When brothers separate themselves from one another, a difference in doctrinal belief(s) is often cited as the reason. It is unfortunate when on occasion someone haphazardly refers to such difference as preaching “another gospel”. The word “gospel” means “Good News!” and was first announced by the angels, the night Jesus was born. They proclaimed:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 ESV)

Christ the Lord, our Savior is the gospel. He alone is The Way, The Truth, The Life and the only name under heaven by which we may be saved.

So what is “another gospel?” There’s an example in the letters of Paul to the Romans and Galatians, concerning the Judaizers who preached Jesus AND circumcision. In doing so, they preached a lesser Jesus, who accomplished everything necessary for salvation, EXCEPT circumcision. Thus the Jesus of the Judaizers was weak and insufficient, His atoning sacrifice LESS than perfect and complete! To preach “another gospel” is simply to preach “another Jesus”; either a lesser Jesus or a different Jesus altogether.

Simply put, there is NO “and” in the Gospel of Jesus, unless of course it is Jesus AND ONLY Jesus! As proof of the sufficiency of His Son, the Father has set before us a narrow path and gate which forces us to cast off our EVERY “and” to enter the Kingdom through Jesus alone.

Accordingly, every believer should give serious thought to the importance of doctrine in our salvation; especially considering what Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 3 (:8-10). In that passage, Paul writes that everything he attained before meeting Jesus, his blood line, his understanding of the Law, his relentless persecution of Christ followers, was nothing more than “dung”. Why regard pedigree, education and works as “dung”? Because Jesus admits people into His Father’s Kingdom based solely upon whether or not He has known them (Matthew 7:23). That I can find, there is no litmus test of doctrine to enter the Kingdom. There is only Jesus.

Concerning our doctrinal differences and whether that is legitimate reason to divide the body of Christ on earth, it is well to remember the fate of Adam and Eve. Walking and talking with God they saw the beauty of God’s unified creation. It was the enemy, in tempting them with the one thing in the garden that was different from all the rest; that they ate the “forbidden fruit” and were instantly separated from God and each other. There’s a lesson there, albeit subtle; the enemy convinced Adam and Eve that the one thing in the garden that was different, was “good”, even better than all the rest; that the different thing was something to cherish, take hold of and eat. Adam and Eve believed the lie and brought separation and death to all of us where we have been counting our differences and separating ever since.

How is it then, those of us who believe in and follow Christ, who emphatically prayed for oneness with us, and us with each other, STILL obsess over and cleave to our differences, when doing so only causes us to separate and bring division to the body of Christ on earth? Isn’t it time the brethren simply embraced what we have in common: that is Jesus, the Messiah, our Savior, who makes us one? Surely we are one in the Spirit, but hasn’t He taught us to pray “on earth as it is in heaven”? Didn’t Paul also write “your meetings do more harm than good because of divisions and factions?”

I remember once meeting with a small group of believers who dreamed of a Christian community center to unite the many churches in our small town. At the door we thought to place a brightly colored trash bin labeled with the words “Doctrinal Differences” or something similar. Visually, it was intended to persuade believers to enter in through the “narrow gate” where fellowship in the center would be based on Christ alone. The center never came to pass, still I treasure that sentiment. I wonder what would become of our fellowship meetings if before entering, we prepared by casting off our every “AND”? Where the name of Jesus is the only requirement for joining the fellowship?

I suspect however that while in this world, men will never break camp to unite under the name of Jesus alone. The best we can do is answer the door when He knocks (Revelation 3:20) and come out to Him and abide with Him outside the camp (Hebrews 13:13) until the day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:10) when He will make everything new (1 Peter 2:4-9, Revelation 21).

Between now and then, I can devote myself to oneness with my brothers and sisters through love and by appealing to what we have in common: Christ Jesus. And if they should bring up divisive things, I’ll remind them of what Jesus said: “If I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself” (John 12:31). Jesus draws us together. All else, divides.