Of course there is the central tenet of having faith in Jesus as your only source of salvation. We can’t disagree at the core of the faith or we have left true Christianity.

We can’t disagree on what it takes to be born-again and become a new creation in Christ. Anything outside of this is apostasy and not unity in the faith.

But Romans chapter 14 is a very radical teaching that shows us that not everything is a central tenet that we live or die on.

I can disagree with other Christians on many of life’s issues and yet not lose the unity that we have in Jesus.

Now looking at how denominations interact with each other, it is difficult to see this principle. But what our eyes tell us in this regard does not change the Scriptural truth that doctrinal differences do not change the brotherhood of every born-again believer with every other born-again believer.

What are some examples of this? Paul includes things in our diet and holidays on our calendar as examples of things that we can disagree on and yet not lose the unity of our faith. But this is certainly not an exhaustive list.

In a more modern setting, I could include the issues of healing and prosperity in the list of things that other Christians disagree with me about and yet it does not divide us in the faith.

How do I approach these issues in a practical way with other Christians who disagree with me?

I will tell you how I do it, but there is no formula. Rather, Paul seems to be directing us toward a flexibility of interaction that moves us toward righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (verse 17).

When I come across a Christian who is sick and doesn’t believe that it is ALWAYS God’s will to heal, I will send out some gentle inquiries about whether or not they are interested in seeing what Scripture has to say about healing.

If they are interested, I will teach them, in love, about the promises of healing that they have in Jesus. And I will keep teaching them for as long as they can accept it. And sometimes they are able to put aside their previous understanding and get healed. Yay!

But if they are not interested or cannot accept anything outside of their denominational teaching that tells them that God did this to them or is allowing this to happen, then I don’t beat them with the sledgehammer of the truth.

I have to accept that some Christians are trained in doctrinal errors that keep them sick or even send them to heaven too soon, but their doctrinal error does not separate them from being my brother or my sister.

I can love them if they agree with me. And I MUST love them when they don’t. If I don’t love them regardless of where they stand on the issue of healing, then I am not operating in love or the peace of God.

I have some Christian friends who are frequently sick and can’t accept the possibility that God has healed them. But I am no longer operating in the love of Jesus if I reject them for not being able to move beyond their current understanding of God’s love and how He has already accomplished all the work for their healing.

I keep loving them when they’re sick! It doesn’t mean that I don’t feel bad for them and have a desire that they would be able to understand the truth.

But God DOES NOT require doctrinal perfection or perfect understanding about everything in order to have a wonderful and loving relationship with His people.

If you are IN JESUS, that’s all that is required.

Drawing a line in the sand over every single belief that you have is not actually a godly practice.

We can just keep on loving each other even when we don’t agree on everything.

That’s Good News! And THAT’S Biblical unity!