When Christians Disagree: Unity Without Compromise

The Basis for Unity

Christians obviously don't always agree on every issue. So how do we respond when we disagree with others in the faith. Paul has a lot to say about this in Romans 14. Paul explains that we are not under the requirements of the law anymore. We are not bound by its ceremonial or dietary laws, but we are bound by the heart of the moral law of the Ten Commandments, as Jesus summarized in Matthew 22:37-40. Jesus fulfills, but does not abolish the Ten Commandments.

Understanding the Weaker Brother

But Paul explains to us that there may be some who still hold to those rules. He calls them the 'weak in faith' (Romans 14:1) or as they are sometimes called the 'weaker brother'. This is not a moral judgment but an issue of spiritual maturity.

Judging One Another Rightly

The weaker brother should not be judged by those of us who know those rules no longer apply. Nor should the weaker brother judge us for not following those rules. Why? Because everything we do should be done for God. And God alone will judge us in the end for what we do and why we do it. Our job is to show love to our brothers and sisters in Christ under all circumstances. We are to encourage and build each other up. However, we are allowed to lovingly reprove each other if it is needed (Matthew 18:15). If they feel something is wrong to do then when we are around them we should not do that thing.

We Don’t Live to Ourselves

As Paul states in Romans 14:7,

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself."

We don't live in a vacuum. We live amongst others who see how we walk with God and so we want to avoid a situation where someone sees us doing something they consider sinful. We often use the example of a glass of wine at dinner. Do you believe drinking is sinful? If so, and I invite you to dinner, to keep the peace then I should not offer you a drink nor should I drink. I shouldn't cause you to stumble, as Paul says.

Righteousness Over Rules

Paul tells the Romans that the kingdom of God doesn't revolve around what you eat or drink but the righteousness, peace, and joy that the Holy Spirit brings to us ( Romans 14:17). If a person lives what most would call a "strict" Christian life then they might judge someone who drinks the glass of wine or eats the meat as spiritually slack or compromising. While the "free" Christian may show contempt because they view their brother as too legalistic, a goody-goody, as we used to say.

Don’t Compromise, But Do Consider

Paul is not encouraging compromising with sin. He's calling believers to act with love when issues are not clearly commanded or forbidden in Scripture. If eating meat or drinking wine causes a brother to stumble, then we shouldn't do it in love, not out of obligation.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

Paul says we all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Only He judges. This judgment seat, known as the bema seat, doesn't determine your eternal fate but instead determines your reward for the life you have lived (2 Corinthians 5:10). So he says we should not judge, nor should we cause our brother to fall. We should pursue peace with each other. And we should have faith that what we do is the will of God.

What Comes from Faith

Paul concludes the chapter by reminding them that whatever is not from faith is sin. If something that you do bothers you, if you feel the convicting of the Holy Spirit about it, and you still do it then it is most likely sin (Romans 14:23). It is easy to justify what we do by saying we are not under the old law, but often that is just an excuse to continue doing something we know is wrong.

Avoid Foolish Disputes

Titus 3:9 tells us to avoid foolish disputes and contentions. In Romans 14:1 Paul says not to dispute over doubtful things. Let's look at our thousands of denominations. Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and His Father were one (John 17:21-23). His desire is unity, not division. Are there important differences among denominations? Of course.

Are These Disputable Matters?

But often we criticize other groups for minor reasons; they are too quiet or too loud, they light candles in church or don't ever light candles, they sing modern songs or they only sing Psalms, for example. Ask yourself if these are "doubtful things" or "foolish disputes". These are not worthy of arguing about. However, topics like predestination or baptism are not "foolish disputes" but serious disagreements. Predestination involves debates over God’s sovereignty versus human free will, while baptism raises questions about its role in salvation.

Judging Without Knowledge

While some differences may seem minor, we often find fault with other denominations' beliefs without truly knowing them. We may have seen a video or heard a sermon from someone who criticized another denomination. But do we know for sure if what they said was accurate? Sometimes people talk about the so-called heretical beliefs of their childhood church that they no longer attend, but I often wonder how many young people who leave one denomination for another are really motivated by doctrine. As a young person, did most of us fully understand what our church taught? Are we judging without knowledge?

Shared Beliefs Across Denominations

So much of what divides us today could be softened if we remembered how much we actually share in common. 1 John 4:1 tells us it is important to test the spirits and make sure that a teacher is advocating God's truth. Across the centuries, creeds like the Nicene and Apostles’ Creed have expressed the core beliefs that unite believers in Christ. Their purpose was to make sure people understood what true Christianity believed.

What “catholic” Really Means

In the creed we say that we believe in one catholic church. What the word catholic means in that sentence is not the Roman Catholic church, but the universal church. We believe that there are true believers all over the world in many different churches. In Heaven we will find that there will be many there who we disagreed with on earth.

Why Creeds Were Written

Creeds often are recited because they were put together in a time when most people could not read. Some churches believe what is in a creed but don't recite them. Creeds were developed to protect against heresy and to simply state what Christians believed. They helped unify the early church. The Nicene Creed dates from 325 A.D. and the Apostle's Creed appeared around the 4th century. Though not Scripture, they capture the core of Christian belief.

Who Accepts Which Creeds

Orthodox, many Protestant churches, and the Catholic Church recite creeds, while some Baptist and Pentecostal groups believe in their content but don't recite them, and others like the Amish and the Quakers completely reject them. Churches don't recite creeds because they say the Bible doesn't require it. Some are concerned that the summaries are incomplete. The Quakers reject creeds because they believe God's will is directly revealed to people through an "inner light."

When Christians Disagree: Unity Without Compromise

Our belief in Jesus makes us one with Him and with other Christians, regardless of their church affiliation. There are many legitimate things that churches differ on but so much that we also agree with. The question to ask ourselves is should we be focusing so much on the differences or more on the similarities. Do we love Jesus and do we love others?

The Big Picture of Division

Over the centuries the Lord's church has been split into three major groups: the Orthodox, the Roman Catholic, and the Protestants. Within some of these groups there are many more divisions. In all things we are called to truth, but also to humility. None of us know it all. It is possible for any of us to be wrong on certain issues.

It is important to acknowledge that Christian denominations are often divided by more than just minor preferences or traditions. There are huge theological, doctrinal, and interpretive differences, like beliefs about salvation, the role of sacraments, or the authority of scripture. These aren't small matters; they have fueled centuries of debate and remain non-negotiable for many because they are rooted in deeply held convictions about truth. Yet, even with these irreconcilable issues, we are still called to approach one another with love and respect. Unity among Christians doesn't mean erasing these differences or pretending they don't matter. It means operating in grace and humility, trusting that only Christ holds ultimate judgment over our hearts.

Speak the Truth in Love

When we look back at Paul's writings we are warned in numerous places to guard against heresy, and also to avoid needless disputes. Certainly, no church should accept sin without addressing it. Sinful actions need always to be condemned but again from a place of grace, knowing that each of us still sins at times, and has been forgiven by Christ. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is at the heart of everything a Christian believes. We cannot compromise on foundational issues nor should we.

Build Up, Don’t Tear Down

Even when we disagree legitimately with others however, we should reflect the heart of Christ. Peace is of God, chaos is not of God. And if we speak about another's beliefs, we should do so accurately and respectfully, or not at all. In the end, when Christians disagree, the goal is not to all have identical beliefs, but unity without compromise. We stand firm on truth, while showing grace to those who see things differently. In all things, whether food, drink, or doctrine we should pursue peace and build one another up (Romans 14:19), showing love even when our convictions on important matters differ.

People Also Ask

What does the Nicene Creed say? What does the Apostle's Creed say?

I believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,

born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

he suffered death and was buried,

and rose again on the third day

in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead

and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead

and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

he descended into hell;

on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

Amen.