Author: Chad Gleaves

Without question, there are many divisions in opinions pertaining to the subject of unity in the Body of our Messiah. Sounds kind of ironic, doesn’t it? Yet, it is so. Each denomination believes they’re the ones who’ve correctly interrupted the Word of our God in Heaven, and the words of His Living Word and Son, Yahshua (Jesus). We even are divided on the proper Name of the One who created us! How, then, do we to heed the call given to us in the book of Ephesians? Let these verses sink into your spirit before we dip our toes into this sometimes confusing subject.

~I call upon you therefore, I the prisoner of The Master, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing one another in love, being eager to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One Body and one spirit…One Master, one belief, one immersion, one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.~Ehpesians 4:1-6

Certainly, our need is for discernment. Unity at the cost of compromising the Word of YHWH could easily make us lukewarm. Division at the cost of being a stumbling block to other believers leaves us stained with sin. As with any other issue we might face in this life, the Holy Scriptures are our guide. From Genesis to revelation, we see both unity and division in the family of YHWH. The adversary is always at work, and our own pride can allow us to fall prey to his schemes. Not one of us has our Heavenly Father all figured out. No one is completely right at interpretting every single verse of Scripture. Knowing when to unite and when to divide is key. Yahshua said in the book of Luke, “Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I say to you, no, but rather division.” (12:51) He goes on to say, “And why, also, do you not judge for yourselves what is right? (vs. 57)

Our struggle for unity while still obeying the Word of YHWH is not unique to our times. In the book of Acts, we find that the men who made up the Jerusalem council faced the same kind of questions regarding unity. At that time, the desire was to unite the new believers who were following Yahshua’s teachings with those older believers who had only been following YHWH. In studying how they handled matters, I learned one important factor: Extend the right hand of fellowship. For me, that is always the starting point. I have friends of all demoninations, and our unity is found in believing in the One True God, and in His desire that we should walk in love and let His light shine through us. That’s a wonderful place to start! We should be banding together to help fill the needs of others instead of spending our time bickering over the smaller points of doctrines.

When it comes to unity or division for corporate fellowship, again we can find answers and discernment throughout Holy Scripture. Gone are the days where there was one Temple or Synagogue for the people of Yah to gather in for worship and study. Today we have a plethora of choices. Without doubt, according to Hebrews 10, we are told to gather in His Name. Verse 25 tells us it will be even more important as the return of our Messiah draws nearer. But how do we know which congregation would be a choice that pleases our Heavenly Father? I am so thankful we can find some hints in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation. Before you commit to the authority of a “shepherd” and to fellowship with body of believers, be sure you take some time to see what Yahshua has said concerning the churches in those chapters. The benefits of studying this out will leave you with no doubts as to which congregation is for you. The guidelines are given so that we do not become subject to false teachers, or wolves in sheep’s clothing.

A true shepherd will lead his flock according to the Word of YHWH. That’s the ultimate authority we want to be under! Seven churches were addressed in Revelation, and throughout the verses of the two books, we are shown the things that our Heavenly Father holds against each church, as well as the things He recognizes as correct, and within His will for us. Before you declare anyplace your “church home” be sure it meets with our Heavenly Father’s requirements, and not your own idea of perfect. Then, unite with that body of believers, and go on about our Father’s business!

In reguard to fellowship with other believers outside of a corporate setting, I am not so stringent as I am concerning finding Godly leadership and authority. I realize that I am not the one who gives revelation to another. I can point to our Heavenly Father and His written Word, but revelation is given to each of us by the Spirit of YHWH, most often through reading His Word. I’m happy to share Scriptures that I’ve found, and happy to have Scripture shared with me. My brethren and I may not always see doctrine exactly the same, but we are still brethren. I will not argue, I know where I stand in relation to the eternal truths. I actively participate in ministries that have a variety of believers with much to contribute, even though some of their finer points of doctrine differ. Our common goal is to share the Good News, and that is our focus.

The same kind of fellowships benefits many communities, as well. When there’s a natural disaster or tragedy in any given area, it’s common to see all many various denominations unite to offer help, provision, and hope to all affected. Differences are laid aside for the greater need. When someone asks me for prayer, I don’t stop to question how they feel about the Dietary Laws, I simply pray. We’d do well to remember that Scripture tells us to be “like minded” not necessarily “same minded”. We can cooperate with other believers without compromising our walk.

The closer we walk with YHWH, the easier it becomes to discern how He would have us handle any given situation or person. This discernment will make our walk on the Narrow Path much easier to navigate. There will be times when we will have to walk away from people (even believers) and times when we will have to walk away from certain situations. Some separations will be easy and clear-cut. Some, I promise you, will not be. Other times, YHWH will call us to unite in His mighty Name, even given our differences. Take each circumstance to Him in prayer. Only our Heavenly Father, through His written Word and His Spirit, will be able to guide you. The subject of unity and division is important to our Heavenly Father. Thus, it must be important to us, as well.