Unity in Diversity

Faith Only spawned the idea that faith without agreement was God's design. It is the concept that faith in God while following your conscience is all that God requires. It doesn't imply faith only, but faith while practicing your sincere convictions. It does not require a set universal faith or practice.

Unity in Diversity has differing scopes. Indian religions allow all faiths and practices as long as you are worshipping the Universal God. Ghandi was Unity in Diversity and fashioned India with this theology.

Islam is Unity in Diversity but has a narrower scope. Islam accepts all Abrahamic faiths including Muslim, Jewish, and not Trinitarian Christian. Though they prefer Muslim they agree that all of the semetic faiths are able to be blessed by God.

Koran Ch2 The Cow

[2.62] Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Thus it is a much narrower view of Diversity. The Faith based Christian makes the scope much narrower. Unity in Diversity to the Protestant is that all Christian faiths that have faith in Christ are saved. They do not require a uniform Christian belief except faith in Christ as the Son of God. Methodists and Baptists are examples of this scope of Diversity.

An even narrower scope is the Catholic form, They accept all practices as long as they fit into Catholic Dogmas in Catholic Canon.

Perhaps the narrowest scope is the Church of Christ who accept the New Testament as limiting Diversity in practice. Diversity is limited to areas of freedom that are not associated with the Kingdom of God or do not contradict the principles and commands of the kingdom.

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Unity in Diversity allows the human conscience to be a guide to salvation and often violates God's commands. The Church of Christ generally follows the seven ones of Ephesians 4.

Eph 4:2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Eph 4:5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph 4:6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

The Church practices these seven ones, not that all have attained maturity in all areas.

1. We forbear in love those who have not reached maturity in this oneness.

2. Those who are mature protect this oneness while showing love to the lost and immature.

3. Our diversity is not in doctrine or faith, but in giftedness. Each person is unique supplying attributes the Church needs to grow.

I do not believe God gave us the diversity of India, Islam, or the protestant Christian diversity. God requires a much narrower scope, following the New Testament in doctrine and practice.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Unity in Diversity is like the false prophet described by Jesus, they are passive like sheep but the end result is the fruit of faithlessness and disobedience.

It is faith without any clear doctrine God requires.