Dear Editor,
Andy Mason recognises the importance of unity amongst conservative evangelicals in the August issue of en.
The gospel itself is a story of unity. The Bible traces the fracturing of relations from Eden, through Cain and Abel, Babel, sibling rivalries throughout Genesis, and kingdoms and empires enslaving and subjugating peoples in the name of their gods. Scripture holds that all humanity is created in the image of God in contrast with the ancient norm of the king alone being in the divine image.
Unity is built into the Scriptural view of what it means to be human. The gospel then is about the restoring of relationships, returning to Edenic unity, one in Christ. The path to unity is the life and death of our Saviour, who, rather than imperiously ruling over people, took on the nature of a servant, taught us to love our enemies, and take up our crosses to serve each other. Pentecost reversed the disunity of Babel, and Paul’s letters centre on relations between believers. ‘There is no Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ Jesus taught us to love, to forgive and to serve, being concerned for the interests of others before ourselves. The gospel is the true path to unity for all humanity.
Yours sincerely,
James May
By email
