Unity in the Body of Christ – Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Belief 14

The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)

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See also these Bible lessons from previous years:

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Do We Have to Agree About Everything to Have Unity?

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Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? Amos 3:3 NKJV Amos asks how two people can walk together unless they are agreed. Does this mean they have to agree about everything in order to walk together?  I think the New Living Translation helps to clarify the question: Can two people walk together without agreeing … Continue reading –>

When is it a Good Idea Not to Follow Bible Counsel?

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A few years ago I was talking to a head elder, who had rushed to judgment and taken it upon himself to take “executive” action against another church member. I asked him if he had followed the counsel in Matthew 18, and talked to the member first. He boldly told me he did not need … Continue reading –>

When We Think the Church is Wrong!

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In July the Seventh-day Adventist Church General Conference Session will vote on the much-discussed contentious issue of whether individual divisions should ordain women pastors. Since enough has been written about women’s ordination to fill several terabytes of data space, we are not going to discuss the subject on Sabbath School Net. I am not a prophet … Continue reading –>

Ellen White and Conspiracy Thinking

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Not too long ago, I wrote a blog titled “The End Time and Conspiracy Theories.” In that blog I shared my thoughts regarding the relationship between Christians in general and the ever increasing popularity of conspiracies. In this post, I would like to more specifically address Seventh-day Adventists and conspiracy thinking by sharing some thoughts from the … Continue reading –>

Is Uniformity of Belief Necessary for Unity?

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So is there a difference between uniformity and unity? In “uniformity,” you will find the word “uniform.” And that serves as a good illustration. When I taught in a Christian school with school uniforms, all the students look equally good. But do you believe their uniforms make them equally good in heart and character? In … Continue reading –>

My All-White World

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I grew up in an all-white world. Well, not exactly all white. There was Maurice, the black custodian at the local shopping center, who swept the sidewalks singing B.B. King songs. There was Joe Parche, the skinny, high-I.Q. boy who they bussed in from the city in an effort to “integrate” our high school. And there was … Continue reading –>

A New Commandment That Was There All Along

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There is a trick question I love to ask people. What was the tallest mountain in the world before Mount Everest was discovered? I get all kinds of answers, like “Mount McKinley “and so forth, but you know what the answer is? Mount Everest! Mount Everest was the tallest mountain in the world (Now I … Continue reading –>

One God — One Goal — One Glory

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Have you ever been part of a musical group of some kind – like a choir, band or orchestra? Making music together is an amazing experience. Practicing together somehow brings the members together into almost a single organism. Each person has their specific part to play or sing. It may be similar to someone else’s … Continue reading –>

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

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In the interest of full disclosure, I hate conflict. I will go to great lengths and do almost anything to avoid it. But I know folks who appear to thrive on conflict. They are not afraid to say exactly what they mean, even if they’re pretty sure it’s going to upset someone. When we talk … Continue reading –>

Sunday: Answering Christ’s Prayer for Unity

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John 17 contains Jesus’ great intercessory prayer. It reveals what was on His mind at that momentous hour of earth’s history. Read John 17:9-11, 20-24. What was Jesus’ heartfelt longing? Why was this so important? How did the disciples’ relationship to one another demonstrate genuine Christian faith? See Acts 4:32-33. The “oneness,” or unity, of the disciples prepared their … Continue reading –>