Unity and Uniformity

One of these is desirable

The other, I am not so sure,

But what I do know, especially today,

They are being mixed up more and more.

Unity means one

Like the church of Jesus Christ,

Diverse in culture and ethnicity

But bought with the same price.

The shed blood of Jesus

Was the price he paid for sin

And it’s that same precious blood

That makes us one in him.

Without the shedding of blood

There is no remission of sin

And his blood applied to our hearts

Says that we belong to him.

Uniformity is a different matter

It is really about looking alike,

Somewhat like the army of a country

You know them when they come into sight.

Some churches require uniformity

In all that their members do,

A strict adherence to their traditions

Sometimes extra-biblical too.

There is unity in diversity

But no diversity in uniformity,

No scope for any individual differences

Given their strict conformity.

Their methodology is unchanging

And their approaches particularly limited

And the members of such institutions

Are severely inhibited.

 

The church army is like a human body

With members not a few,

The members vary in their gifting

But with one purpose in view.

That the whole body may profit withal

Through its administrations and its gifts

And growing in the unity of the Spirit

Eradicate the self-serving rifts.

Unity proceeds from the heart

It is genuine and long-lived,

Uniformity on the other hand, is externals

And often a false impression gives.

 

A uniform does not a soldier make

But rather, it’s his commitment to his unit

And in unity with his fellow soldiers

He does not the army limit.

A puzzle for example is not uniform

No two pieces are alike,

But when each piece is put in its place

They make for a beautiful sight.

Uniformity has its place, I agree,

It clearly identifies a group,

But the triumphant church of Jesus Christ

Is more than a single group

As the church universal, wherever it is,

Conforms to the image of Christ,

It’s unity will be seen and known by all

Whether international or localized.

Stewart Russell © October 2019