Compromise Is Not Unity

Compromise can be the single most helpful tool when two entities (people, organizations...) can't come to an agreement on something. It's sometimes referred to as "give and take".

I'm going to simplify all the "big issues" into something few of us would actually argue about in order to make my point. Imagine this if you will. We (you the readers and myself) are a group of math professors who seek to keep the study of math honorable. There are two math professors. They come from different schools but they both claim to love math. They both have invested much study to come to their own position about the problem of what does 2+2 equal.

See one says the following, 2+2=4. He has evidence, and logic that I tend to agree with. When I look at his work it has the ring of truth to it.

The other says 2+2=3. He has evidence and logic as well. Some of it even makes sense to most people. Some of it seems a bit confusing but he has put a lot of work into his position AND he is a professor of math.

As time progresses the conversation between the two gets heated. They have not come to an agreement yet and someone cries "Compromise!!!!!!!!!! We must get along if we are to be honorable. What will the world think if they see us fighting among ourselves like this?" Soon many are crying the same thing. A quick poll is held and it reveals that most of us have not studied the issue of 2+2 and even fewer of us think it's immediately important what the real answer is.

It's decided to compromise on the issue, in order to keep the integrity of our organization in tact. It's decided that the issue can not be known and so we ought not discuss it because it causes division. People from all over our organization rejoice. It's said this wisdom will herald an age of unity and help us to build a solid front of one accord to present to the world!

Did we do what was right? Do we now have unity? Or have we simply buried our heads in the sand and decided to have everyone be a little bit wrong instead of everyone being completely right? The Truth is 2+2=4, and it's not hard to know. We simply have to be willing to stop false teachers and seek after that which is true. False teachers no matter how smart and loving they might be must be addressed or there can never be true unity.

In the global body of people who profess faith in Christ Jesus there is little unity. But if we look at Matt 13 this shouldn't be a surprise. Jesus said there would be false converts everywhere and that we wouldn't be able to root them out. There IS a core, a REAL Body of Christ - the Church of the Living God buried in this field that is the world. It is hidden right now but there IS unity in her.

If you find yourself studying something that is hard to understand and you can't find unity on it. Please do not give up. God wants unity in the Church. He requires that we be unified in accord with the Truth and that we proclaim it so. The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy in I & II Timothy to keep doctrine pure and taught. Please lets all do the same. It surely can be painful, but why shouldn't it be? Men through the ages have been willing to die for the truth of this doctrine. Ought we not at least be willing to seek after it???