We understand that GOD has perfect foreknowledge. Each time "holy men of God" were "moved by the Holy Ghost" in the writing of HIS Word, HE knew what the nature of the communication would be. GOD knew that what they wrote would be understood as HE intended, but HE also knew that it would be used contrary to HIS intentions by those "desiring to be teachers" so as to cause Believers to "turn aside unto vain jangling".
At various places in the Scriptures, GOD has chosen to be extremely clear and yet at other times, HE seems almost intentionally vague, as if to encourage misunderstandings. Does GOD allow confusion and conflicting theologies to be born from the way HE has assembled the Bible? Has HE intentionally by act of omission, allowed confusion to dominate some of the reading of HIS word?
Remembering that 1 CORINTHIANS 14:33 in the King James Version reads that "GOD is not the author of confusion", we learned that the context of the verse and the meaning of the word "confusion", translated from the Greek word akatastasia, means disorder or instability. The context that the verse is set in, deals with the manifestations of the spirit in the Church. Hence, GOD was not wanting tumult or disorder in the meeting of the Believers. The Greek reads that "He is not the God of disorder", which of course is not the same as to say HE is not the author of confusion.
Some think that our lack of unity is from not agreeing on the meaning of certain sections of scripture, because of our reading into the word what is not there. They assert that the original text was very clear but over the centuries man has just read his confusion into the Word of GOD. Of course in some cases this is probably true, but is it really GOD's will that we all equally understand HIS Word so as to accomplish a unity among ourselves? Yeshua did not obtain a unity in His day, yet they possessed excellent copies of the Scriptures. Paul could not obtain a unity in his day, yet he wrote most of the New Testament. No, a unity must require something beyond accurate texts.
We know that Christ often spoke in parables, which are defined in EW Bullinger's Lexicon as "a form which conceals from the one what it reveals to the other". Yeshua even said as much when asked by His disciples why He spoke these Parables.
MATTHEW 13:10-11 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Our subject is whether or not GOD desires a unity among men today, and how HE had the Bible written in such a way as to further that end. It's not at all difficult to find examples where GOD was not as clear in HIS Word as HE could have been. The first examples we find were in the very opening words of the Book. We will quote from the Greek Septuagint, as well as the Hebrew.
GENESIS 1:1-2 LXX In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep...
GENESIS 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep...
It would appear from what is written that GOD made the heaven and the earth unsightly and unfurnished, formless and empty with darkness over the deep. But then we come along in our reading to ISAIAH 45 and in verse 18 we find that "God...made it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited". As we put together the pieces of the puzzle we learn that the original world that GOD created was not unsightly or unfurnished. It became that way perhaps eons ago. Then, as recorded in GENESIS 1 verse 3, GOD began to make it habitable by furnishing it once again. Then in verse 28 of the opening chapter, GOD commands Adam and Eve to replenish it, just as HE later commanded Noah to do after the great flood of his day (GENESIS 9:1).
Not realizing this, early scientist became locked in controversy with theologians when they began finding prehistoric fossil remains and then later scientist when they began carbon dating fossils millions of years old. It was obvious that the world could not of began only six thousand years ago as some thought the Bible said. Therefore, they assumed the Bible must be wrong rather then their own infallible understanding of what they thought it said. The question is, why did GOD seemingly hide the time lapse between those two phrases, when GOD created the earlier world in verse one and it was found destroyed in verse 2? Was HE allowing, even encouraging the misunderstandings?
In the fourth Gospel, the disciple Thomas gave reverence to Yeshua (Jesus) calling Him "Lord and my GOD", or as others translate it, "my godly Lord". Because this verse has been so widely used in an attempt to prove Yeshua was GOD (which we know He wasn't), why GOD did not have the evangelist expound upon it?
We know that there are literally hundreds of verses where it is quite plain who GOD is, who Yeshua is and what the Holy Spirit is. Yet GOD has allowed a handful of verses to be part of HIS Holy Word which have given the doctrine of the Trinity just enough credence that many are led to believe it, as GOD knew they would. Luke writes of Yeshua rebuking a certain ruler for calling Him "good" (LUKE 18:19), why not Thomas here for calling Him GOD?
Finally, there is incredible confusion in the Christian community as a result of many of them not recognizing which parts of the Bible were written for which ages. Few even realize there are different dispensations or administrations and among those few, scarcely any of them understand the different administrations accurately.
Could GOD not have moved HIS writers to begin each of their respective sections with an intro explaining to who or for what period he was writing? HE sort of did in the personal epistle of James, "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad," so why not throughout the Book? Why not explain that EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS and COLOSSIANS were written for a different age then the Gospels had been? That would have spared many the needless labor in trying to make these post ACTS Epistles harmonize with the Gospels.
Then much confusion about Israel's place among the nations today would be cleared up. So many false hopes about Christ's returning prematurely would be put aright. So many things that seem to divide the Christian world would be gone and we would become one. Alas! We would have unity! Is not that what GOD wants? Is that not what GOD is waiting for us to achieve? No my friend, that is not at all what GOD wants! GOD wants anything other then our unity, unless of course our unity is with HIM.
In GENESIS 11, we are given the record of an early unity. "The whole earth had one language and one speech". Yet, "the LORD said, Behold, the people is one...So the LORD scattered them abroad". Obviously HE wasn't too pleased with that unity. Consider the horrible things that have occurred to Believers when a well meaning "unity" is against them. Thevery reason that the American Continent was first colonized was because of the persecutions resulting from the unity of the religions of Europe and their respective governments. That is why individualism was so important to the writers of our American Constitution. They wanted no part of religious unity. They had too well known of the religious persecutions in Europe during the centuries before.
How truly they could identify with those Jewish Believers Christ had warned about at the close of His ministry.
JOHN 16:2-3 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
It is astounding how often religious persecution comes from those who think that they are in GOD's service. The reason is simple; "they have not known the Father, nor me".
The more thoroughly one looks at religious unities throughout history, the more he will see evil intentions behind the movement;
The Council of Nicea in 380 AD establishing the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Crusades of the 3rd and 4th centuries, with atrocities unspeakable.
The persecution against those like Martin Luther and William Tyndale,
who simply labored to bring the scriptures into the hands of the common man.
Mankind seems to find strength and security in his unity with others like him. From the city of Enoch and the Tower of Babel, to the United Nations and the World Council of Churches man is always trying for a unity. Yet, where do we find GOD behind it?
True, GOD desires a unity, but only a unity with HIM. When man desires a unity, the aim is almost always to be able to take from others what they otherwise could not get. A unity of the spirit (EPHESIANS 4:3) and a unity of faith (EPHESIANS 4:13), but not a unity of Communities, Churches nor mankind in any way.
Any unity you may see GOD behind is a unity so as to prevent unities. Like the unity of our Founding Fathers where they banded together to prevent one unity (the United Kingdom) from overburdening the "new-world". And if you search the true record, you will learn that even our Founding Fathers were bitterly divided on most everything. How they prevailed in their struggle is simply because of the strong arm of their Creator and HIS eternal purpose, not their "unity". Actually, I can think of many times GOD shows the damage caused by unities. Remember the unity of the religious order against Yeshua, Peter, Stephen and against Paul?
When a Believer desires to enjoy unity with his Father, he goes to GOD's Word in prayerful study. It is he and his Creator. But when one of those whose "god is their belly" desires a unity, they want it so as to be able to control others. Believers are steered away from the Word and the commandments of GOD are replaced with traditions. Religion could be defined as man's tradition made doctrine. Man desires a unity but the Scriptures speak so loudly against it that they have to get rid of the Word to have their unity. An enormous amount of "Church Dogma" uses the Bible only as a springboard into doctrine that is erected from tradition. The doctrine of the Trinity is a prime example.
"be not conformed"
The Apostle Paul in ROMANS 12 commands us to "be not conformed to this world". That takes a great deal of effort because the world will do its best to get each of us to conform to its ways. We are commanded to "Be not conformed!" How? By being transformed, through the renewing of our mind, which simply means to think the Word.
This is quite a verse. Thinking upon GOD's Word will transform us so we are not conformed to this world or age, so that we are not in unity with this world and its religious establishment. Rather, we will prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD. The good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD is everything the world is not.
"For the sake of the unity of the Church" is the cry used by religion to try to keep the truth of GOD's Word out of their "houses of the Lord". But when the truth is introduced, their unity crumbles. Yeshua taught about putting new wine into old bottles. The bottles were of course the skins of animals used for holding wine. When a skin is new (green) it stretches as the wine ferments but when it is old the fermentation causes the skin to burst. His meaning was that when new truth is introduced into established orders they are broken. When the bottles break, the wine runneth out (MATTHEW 9:17). But, "put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved".
HEBREWS 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Word of GOD is the sword of the spirit. It cuts and divides the joints from the marrow and separates the wheat from the chaff! GOD's Word separates more then it joins together and divides more then it unifies.
It is true that when each word of the Scriptures were written they were specifically for those individuals receiving it. Yet when those words are gathered together into the Bible, is it not just as specific for the millions over the centuries that would be forever impacted by its promises, by its judgments, by its mysteries and by its omissions? I fully believe that the Word of GOD does accomplish GOD's will. When it is HIS purpose to reveal certain truths to certain individuals, HIS Word accomplishes it. When it is HIS purpose to conceal certain truths from certain individuals, again HIS Word accomplishes its purpose.
Many times over the centuries and throughout the Bible we see a "calling out" from among the many. GOD calls out a few from the crowd, like Abram from his family in Haran (ACTS 7:3). Like the 7000 he had reserved in Elijah's time (1 KINGS 19:18). Like the 300 that were with Gideon (JUDGES 7). Like the few Yeshua called out from the multitudes. Like the "Remnant" Paul referred to in ROMANS 9:27 and 11:5 or the ones chosen from before the beginning in 2 TIMOTHY 1:9?
It is pretty obvious that within the unity man endeavors to make, there is a spiritual unity GOD has already made.