Cooperating 002

I'm still pondering the essay I need to prepare for my application to Seminary:

Q. How can Christians of differing theological viewpoints cooperate?

As I was considering my answer, I picked up a Manual of Interchurch Relations from the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA). The small booklet gave a scriptural proof for an excerpt from the Covenant 1871 (found in the constitution of the RPCNA, section 4, page I-9). Here is the excerpt and below I'll give their summarized points:

That, 1believing the Church to be one, and that all the saints have communion with God and with one another in the same Covenant; 2believing, moreover, that schism and sectarianism are sinful in themselves; and inimical to true religion, 3and trusting that divisions shall cease, and the people of God become one Catholic church over all the earth, 4we will pray and labor for the visible oneness of the Church of God in our own land and throughout the world, 5on the basis of truth and of Scriptural order. 6Considering it a principal duty of our profession to cultivate a holy brotherhood, we will strive to maintain Christian friendship with pious men of every name, and to feel and act as one with all in every land who pursue this grand end. 7And, as a means of securing this great result, we will by dissemination and application of the principles of truth herein professed, and by cultivating and exercising Christian charity, labor to remove stumbling-blocks, and to gather into one the scattered and divided friends of truth and righteousness.

The numbers are my addition. They correspond to the following points, which were given to summarize the above paragraph:

1. The Church and Christians are one.
2. Denominational divisions result from sin.
3. The blessing of unity is to be looked for in the future.
4. Visible unity must be the goal we work toward.
5. Unity must be based on Biblical truth and order.
6. Fraternal relations are to be fostered.
7. Stumbling blocks are to be removed so that organic union will be secured.

I think these points make sense... I'm pondering them as I consider how we as Christians ought to cooperate, even though we do come from different theological backgrounds.

Cooperating 001

I'm applying for seminary. I'm incredibly excited at the prospect of learning more about God. At the same time I feel incredibly unprepared. I suppose I think of men in seminary as really smart, godly men. In my mind, they are people who can say in less than a minute all the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. They're probably people who have read through the bible 3 times, at least. Often, lately, I've felt that I'm not good enough for seminary.

Q. What makes me think that I could ever go, spend money, time, and effort to study God?

A. Jesus.

I'm reassuring myself, as did the apostle Paul, that...

Philippians 4:
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

I can't do this on my own. It's even true that I don't deserve to go to seminary. I'm not super-pastor. I'll never be super-pastor. But Jesus is my savior... and I cannot be separated from Him.

Romans 8:
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be [8] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ... 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus is my strength. He is my salvation. He is my Lord. So, when I ponder the essay question on the entrance application to my seminary of choice:

Q. How can Christians of differing theological viewpoints cooperate?

A. Jesus.

What other answer do I have?