A Call to Christian Unity

Romans 15:4-7

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For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

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God did not make salvation a mystery, no, Christ made it clear as day
John 3:16

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For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

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John 14:6

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Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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While Christianity may have many branches, there is only one Vine, which is Christ.
John 15:5

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“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

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What Christianity is has been made clear by early church councils, it is summed in the Nicene Creed

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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.

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This Creed is present on web pages and Churches of all types of Christianity:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Christian Reformed Church
The Church of England
Anglican Communion
University of Notre Dame
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Orthodox Church in America
Calvary Chapel
The Episcopal Church
Lutheran Churches
Baptist Churches
Nondenominational Churches
Presbyterian Churches
Assemblies of God Churches
Syriac orthodox
Coptic
Nestorian, and many many more, in short the body of Christ.

Now some individuals may be non Christians and attend each church, often in hope to overturn and corrupt those churches, much how the UMC has lesbian Bishops who openly worship a female "god".
But there are still many many Christians in the UMC, just how a bad Pope would not invalidate a Billion Catholic Christians.

Why?
Because God is the arbiter of who is saved and who is not.

And he made salvation clear as day, it requires faith to follow as Paul mentions, but the path was laid before us by Christ himself.

What about those things we see only
1 Corinthians 13:12

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For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

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Yes, that is the gift of theology, and what a wonderful gift it is, to delve deeply and to meditate on the word of God, to delve into the things he has not made clear, things that are not critical to salvation.

But to keep in mind we are only Human
1 Corinthians 1:22-26

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Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

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If you and I disagree about God, one or both of us is wrong.

So for these things that are not yet clear, yet are not fundamental to salvation, let us approach each other in humility and love.

Let us also remember that there are wolves among us who are Muslim, and Atheist, and of every other religion, pretending to be Christian (Like said Methodist Bishop), who want nothing more than to to stir up strife, and have us hate each other, to show the world that Christians don't know salvation, that they don't love one another.

So to my Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox (and other) Brothers and Sisters, I leave you with.
John 13:34-35

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“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

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