Unity and Conformity

These two words started swirling around my brain a couple of years ago when differences of opinion started hitting the fan at our church.

By definition, unity simply means oneness. In fact, mathematically, unity refers to the number one.

Conformity, on the other hand, is the intentionality of achieving similarity. One might use the word "normal" to describe conformity. If you conform to your friends about clothing fashion, for example, you might say that you all dress within a relative degree of sameness, or normality. If everone is wearing slacks and you show up in baggy sweatpants, you would be outside the norm.

As Christians, Jesus calls us to be in unity with one another as brothers in Christ. His desire is that His kingdom of saints be one. Perhaps the best example of this desire is found in the New Testament book of Ephesians. The writer Paul says that, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and in all."

Paul says that each of us are part of the same family, tied together by common elements like God's Holy Spirit, hope of eternal life with God, and one Savior (Jesus). Everyone who wears the name "Christian" is related to each other in these ways.

But certainly, not all Christians are the same (in conformity). In fact, Paul says this in 1 Corinthians -- "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God who works through all men." Paul goes on to explain that these differences are important and necessary. He likens the Christian community to a body, and says that just like a physical body, the spiritual body has many different parts. Each part serves a different function. We're not all arms, or legs, or mouths. Paul even says that the parts we might consider to be less significant (think tonsils and appendixes) are vital in the family of God.

Here's where we get into trouble -- substituting the call for unity with an insistence on conformity. As Christians, we are unified in our love for Christ. Does that mean that in order to show our love for Him, that we must sing the same songs of love? Do we need to sing them in the same style? Do we need to sing at all? When we worship, must it be by the same pattern as someone else? Must our prayers be worded the same, or our acts of service identical?

God says the answer is NO. In fact, Paul also says in 1 Corinthians that "God has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, exactly as He wants them to be." Dare we say, God appreciates diversity, and through this diversity, accomplishes His will?

What God does not appreciate is lack of love. After Paul writes this description of the body, he transitions by saying, "And now I will show you the most excellent way." Paul then finishes the book of 1 Corinthians by describing love.

Wow, doesn't that seem appropriate? In essence, Paul says that we should welcome diversity in the body of Christ. We should appreciate that God created us all differently and gives us each a unique role in His family. In many respects, God avoids spelling out point-for-point how He wants to be worshipped. But then He reminds us that in our differences (in our lack of conformity), love must abound. That without love, our worship of Him is like "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."

Do you know of a Christian brother, or even an entire local body of Christians, that needs to join hands and jump on the love train? I do. At times, I'm even one of them. These past few weeks, I have been fervently praying that God would open the eyes of His childen to the possibility that unity and love can exist apart from conformity. We'll see what happens.

Your thoughts?