What does Christian unity mean? Does it mean that we agree on everything? Does it mean that we allow the sinful standards of the world to infiltrate? Jesus prayed for our unity. Let’s look at part of the long Lord’s prayer in John 17:20-26 and see what unity truly is.
Christian Unity
Before we discuss the topic of unity, we must understand that Christian unity is not unity with the world, or those who incorporate worldly sins. Inclusiveness within the bounds of scripture is a good thing, but inclusiveness of worldly values is itself sin.
John 17:11 I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
John 17:13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Purpose of Unity
John 17:20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;”
Jesus’ prayer was that we may be one just as the Father is in Him and He is in the Father, that we would be in them. All Christians who are in Christ and in the Father are already unified. Like a garden we are unified in beautiful godly diversity.
Christian unity is “that the world may believe.” Unity must be seen by the world. There have always been church divisions. Councils settled some differences. Western dissenters were sometimes persecuted and sometimes permitted to establish religious orders. Eastern Orthodox divisions are mostly territorial. Sins of the western church precipitated Protestantism.
The western church calls its exclusive councils “ecumenical” and itself “Catholic,” but wherever people are united in Christ is the catholic (universal) church. Our unity is visible when we include anyone who is united in God. When we promote our agreement over 95% of important doctrines, then unity is visible.
Perfect Unity
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
How do we grow in unity, by authoritarianism, burning dissenters at a stake? Jesus is who unifies Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants, not vain man-made traditions. “One” means here “to be united most closely (in will, spirit).” When we disagree with each other, even strongly, can we do so in unity?
Inclusive diversity offers salvation to a broader range of humanity than narrow exclusivism, but it must not be so broad as to include sin. Denominational arrogance causes division not unity and is the biggest heresy between churches. The Greek here can be literally “that they might be perfected in unity.”
Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants are wonderfully unified on the true essentials of our faith. There is room to grow, but unity comes through a bond of peace not through robotic uniformity of opinion (Ephesians 4:3), “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
The so-called hina clauses (“so that…”) explain why unity is important to Jesus’ prayer. He works for unity among us so that all of us may be one; so that we might be in God; so that the world might believe that God sent Jesus (verse 21); so that we might be one as God and Christ are one (verse 22); so that we might be perfected in unity; so that the world will know that God sent Jesus and has loved us even as he has loved Jesus (verse 23); so that where Jesus is we may also be; so that we may see Christ’s glory (verse 24) and so that God’s love may be in us (verse 26).
Unity is not uniformity of opinion, of culture, of musical taste, of liturgy, or of gifts. Unity is created by leaving the world to be in agreement with God and Christ, and to accept non-essential differences in the bond of peace. Like a beautiful garden, the Christian church is meant to have different colors and seasons, and it is meant to be a peaceful garden, diverse but unified in God and Christ.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
