NOW: “AS A plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:10). This verse is all-important.
The church is seeking a basis for unity and a plan for unity on that basis. Some would approach it by saying that we should understand each others’ position about baptism, orders, sacraments, bishops, doctrinal emphases, and church polity and organization. It all ends in futile discussion, raising more questions than it answers, for it is all off-center. These things were never intended to be the basis of our unity. God has a plan and this verse states it: “as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him”—in Jesus Christ. God’s plan is to unite all things, and to unite all things in Him.
Jesus Christ is the center of our unity. Nothing else is. We cannot get together around baptism, and should not, for it is no center for our faith. We cannot get together around bishops, and should not, for bishops are not the center of our faith. We can and should get together at one place, and only one place, and that one place is Jesus Christ. He and He alone is the center of our faith. I wrote, “Everyone who belongs to Jesus Christ belongs to everyone who belongs to Jesus Christ. He may betray that oneness, but he cannot deny it, for it is inherent.” Someone replied: “That seems too good to be true.” It is too good not to be true.
This is God’s plan: “as a plan . . . to unite all things in him.” So all other plans based upon this, that, and the other break themselves upon God’s plan. A church united around anything but Jesus Christ alone is a rickety structure and must fall, for its foundation is not the one foundation. God’s purpose is to unite all things, and that purpose has become a plan, and that plan is to unite all things around Jesus Christ and Him alone. All other plans are plans of futility. This is God’s plan and is not subject to amendment—Christ and baptism, Christ and bishops. It is Christ alone.
O God, how grateful I am for Thy holding us to this one plan. There is no other possible plan. All other centers for plans are so marginal they are ridiculous. Thy center is our center—Jesus, the center of our faith, hence of our unity. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Christ alone is, and forever shall be the center of my unity with all those who belong to Him.
