JESUS PRAYS FOR THE UNITY OF ALL BELIEVERS 17:20-23
INTRODUCTION
Jesus moves from praying for the eleven in particular to those who would in the future be brought to faith in Christ by the life-giving work of the Spirit, in sync with the proclamation of the gospel by His disciples.
Jesus prays that all believers would be united as one even as He and the Father are united as one.
The unity which Jesus speaks of here is not an outward, organizational unity, but an inward, spiritual unity centered on the truth of God’s word and their relationship with Christ.
Because of their union with Christ all believers are one with each other. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 3:26-28
One body - one Spirit - one God. There is supposed to be one body not many bodies. Many bodies suggests many spirits, many gods. Is that the message the divided church is sending today? No wonder so many are confused.
Spiritual unity results in believers being of one heart and one mind on the essential doctrines of the faith. This is a common theme throughout the N.T.Acts 2:44; 4:32; Romans 15:5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 1:27; Philippians 2:1-2
Philippians 2:1 & 2 gives four ways how spiritual unity manifests itself in the daily walk of the true believer.
1. Unity results in believers being of the same mind.”
True unity signifies that true believers are controlled by a sincere love of the brethren and an ever growing knowledge of God’s Word that is working in them by the power of the Spirit. Because they walk in the Spirit, and submit to God’s Word, they maintain a oneness of mind pertaining to the truths of God.
2. Unity results in believers “maintaining the same love”; that is, they love each other equally.
The love in view here is agapē love, the love not of emotional attraction, but of will and choice. It is expressed when believers are “devoted to one another in brotherly love; and give preference to one another in honor” (Romans 12:10).
3. Unity results in believers being “united in spirit.” The Greek word literally means “one-souled.” It refers to a passionate, common commitment to spiritual things as opposed to worldly things.
4. Unity results in believers being “intent on one purpose.” Because they are of the same mind, love each other, and are united in spirit they have the same goal—glorifying God, obeying His Word, and advancing His kingdom.
Believers however, can interrupt their spiritually unity by grieving the Spirit through pride and self-centeredness, not considering others as more important than themselves.
Much so-called unity today in the church is the opposite of true spiritual unity. In our obsessively tolerant age, many work hard to achieve a superficial, false, man-centered unity that is broad enough to embrace anyone who claims to be a Christian, even those who deny the central truths of the Christian faith.
Genuine biblical love, however, cannot be divorced from biblical truth. Far from compromising it, God’s people are called to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3).
The true church of Jesus Christ cannot unite with those who deny the essential truths of the gospel, or affirm a false gospel. 2 John 9-11
Unity at the expense of truth is not unity and a half-truth masquerading as the whole is nothing but a lie and cannot bring true biblical unity.
True unity is the reality among true Christians who hold the Scriptures as the only source of truth and practice.
That the visible church is by and large not united around the truth brings dishonor to the name of Christ and confusion to lost and dying world.
The visible church has lost her influence and has ceased to form a united front for the truth, against the powers of darkness. Through division, compromise and carnality the visible church has grieved the Holy Spirit. Could it be this is why God’s power and gifts by and large are not seen in the visible church today?
Audio of sermon
