THE HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR UNITY
“If your brother should sin against you, go and point out his sin.” —Matthew 18:15, our translation Jesus prays that His Church would be one as He and His Father are one (Jn 17:21). Jesus has exceptionally high standards for unity in His Church so that the world would believe that the Father sent Jesus (Jn 17:21). This may come as a surprise to us, for our experience in our local churches may be that of denominational and factional disunity. Yet Jesus never changes His standards. He insists on His Church reflecting the unity of the Trinity. To prevent disunity,...