Unity in Christ this New Year

Happy New Year everybody. I just wanted to reiterate a message on unity in Christ that was given by my good friend and mentor Kelly Powers at
www.rootedinchrist.org/1/Christian_Essentials/Entries/2009/12/25_Doctrine_Wars.html

I want to say that in this new year let us as the body of Jesus Christ live as one in love and respect. There are many things in the Scriptures that many of us disagree about such as between calvinists and arminianists, pentacostals and non-pentacostals, creationists and theistic evolutionists. Let us though treat each other with respect and so long as we have untiy in the essential doctrines than we shall call each other brother and sister.

Now that begs the question; what are the essential doctrines? I believe there are several truths that if you call yourself a Christian you will not deny;
->There is one God (Duet 6:4, Jam 2:19),
->God exist eternally and equally as three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Is 48:12-16, Matt 3:16-17),
->Jesus Christ is God in the flesh (Jn 1:1, 14, Col2:9, Heb 1:8),
->Jesus was crucified for our sins against a holy God, thereby taking our punishment upon Himself (Rom 3:21-26, 4:25, 1 Cor15:3-4)
->and three days later He rose from the dead in a physical body (Lk 24:36-43, 1 Cor 15:14,17)
->Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (Acts4:12, Eph 2:8-9)
->Faith must be preceded and followed by repentance (Lk 24:47, Acts 2:38)
-> and Sola Scriptura, the Scriptures alone are fully authoritative, infallible and inerrant (Acts 17:11, Gal 3:22, 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20)

I believe we should and must stand firm on these. Sure we can have disagreements about minor issues, but let's try to talk about them with grace for one another. If it's not an issue of eternal implications then let's not bash each other about it.

I know some minor issues can and do lead into big implications (I'll talk of those soon), but there are now so many people out there who call themselves Christians and use words that sound right but are not quite, and they are slowly and discreetly changing definitions of such essentials as Jesus' deity, or our justification by grace alone through faith alone, before God and they also challenge the authority and infallibility of the Scriptures such as Jehova's Witnesses and Mormons the Emergent Church and the Word Faith Movement
(see www.carm.org and www.rootedinchrist.org and www.justinpeters.org for great info on this)

We can discuss our differences, and even try to correct those who believe wrongly about a minor doctrine such as theistic evolution, but let us do so in love for one another. I think a great passage for us to consider when it comes to a brother or sister in Christ and a minor issue is in Romans chapter 14;
Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 14:1

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 14:4

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 14:10

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. 14:12-13

Now I know the context of these verses is in regards to obeying the Jewish laws, but I think the principle can be used in regards to minor doctrines. There must be unity within the body, although, even as I say we must have unity, there can be no unity with those who stand opposed to the truth of essential doctrines.

So for the sake of the truth and for the sake of the souls of those who are perishing for the made up beliefs in idols let us stand united for the true gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.