Unity

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 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 through all and in all
Eph4:3-6

There's something that's been bothering me lately, and I feel the need to talk it through. I've noticed a bit of a trend in a number of people's attitudes in my circles that has given me pause. One person said it straight out: "ask a Catholic what they are trusting for eternal life and they will always answer with works." Whoa. Am I completely naive to think that's simply untrue?
Have we come to a point now where we have placed our trust in grace plus doctrine? Sure, in order to place your trust in something, there's a certain amount of knowledge and assent required. If I am to place my trust in a chair I need to know it exists and believe it can hold me up. If I am incorrect about the existence of said chair, or incorrect in the belief that it will hold me up, attempting to sit in it will land me humiliatingly on the floor. But suppose the chair does in fact exist and can easily support my weight. Do I need to agree with you about its colour? If I say the chair is made of plastic and you say it's made of wood, will one of us be unable to successfully seat ourselves in it? If one doesn't understand how and where the chair was built, does that preclude a person from sitting in it? Certainly not! But of course there is an absolute truth about the nature of the chair. It does have specific colours, it was made of specific materials, in a specific place and in a specific manner.
In the same way, there is absolute truth about God and salvation. Just like one must know of the chair's existence in order to trust it, it would seem there are some essential beliefs about God to enable salvation. To name a few, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, his resurrection, atonement and our salvation by grace. Are there non-essentials? If I cast doubt upon the Assumption of Mary and you believe she was transported to heaven in body and soul, does one of us stand condemned? If I have never spoken in tongues, is that evidence that the Holy Spirit is not in me and that I do not have eternal life? Or are you going to hell for thinking it's essential? What if I say salvation cannot be lost and you say it can? What if I say you don't need to be baptized in a certain manner or at all to attain salvation, and you say I do? There is an absolute truth to all those disagreements and it's good that we should seek the truth. But if these are all essentials, we are in big trouble.
Is it wrong that I should not suffer listening to people who insinuate or say outright that being a Roman Catholic is sufficient evidence of a lack of trust in Christ for salvation? I have been exposed to quite a few denominations and sets of beliefs in my time. It is perhaps for this reason that I am so sensitive to the disunity of the Church. If I told you I grew up in the United Church but no longer attend a church from that denomination, many people would turn up their noses and say, 'well I guess you came around in the end!' I have experienced Presbyterian churches, Pentecostal, Baptist, Catholic, Brethren, Reformed. I have even had a painful experience with the Church of Christ which is another story altogether. Invariably people will ask me what denomination I'm from. Christian? No, no, but what denomination of Christian? I don't know... uh, none? You mean you're non-denominational? Well, yes I suppose... And no. In the end, the term non-denominational is often understood as every church being its own denomination. I don't want to be a division within Christ. The only division I want to focus on is in Christ or not. And by the way, there are adherents to every denomination who are perishing. Do you suppose God is impressed if you stick your nose over the fence and declare that there is a higher percentage of sheep perishing in your neighbour's field?
Why did Jesus pray for unity before he was arrested? Max Lucado explained,
Unity matters to God. The Father does not want His kids to squabble. Disunity disturbs Him. Why? Because "all people will know that you are my followers if you love each other" (John 13:35). Unity creates belief. How will the world believe that Jesus was sent by God? Not if we agree with each other. Not if we solve every controversy. Not if we are unanimous on each vote. Not if we never make a doctrinal error. But if we love one another.
How then are we to love one another? Shall we discard the idea of absolute truth? Certainly not! But I wouldn't exactly call throwing those differences in someones face altogether loving. I'm out on a limb here - am I completely crazy or just naive???