Making distinctions in the Church is uncomfortable for some, especially regarding the exclusive nature of Jesus Christ. Making that distinction can appear harsh and unloving to those who believe in a false unity that allows a spirit of compromise to lead the way. While we need to be open and loving to all people, the Kingdom only moves forward by those who are united about the Lord and the purpose of His Kingdom.

Paul wrote about the necessity of that unity, “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? (II Corinthians 6:14-15).

When Paul wrote, “How can light live with darkness?” he was referring to something deeper than a surface form of unity that appeals to the world and to those whose faith has not yet matured. He was saying that spiritual harmony is not possible between those who believe and those who do not believe.

Paul said we should be all things to all people to win them to Christ. When Paul wrote those words, he was quoting Old Testament prophets who noted the danger of compromise represented in a false unity. The prophet Amos defined the impossibility of such a union, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3). 

A clarification about the Lord and His purpose is needed to move us forward past our initial salvation experience into our calling to engage the nations and influence them with the distinct message of the Gospel. 

Only those fully committed to Christ can move together in that kind of unity. Our singularity in Christ is not a confusing mixture of faiths and worldviews that diminish the uniqueness of the name of Jesus Christ. Our commitment to the Lord reveals our focus on Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life in which there is no confusion about Him or His mission. In that understanding, the Church will be able to move forward into the future revealing His truth in profound ways.