On October 11, 2025, in his Sabbath sermon at Annual Council, Elder Erton Kohler, newly elected president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, spoke on the theme, “Let’s All Go Together.” In this sermon he urged the denomination to transcend barriers of region, ethnicity, and culture to achieve the unity essential to the accomplishment of the church’s mission.

Particularly noteworthy in his message was his rebuke to the problem of secular political polarization in certain circles of contemporary Adventism. Thoughtful church members will surely rejoice at the new president’s recognition of this impediment to the work—internal and external—of the great Advent movement.

No Mention of Theology

Faithful church members will be especially grateful that Elder Kohler didn’t include differences of theology in his list of barriers to be transcended by the unity he urged on his hearers. It was heartening to hear his mention of the theologian who foolishly doubted the literal nature of Israel’s Red Sea crossing as described in the Bible—this theologian claiming that all Israel supposedly did was to wade through knee-deep water—and the man who responded to the incredulous notion of the world’s greatest army at the time being drowned in water so shallow! It seems the new world leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church shares the conviction of his predecessor that the plain reading of Scripture must be taken at face value.

While it is true there are theological and behavioral differences that can legitimately be viewed as minor—specifically, those not addressed by the consensus of either Scripture or the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy—such minor disputes generally don’t produce anything close to major conflict or division in the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists.

Differences, for example, over the kings of the north and the south in Daniel chapter 11, the question of whether the 144,000 of Revelation is a literal or symbolic number, arguments over skirt lengths, the dating vs. courtship debate relative to marriage preparation, and others we could mention, may at times generate heated discussion, but not a rupture in purpose or fellowship. The recent furor over vaccine mandates in the context of the COVID pandemic is likely an exception to the above rule, though strict adherence to the inspired writings as the church’s standard of faith and practice would prevent such arguments from dividing God’s people, as the vaccine issue is nowhere addressed by either the Bible or the writings of Ellen White.

Sadly, whenever pastors or church leaders at any level make generic, unspecific appeals for unity despite theological differences, they can easily be understood as minimizing differences which involve the Biblical integrity of the church’s public witness. Issues involving the inspiration and authority of either Scripture or the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, the origin of life, the prophetic authenticity of 1844 and the investigative judgment, Biblical sexuality standards, gender authority in spiritual leadership, and Last Generation Theology can rightly be categorized as involving the integrity of the church’s Biblical witness, to itself as well as to the world.

Jesus’ Prayer for Christian Unity

Jesus’ vision for unity among His followers very clearly places the truth of God’s Word and the sanctification it brings at the center of the unity being described:

Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy Word is truth.

As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.

That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me (John 17:17-21).

The ecumenical movement is fond of quoting the last of the above verses. Tragically, they neglect to consider the preceding verses, which maintain that such unity cannot exist apart from being sanctified through God’s Word of truth. Which means that according to Jesus Himself, there is no “oneness” possible without sanctification through the truths of His Father’s Word.

Warnings Against False Unity

The Bible warns in a very simple and short verse regarding the danger of false unity, asking, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Ellen White addresses the same issue in a number of pointed passages:

Christ calls for unity. But He does not call for us to unify on wrong practices. The God of heaven draws a sharp contrast between pure, elevating, ennobling truth and false, misleading doctrines. He calls sin and impenitence by the right name. He does not gloss over wrongdoing with a coat of untempered mortar. I urge our brethren to unify upon a true, scriptural basis [##1|Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 175.##].

We have a testing message to give, and I am instructed to say to our people, “Unify, unify.” But we are not to unify with those who are departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. With our hearts sweet and kind and true, we are to go forth to proclaim the message, giving no heed to those who lead away from the truth [##2|——Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 412.##].

Christ never purchased peace and friendship by compromise with evil. Though His heart overflowed with love toward the human race, He could not be indulgent to their sins. Because He loved men and women, He was a stern reprover of their vices. His life of suffering, the humiliation to which He was subjected by a perverse nation, show His followers that there must be no sacrifice of principle [##3|——From the Heart, p. 332.##].

Jesus prayed that His followers might be one; but we are not to sacrifice the truth in order to secure this union; for we are to be sanctified through the truth. Here is the foundation of all true peace. Human wisdom would change all this, pronouncing this basis too narrow. Men would try to effect unity through concession to popular opinion, through compromise with the world, a sacrifice of vital godliness. But truth is God’s basis for the unity of His people [##4|——Our High Calling, p. 329.##].

At times, with burning earnestness and words of terrible severity, Christ denounced the abominations He saw in the church and in the world. He would not allow the people to be deceived by false claims to righteousness and sanctity.

We are to unify, but not on a platform of error [##5|——Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, p. 259.##].

We cannot purchase peace and unity by sacrificing the truth. The conflict may be long and painful, but at any cost we must hold fast to the Word of God [##6|——Historical Sketches, p. 197.##].

Speaking of the early Christians who refused to compromise with the great apostasy, she writes:

To secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war [##7|——The Great Controversy, p. 45.##].

Ellen White’s Vision of Ultimate Unity

In a powerful and quite explicit portrayal of the church’s dilemma just before the close of probation, Ellen White articulates the division God’s people will experience just before the end-time shaking, and the genuine unity of purpose and mission that will result when the shaking is over and the storm of persecution breaks upon us:

As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare, will in times of peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges, but have not improved them, will, under one pretext or another, go out from us. Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken in by the delusions of the enemy, they will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and will depart from the faith. But on the other hand, when the storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd’s voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together, and present to the enemy a united front. In view of the common peril, strife for supremacy will cease; there will be no disputing as to who shall be accounted greatest. . . . The love of God, the love of our brethren, will testify to the world that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord [##8|——Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 400-401.##].

Then the great Advent movement will see the ultimate fulfillment of the theme declared by our current General Conference president—“grounded in the Bible, focused on mission.”

REFERENCES

1. Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 175.

2. Ibid, vol. 3, p. 412.

3. ----From the Heart, p. 332.

4. ----Our High Calling, p. 329.

5. ----Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, p. 259.

6. ----Historical Sketches, p. 197.

7. ----The Great Controversy, p. 45.

8. ----Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 400-401.