ectypal.net

The biblical commands that require unity of mind (Phil 1:27; 1 Cor 1:10) lay upon the church the practical necessity of adopting some standard around which the church may unite and against which error may be defined and rejected. Similarly, for churches or denominations to enter into fraternal relations with one another, or to pursue organic unity with one another, they must first ascertain the degree to which they are united in their understanding of biblical doctrine. Absent comparison of the confessions of each body, it is difficult to conceive how either body could meaningfully entertain some form of unity with the other. A necessary condition for biblically faithful unity within and across churches, then, is a creed or confession.