Does unity mean uniformity? Isn't there need to make allowances for diversity? Can one expect all the members to view things the same way?
No two people think alike? Nor do they have similar gifts. There is much diversity between people. As a result there is much diversity in the church. How does unity work on a practical basis in the context of the church? Is the church big enough to contain the diversity of a global congregation? What does God want? This is a significant question that deserves a careful, divinely inspired answer.
John 17:21 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
"Confess your own sins and forsake everything that will mar the unity that Christ requires.” {Ms172-1905.12}
We seldom find two persons exactly alike. Among human beings as well as among the things of the natural world, there is diversity. Unity in diversity among God’s children—the manifestation of love and forbearance in spite of difference of disposition—this is the testimony that God sent His Son into the world to save sinners. {OFC 36.2}
The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. In mind, in purpose, in character, they are one, but not in person. By partaking of the Spirit of God, conforming to the law of God, man becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ brings His disciples into a living union with Himself and with the Father. Through the working of the Holy Spirit upon the human mind, man is made complete in Christ Jesus. Unity with Christ establishes a bond of unity with one another. This unity is the most convincing proof to the world of the majesty and virtue of Christ, and of His power to take away sin. {OFC 36.3}
The powers of darkness stand a poor chance against believers who love one another as Christ has loved them, who refuse to create alienation and strife, who stand together, who are kind, courteous, and tender-hearted, cherishing the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. We must have the Spirit of Christ, or we are none of His. {OFC 36.4}
"The closer our union with Christ, the closer will be our union with one another."
In unity there is strength; in division there is weakness. {OFC 36.5}
The closer our union with Christ, the closer will be our union with one another. Variance and disaffection, selfishness and conceit, are striving for supremacy. These are the fruits of a divided heart, open to the suggestions of the enemy of souls. Satan exults when he can sow seeds of dissension. {OFC 36.6}
In unity there is a life, a power, that can be obtained in no other way. {OFC 36.7}
"if a man makes a mistake in his interpretation of some portion of the Scripture, shall this cause diversity and disunion? God forbid. We cannot then take a position that the unity of the church consists in viewing every text of Scripture in the very same light. The church may pass resolution upon resolution to put down all disagreement of opinions, but we cannot force the mind and will, and thus root out disagreement. These resolutions may conceal the discord, but they cannot quench it and establish perfect agreement. Nothing can perfect unity in the church but the spirit of Christlike forbearance."
"God may choose instrumentalities that we do not accept, because they do not exactly meet our ideas. They do not work in the very line marked out as perfect, and in place of leaving them with God, for His Spirit to work with them, many begin to present difficulties, barricade the way, and cherish a grieved feeling because they see that they are doing a work that has not been done. Then begins the dissecting of character and the gathering up of tidbits of complaints, and fault-finding and slander, and magnifying of little occurrences and events into grave sins. This has been done in the church until we are weak, and we will always be weak unless this narrow order of things is changed. May the Lord show you all what to do that you may be filled with thanksgiving, gratitude and praise to God for the precious gift of the Son of God, and put away envyings, jealousies and rivalries, that true love and unity may exist. { 1888 1091.2 }
"This oneness does not exist because everyone has the same disposition, the same temperament, and thinks in the very same channel. All do not possess the same degree of intelligence. All have not the same experience. In a church there are different gifts and varied experiences. In temporal matters there are a great variety of ways of management, and yet these variations in manner of labor, in the exercise of gifts, do not create dissension, discord, and disunion." { 1888 1091.3 } One man may be conversant with the Scriptures, and some particular portion of the Scripture may be especially appreciated by him; another sees another portion as very important, and thus one may present one point, and another, another point, and both may be of highest value. This is all in the order of God. But if a man makes a mistake in his interpretation of some portion of the Scripture, shall this cause diversity and disunion? God forbid. We cannot then take a position that the unity of the church consists in viewing every text of Scripture in the very same light. The church may pass resolution upon resolution to put down all disagreement of opinions, but we cannot force the mind and will, and thus root out disagreement. These resolutions may conceal the discord, but they cannot quench it and establish perfect agreement. Nothing can perfect unity in the church but the spirit of Christlike forbearance. Satan can sow discord; Christ alone can harmonize the disagreeing elements. Then let every soul sit down in Christ’s school and learn of Christ, who declares Himself to be meek and lowly of heart. Christ says that if we learn of Him, worries will cease and we shall find rest to our souls." { 1888 1092.1 }
Unity in diversity is the correct answer. However, as a result of the close personal relationship of the individual members with the Lord Jesus, there will still be an "other worldly" unity that will testify better than anything else that God sent Jesus to this world! This diversity can initially include diverse meanings of the same verse of Scripture and perceived errors. However, the desire for unity will bring a tender regard for the reputation of fellow believers and a earnest desire to be taught by the Holy Spirit, which will bring the desired unity.
God looks for unity within the diversity that exists in the church. However, that unity comes from the members of the body earnestly seeking to please Christ, who is the head of the body. Unity is not about one part of the body insisting that all the members do the same thing, any more than one part of the physical body insisting upon uniformity from the other members of the body. Rather, each part of the physical body faithfully obeys the commands coming from the head, and therefore works in perfect harmony—in spite of diversity—with the other members of the physical body. It is the same spiritually. When God is in charge of the church, there is sweet, God-pleasing harmony running throughout the church, resulting from all the members desiring to please God—a desire which includes pleasing God in being united and showing real love and respect to the people in the church.—Dan