Unity In The Truth

Too many Christians strive for unity at the expense of anything that might stifle it.  In doing so, they hold the only legitimate basis for unity in low regard.  If a group of people, much less an assembly of Christians, seeks relational oneness on any ground besides that of truth, the harmony is shallow, weak, and without significance.  Any Christian who sacrifices truth or knowledge for the sake of a comparatively superficial thing like church unity dishonors the very foundation of Christianity.

There is nothing of value to be gained from solidarity in deception or error, for neither can be reconciled with any aspect of reality.  The idea that Christianity prizes unity for the sake of unity itself is gravely mistaken.  A oneness in error brings with it a destructive toleration of stupidity and evil, things contrary to a religion/philosophy that thoroughly emphasizes truth.  Even a superficial reading of the Bible reveals that it is far more concerned with matters of truth than it is with the coexistence of one ideological party and another.

Inevitably, the Christians (whether nominal or actual Christians) who elevate unity over all else must, in order to maintain their vulnerable peace, begin to contradict their own claims or goals.  Perhaps they will be intolerant of intolerance, or perhaps they will oppose the moral and intellectual excellence demanded by the Bible they think they are unifying around.  Whatever the contradiction, the disregard for truth is easily apparent.  It is impossible to simultaneously pursue both social peace and truth in all situations.

A group of people who are united in their awareness of demonstrable truths can be a deeply powerful thing.  Contrarily, a group of people rallied around a lie or an assumption can only have illusory power or the illicit power that might come from sincere commitment to a delusion.  There is nothing praiseworthy about the latter form of unity, and no Christian should ever pursue unity at the expense of a complete devotion to truth.  It is unity in the truth that the Bible prescribes, not any other form of ecclesial oneness.