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CHRISTIAN UNITY
We believe that true, biblical unity is based upon a spiritual and saving relationship with our heavenly Father, and therefore, by implication, with all of His redeemed children. This shared unity is much deeper and more profound than simple conformity to the ideals of a certain denomination or the mutual agreement upon certain doctrinal opinions within a community of Christians. We are convinced that everyone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, confesses him as Lord, repents of their sins and is baptized in his name is our brother or sister in Christ. Upon this basis alone we are one in the Lord, a fact, and now we must learn to graciously accept one another as the Lord accepts us.
We believe we are Christians only, but not the only Christians. The Open Door Church humbly desires to be a uniting fellowship, not a dividing fellowship. We believe in keeping the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. In other words, we adhere to this ancient maxim: In essentials, unity; in non essentials, liberty; in all things, charity (love). We cherish all of our relationships and want to share our fellowship in Christ with all who wish to experience our happy community.
What is Essential for Unity?
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4.2-6
1. One Body
"Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which he is the Savior." Ephesians 5.23
"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body." 1 Corinthians 12.13
"In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12.5
"He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead so that in everything He might have supremacy." Colossians 1.18
2. One Spirit
"Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.'" John 3.5
"Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2.38
"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." 1 Corinthians 12.13
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1.13,14
3. One Hope
"In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1.3
"Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1.13
"We wait for the blessed hope the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Titus 2.13
"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1.27
4.One Lord
"God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Acts 2.36
"There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." 1 Corinthians 8.6
"God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2.9-11
"That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10.9
5.One Faith
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3.16
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" Acts 4.12
I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14.6
"Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand" Romans 5. 1,2
6.One Baptism
"Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' " Matthew 28.18,19
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'" Mark 16.15,16
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Galatians 3.26,27
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6.3,4
7. One God and Father of us all
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives it's name." Ephesians 3.14
"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' " Romans 8.15
"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba , Father.' " Galatians 4.6
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers." 1 John 3.14
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