The Purpose of the
Grace Unity Conference

 

In 1st Corinthians 1 it says,

“10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

As you already know, we Christians today have many divisions among ourselves. The Lord Jesus Christ beseeches us that we all speak the same thing, have the same mind and have the same judgment.

This does not come naturally but is something we have to work towards. Even among brethren that rightly divide the holy scriptures, there is still division among us. Some teach one thing and some teach another and yet another.

If you have heard the old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together”, the same goes for today’s grace movement just as in did during Paul’s day.

One of the main causes for division is just like the apostle Paul said, men following men. In 1st Corinthians 1 again it says,

“11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of
Paul?”

Paul got on the Corinthians because they were being followers of men and not holding the head, which is Christ. Because of this, he told them they were carnal. In chapter 3 it says,

“1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

In the denominational world of Christianity, we still have these divisions just as they did in Paul’s day. We still have followers of men, which causes division problems. The followers of John Wesley’s teachings are called Methodists. The followers of Joseph Smith’s teachings are called Mormons. The followers of Charles Russell’s teachings are called Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Even in today’s grace movement we have followers of O’Hair, Stam, Bullinger and the like, and once again we have division problems.

In chapter 4 Paul tells the Corinthians,

“6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.”

Just as in Paul’s day, men were putting men up on a pedestal and thinking of men above that which was written and it was causing brethren to be puffed up against one another. It is still going on in the grace movement today.

Some people will be the followers of a certain man’s teachings while others are following someone else’s teachings and so on and so forth. When the teachings don’t match, a conflict comes between the brethren, thus division happens.

Then these brethren break apart into separate groups such as stated, “Birds of a feather flock together.” One group doesn’t want to have anything to do with the other groups that do not totally agree with everything the first group believes.

And of course, every group believes they are right and the others are wrong!

Division, division and more division.

But there are some that believe that these divisions can be worked out. There are many independent grace preachers out there that refuse to belong to any such group because they know it causes division.

And still yet there are preachers in these groups that believe division problems can be worked out also.

As with any division problem or difference of opinion, if the problem or difference is not discussed, it will always stay a difference. But if the difference is discussed, then there is a possibility to come to some type of a solution or an agreement.

Thus this is what the Grace Unity Conference is all about, working out differences. Many of these grace groups and independents put on bible conferences but only allow preachers that are like minded to teach at these conferences thus there is no opportunity to work out any kind of difference. Therefore these groups and independents will always have differences between them without opportunity to work differences out.

The Grace Unity Conference breaks down all these barriers and allows grace preachers from any grace group or independent grace preachers to come and teach their point of view on various topics of division, thus giving us an opportunity to see why we differ and possibly work out a solution or come to some type of an agreement.

The Grace Unity Conference gives believers a special time and place in a fun and friendly atmosphere to work out these division problems that we have among us, and have fellowship with one another.

The Lord does not like for us to have divisions among ourselves. He does not want us to have envy and strife among one another, but to love one another and be at peace with one another.

Thus the Grace Unity Conference is based around charity. The apostle Paul talks more about charity and love than anyone else in the bible.

I find it quite amazing how the apostle Paul says over and over verses such as this one in Colossians 3, which says,

“14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

And this one out of 1st Thessalonians 4,

“9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”

Over and over again Paul tells us to love one another. And yet he only mentions this next verse one time,

“15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Many preachers take what Paul said here just this one time about rightly dividing and put all emphasis on rightly dividing and throw charity for the brethren out the window which he mentions many, many times.

Rightly diving the word of truth is very, very important. But it is not more important than charity as Jesus will tell you at the judgment seat of Christ.

So the Grace Unity Conference is based upon charity with a theme of working towards unity by rightly dividing the word of truth.

Sure, many brethren show charity among their like-minded brethren, but for brethren that are not like-minded, their charity seems to dwindle.

Not so at the Grace Unity Conference. Everyone is treated with the same respect as everyone else; there is no difference regardless of what position or beliefs you take.

The Grace Unity Conference is different from all other conferences and was designed to be so. Now we finally have a special time and place to discuss our differences to work towards unity in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

For those of us that have the desire to work towards unity, that we may speak the same thing, have the same mind and same judgment, I know that the Lord Jesus Christ will be pleased with our efforts and it will go towards our account when we stand before him at the judgment seat of Christ.