's the point. False doctrine splits the church, at least it should.
I think you must have misunderstood my writing. We don't find the truth by first finding the church (like Rome argues); we find the church when we find the truth of the Gospel. I would never say that we should believe what the church teaches. The church believes the Words of her Lord. We cling, in simplicity, to the Lord's Word.
I'm trying to say simply that the Lord expects, commands and gives unity of doctrine.
Posted by: Pr Bryan Wolfmueller | July 30, 2008 at 06:48 PM
To cite verses about unity and project them to assert doctrinal unity as opposed the unity that centers around humility and preferring each other, is in my view unsubstantiated. Especially when you have not identified the doctrines about which one must subscribe to be invited to the communion table.
The Lord's supper is for the believer in fellowship with Christ, and must not leveraged as a denominational ordinance that is only offered to those who are in unity with their particular doctrine. And for those Lutherans who teach the Lord's Supper to be a means of grace, to withold that grace as they see it, is again spiritually selfish. The Scriptures command us all individually to take inventory of our own spiritual situation.
With the standards that some set for fellowship at the communion table, I am not sure the lives of either Luther or Calvin would have provided ample evidence of being in spiritual fellowship with Christ when isolated from their writings. And so is the essence of the word grace. The grace of the Lord Jesus is offered openly to all who believe, and it is not proffered with respect of persons and their professed doctrinal slant within authentic Christianity.
Many Lutherans (and others) who can check the doctrinal boxes could not take the Word of God and show with any Scriptural specificity why they believe what they say they believe. So even though they profess doctrinal unity with their denomination, their unity and belief system relies totally upon what the minister believes. I submit that can be construed as faith in the minister and not God's Word. But they are welcomed at the Lord's Table while the Wesleyan who can show Scriptural evidence as to his beliefes is refused. That is denominational idolatry in my view. (being raised in the LCA)
So you have an expanded teaching concerning unity, and then a very tortured tethering to a closed communion not based on salvation but doctrinal unity, which is not even hinted at in either the epistles or the gospels. It may even be argued the Lord Himself allowed Judas to participate at the first communion, however that hold no doctrinal weight either way without corresponding teachings in the epistles.
Posted by: Rick Frueh | July 30, 2008 at 08:50 PM
Rick,
I took most of the closed communion stuff out of this article because of the broader theological audience. There are a few paragraphs closing the loop on our church website here: www.hope-aurora.org/pages/NewTeachingandCommunion if you are interested.
Of course Judas communed. This doesn't trouble my doctrine of closed communion at all. Judas, after all, was a Lutheran, not a Methodist. (The pastor does not have the prerogative of searching out the faith in the heart. This is the providence of God alone. Closed communion is a matter of external confession.)
You, by the way, are a pietist (which I suspect you know and are not insulted by. Let me know if this is offensive and I'll be more careful.). And I wrote the article with pietists in mind.
The question simply is: ought there to be unity of doctrine in the Lord's church? The Scriptures answer "yes", do they not?
PrBW
Posted by: Pr Bryan Wolfmueller | July 30, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Pietist? I don't mind, I like pie. :)
In reality, I am a simple sinner, saved by grace, who is a follower of Jesus Christ and in need of His grace every day. Judas was a Lutheran? That Luther sure made the rounds.
Peace.
Posted by: Rick Frueh | July 31, 2008 at 06:08 AM
Okay, don't scorn me because I was raised modern evangelical and have only recently began attending an expository teaching church, but as long as we agree on the Apostle's Creed and search the scriptures to see if what our leaders are teaching is true, is that not enough? In general terms does that cover unity? I realize there are a lot of false teachers out there (some of whom I have had the displeasure of knowing well), but when a church has a book of bylaws 500 pages long and one is told they can't be in unity unless they agree to it, it seems (and forgive my lousy Vineyard upbringing) a little excessive. Scripture seems so easy, and when we spend so much time and energy explaining it, we've got as many different Talmuds as we have denominations. If I'm wrong, you can excommunicate me. :)
Posted by: Deborah | July 31, 2008 at 09:53 PM
Thanks for the comments, Deborah. I've got to warn you though...WATCH OUT! If you turn the opening phrase of your next-to-last sentence to "Scripture seems so clear," and continue to search the Scriptures to see if what the leaders are saying is true, you're eventually going to wind up Lutheran.
Posted by: GZ | August 01, 2008 at 12:04 AM
You know....
Nah, never mind. My husband and I are still happy singing Chris Tomlin songs ( :P ) at our Calvary Chapel, but whenever our pastor goes to meet our Savior, we'll probably begin the hunt for a new church. We love hymns, so is that good enough to become Lutheran? Oh, wait, you guys still rock the organ, right? Not sure if we're ready to change THAT much. Plus I don't own any "Sunday Best" threads. Boy, am I in trouble! No Lutheran for me! :(
Posted by: Deborah | August 01, 2008 at 01:35 PM
I think sometimes we approach this from the wrong starting point. Are the scriptures clear in what they say? If they are (which I would say they are), we should be working together to understanding the truth (doctrine). Knowing that there are many different beliefs held about the scriptures doesn't mean that we should leave it at "to each his own." Jesus prayed that we would be one, as He and the Father are one... I don't think they would have different opinions on what The Lord's Supper really is.
If we start from a place of striving for unity, rather than finding a way to say why our divisions are ok, maybe we might actually end up being united.
Once a "charismatic non-denominational" - now a Lutheran.
Posted by: Lisa | August 05, 2008 at 01:27 AM
“While I am not Luthern, I appreciate your love for unity around the truth of God's Word. The questions I have are:
1. Does "unity of mind" mean uniformity, unity, or unison? I know the word specifically is unity but is the proper meaning in these context uniformity, unity, or unison?
2. Since a Confession (Statement of Faith) is adopted by each individual congregation, what happens to those members who vote against (or cannot adhere to) the adoption of a new confession or an admended Confession?
3. Must a teacher (not just elders/pastors) in a church teach in accordance with and not contrary to the stated confession of the church or resign?
4. Can a teacher hold in abeyance or suspension part of the confession he doesn't understand (while also not teaching against it) and continue to teach while he is working out his theology?
5. What if a confession is proven wrong on some point of Biblical Theology or Biblical exegesis? Is there a prodecure to change it?
6. What happens of a pasor/elder comes to a position in disagreement with his chuch's confession and cannot teach in accordance with and not contrary to the Church's confession?
7. In striving for unity, and disagreement arises over a confessional position, when is it appropriate to fall back to the confession as the correct Biblical position that the chuch stands on and when is it right to change it to conform to the Scriptures?
8. Also, is it right to follow a modern trend in most evangelical churches today to truncate the gospel to make unity (or peace) happen?
9. If not what is the effect of preaching a biblical (and thick (covering the whole of salvaiton not just justification)) gospel?”
10. How does one help others see the importance of confessional unity in a church especially amongst the leadership?
The answers one gives will make a big difference how the goverance and infrastructure grows in the life of the church. It also helps define how one interprets "unity of Mind" as either uniformity, unity, or unison. Your perspective on these qustions would be helpful to me.
Treasuring Christ...
Glenn
Posted by: glenn Leatherman | August 21, 2008 at 05:25 PM
If indeed God dwells in a man—by His own doing— then that man would without question be like God. That man would speak like Him, that man would reason like Him, that man would walk like Him, that man would confront like Him, all that is within that man would be perfected in power by God’s gracious will and immutable purpose. The true liberty of conscience and affirmation granted by God would move that man. God would give to that man what he has never had before: freedom from the weak and worthless elemental things of this world!
God’s own would then have power over the men who walk in the deadness of themselves—those who seek to take advantage of their fellow man through deception and violence—freedom from their ways of influence, their systems of financial leverage, their entreating self-made religion, their corrupt social roles, their Sunday niceties, and all the power that these institutions and individuals represent would no longer enslave the mind and soul of the one God has approved. Moreover, all of the worlds things would rightly belong to the one God gives Himself to. This man would walk in true knowledge among the powers of this age, made to know that all things are used by the Father to perfect the son: every encounter, every event, every experience, every person, every thought, every action, every suffering, every joy, every righteous conflict……..
Everything that is anything would belong to the man who possesses the one true God!
The Christian church of today claims to be His ambassador, but the modes and qualities of this ambassador resemble one seeking to endear herself to the world instead of standing against it—a powerless, insecure child trying to win favor with the neighborhood children.
The “house of the Lord” should be filled with those who look like Him.
Have you not read that God gave strict orders as to how the temple must be built?
By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
1 John 2:5-6
Here is the rub....He will either make you look like Him, or you will just say He looks like you. Thank God for righteous division! Remember, "You (those who are His) will know them (those who are truely His and those who falsely claim to be His) by their fruits."
Don't you children understand that the Spirit knows the Spirit!
Or are you so arrogant that you believe God is divided and cannot bring unity to His own?
Posted by: Exodus1 | September 23, 2008 at 01:53 AM
Pastor Bryan--
Would you rather partake of Holy Communion in a Lutheran Church that advocates diversity, such as homosexuality, and has completely gone out on left field or would you rather have Holy Communion in a Baptist Church, for example, that stands firmly upon morality and the basic Cardinal Doctrines as presented in scripture?
Posted by: Allen Christensen | March 20, 2010 at 01:16 AM