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What does Christ have to do with the global push toward ecumenical unity in these days? What is His opinion of unity and disunity? How would He respond to those among us who want to love everyone and make room for everyone? How shall we answer these questions?
Fortunately Jesus was not silent on this issue. He said a whole host of things. First, He said, "Think not that I came to send peace upon the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34; ASV). He also said, "Think ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division..." (Luke 12:51; ASV). Then, too, He said, "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God." (John 16:2; ASV).
You see, Jesus didn't live like the godless dreamers of our generation who only look on their own interests and care not for the will of the only true God. Instead, He lived and taught the reality of two kingdoms in conflict: a kingdom of darkness which is completely wrapped up in its own agenda; and a kingdom of light which is completely wrapped up in a true agenda of genuine love. He taught that the vast majority of religious people would make a concerted effort to force everyone into a unity of religious rebellion against God. We see this in our day with the present insistence upon unity among religious people. We have more and more emphasis upon tolerance of divergent religious doctrines; and less and less understanding of the Word of God.
Logically, tolerance of divergent religious doctrines means everyone goes to Hell. Tolerance means an absence of conviction. An absence of conviction means a lack of faith. A lack of faith means a rejection of God and His definitive declarations of what is true and what is error. A rejection of God and His Truth means rebellion against God and that results in condemnation to Hell. Think about it. Logic says only truth is true and everything that is contrary to truth is a lie. The Bible says that faith in the truth is required for salvation. If salvation demands faith in the truth, there is no room for deliberate tolerance of error.
I write deliberate because tolerance of error is inevitable. No one's doctrine is perfect; so everyone embraces some level of error. But ignorant tolerance of error is not the same thing as willful tolerance of error. God makes space for a certain amount of ignorance for a certain length of time; but He has no patience whatever for those who, knowing that the Bible is contrary to religious traditions of men, cooperate together anyway.
So, ministerial alliances are a part of the kingdom of darkness unless they have a definitive doctrinal commitment to the teachings of the inerrant Word of God. Thus, the sword descends.