Maintain the Unity of the Spirit

As the splintering of The UMC continues, the sadness in me grows. As we quarrel and fight, I see very little of the spirit of Christ. As we criticize and accuse, I look in vain for evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. Rather, what I see is the spirit that permeates our polarized culture. I see the Church following the ways of the world rather than the ways of the kingdom Jesus taught. I see people who call themselves Christians being critical and judgmental, harsh and bitter toward other Christians. (It may be that even this lament does not reflect the spirit of Christ and is devoid of the fruit of the Spirit.) In the schism we United Methodists are experiencing, it seems to me we United Methodists Christians have squandered a rare opportunity to demonstrate to the world the redeeming ways of God.

Unity is the central theme of the book of Ephesians. The Trinity – Father, Son, Spirit – are actively engaged in bringing unity back to creation under the lordship of Jesus — “to gather up all things in him (Christ), things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:10). Restoring the oneness of creation is the primary objective of God’s eternal, redemptive purpose. In that redemptive purpose, each member of the Trinity — Father, Son, Spirit — plays a specific role (Ephesians 1:3-14 — Father, 1:3-6; Son, 1:7-12; Spirit, 1:13-14). The Church plays a central role in this purpose (Ephesians 3:10). The Church is to demonstrate the unity or oneness that characterizes the love-based relationships of the Trinity. We — both Jew and Gentile — have been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). The Spirit works to move us beyond our differences, molding us into a new humanity (Ephesians 2:15) in which God lives (Ephesians 2:21-22).

The author appealed to this holy calling (to demonstrate how grace and love make unity or oneness possible) when he exhorted his readers to live in a way that reflected the life to which they had been called — the life found in the Trinity (Ephesians 4:1). He urged them, “making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

We humans commonly seek unity in sameness. We segregate ourselves into groups of those like us — those who look like us, those who think like us, those who believe the way we believe, those who do things the way we do things. (Segregation is the way we deal with differences.) This way of relating naturally involves comparing and competing. We judge people based on how they conform to our expectations, our thinking, our beliefs. We are critical of those who do not measure up and exclude them. Our critical, judgmental spirit is tied to rigid, black-and-white, right-and-wrong thinking that cannot tolerant any way of thinking that challenges how we think and what we believe. We think of ourselves as better than them. We use our power to protect our way of life against those whom we view as a threat to it. In this way of thinking and living, agreement is a prerequisite to unity.

Christian unity is different. It is oneness experienced in the midst of differences. It reflects the life of the Trinity — unity in diversity. (Ephesians 4:1-16 is a unit. Verses 1-6 are about unity; verse 7-16 about diversity.) Such unity embraces differences as God’s creation and God’s gift. The differences are strengths that make community possible. In Christian unity, each person is valued. Each has a gift to offer that enriches the life of the community — “as each part is working properly” (Ephesians 4:16).

Christian unity is the work of the Spirit — “the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3). It is a gift of the Spirit that we are to protect and maintain. Maintaining the unity of the Spirit requires Christ-like maturity (Ephesians 4:13). It is only possible as we are “made new in the spirit of your minds” (Ephesians 4:23). This new way of thinking which produces a new way of living is the work of the Spirit. As our thinking is shaped by the character of God and the ways of God, the Spirit transforms our hearts and minds. The Spirit leads us to put off our old self that follows the ways of the world (Ephesians 4:22) and to put on our new self that reflects the likeness of Christ (Ephesians 4:24). We live in love (Ephesians 5:2), as beloved children of God (Ephesians 5:1).

The unity of the Spirit is to be protected and maintained “in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). “The bond of peace” refers to the work of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22). “For he (Christ) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups (Jew and Gentile) into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14). Christ laid the ground work for unity. The Spirit works to make it a reality by growing us up spiritually. Unity is the Spirit’s gift to the Church.

Protecting and maintaining this gift of the Spirit is not easy work. It requires “humility and gentleness” coupled with patience. It requires “bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). The original language means “putting up with each other.” It seems to me that, in the splintering that is happening in The UMC, there is a lack of humility. Instead, I see a lot of “I’m right, you’re wrong” arrogance. Instead of gentleness, I see a lot of anger and resentment being spewed out in attacks on and condemnation of others. Rather than bearing with one another and putting up with one another, I see a willingness to angrily walk away from one another. I see a disregard for the Spirit’s gift of unity and the bond of peace created by Jesus’s death on the cross.

It seems to me we United Methodists have squandered a rare opportunity to demonstrate to the world a better way of living in relationship. We have failed to show them the way of love.