WHAT SHOULD BE THE BASIS FOR UNITY?
In the same context of our Lord's unity prayer (Jn. 17), Jesus said, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (Jn. 17:17). The basis for this unity (for which Christ prayed) is God's truth by which we are sanctified (set apart from the world). In the same context of Paul's "oneness" chapter (Eph. 4), Paul also said, "but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ -" (Eph. 4:15). Jesus said, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (Jn. 4:24).The truth is central to worship and unity.

The New Testament neither commends all unity nor condemns all division. Some unity is condemned (Rev. 2:14, 15, 20), and some division is upheld (Rom. 16:17-18). All Christians should both desire and seek only that unity which is based on God's truth.
WHOM ARE WE SEEKING TO PLEASE?

Jesus said, "for I always do those things that please Him" (Jn. 8:29). Paul said, "Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10); "that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him" (Col. 1:10); "even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts" (1 Thes. 2:4). John said, "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 Jn. 3:22). This reminds me of a sentiment from the prayers led by my friend Raymond Duncan as he would often pray, "Dear Father, help us to remember that is You we are to please and not ourselves."

Our paramount consideration should always be "finding out what is acceptable to the Lord" (Eph. 5:10). Throughout scripture, God has either accepted or rejected man's obedience, worship, and service. God was either well pleased (Heb. 13:16) or not well pleased (1 Cor. 10:5). Paul said, "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1).

We should make it our aim in all that we do to be approved and accepted by God. Paul said, "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him" (2 Cor. 5:9). After all, "God is the audience."
CAN WE SIMPLY RETURN TO THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?

Some brethren evidently value unity above restoration, love above truth, or restoration personalities and slogans above the Lord and His word. Restoring the pattern from the New Testament is the only path to true unity. Both love and truth are essential. Regarding restoration personalities and slogans, I would deny that our origin as a church is "the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement." If that is our source or origin, then we are just another man-made group.

Personally, I choose simply to follow the Lord in His church and not any man or some man-made group (Mt. 16:18-19; Jn. 14:6). Any accountable person can become just a New Testament Christian without ever hearing of Stone or Campbell. In my personal experience, I became a Christian as a young man. I was in my teens before I ever heard of Campbell and in college before I ever heard of Stone. While I appreciate some of the writings and efforts of these men as they sought to restore the New Testament order, I do not owe my allegiance to any man, nor did mere man originate the church of which I am a member.

Can our basis for unity simply be God's truth as revealed in the New Testament? Jesus affirmed, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:32). The only way to determine what is acceptable or pleasing to Him is by His revealed Word (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15). There are no scriptures in the New Testament which authorize the practice of using mechanical instruments of music in Christian worship. Such a practice is still a wedge that divides. There are scriptures in the New Testament which authorize singing in Christian worship (Heb. 2:12; 13:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; et al.). Surely we can all agree that singing is authorized and therefore is acceptable and pleasing to God. If brethren really desire biblical unity, let us begin by uniting in the simple practice of a cappella singing as a bridge toward healing this division over worship.

(reprinted from Gospel Advocate, November 2006)