Hello
Jesus prayed that we, his followers, would be one, as he and his father are one.
“I ask not only on behalf of these (that’s the disciples), but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word (that’s us), that they may all be one. (John 17:20-21)
Jesus goes on to say our oneness will convince the world that God sent him to Earth and our oneness will convince the world that God loves us, his community here on Earth.
As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:21-23)
Our oneness isn’t the only thing that will make us different from the world. Jesus wants us to love one another in the same way that he loves us, and it is by our love for each other that the world will know that we are Jesus’ disciples
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. You also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).
Why aren’t we taking any notice of what Jesus said about love and unity?
Today, we often identify ourselves by our denomination, or our beliefs, rather than by our allegiance to Jesus. When we identify ourselves by our allegiance to Jesus, we emphasize our oneness. But when we identify ourselves by our denomination, or our beliefs, we emphasize the divisions between us. This was a problem in the early Corinthian church when members started forming factions committed to one human teacher, saying “I follow Paul” or “I follow Apollos” or “I follow Christ”. Paul addressed this problem by asking them “Has Christ been divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:11-13). I would suggest that if we identify ourselves first as a Baptist or a Catholic or a conservative Christian or a progressive Christian, we are no better than the Corinthians who said “I am for Paul” or “I am for Apollos” and we need to consider Paul’s question “Has Christ been divided?” thoughtfully and prayerfully.
What should we do?
Loving each other doesn’t mean we have to agree with each other. We are members of one family and members of any family will disagree. So, of course, we disagree. But we should do so recognizing that the people we are disagreeing with are our sisters and brothers in Jesus’ family, and that means we love them and that means we treat them with respect and affection. Importantly, loving our sisters and brothers means we listen to what they have to say. And really listen, not just wait for them to finish speaking so we can start talking again. The French philosopher, Joseph Joubert, said that the purpose of discussion is not victory, but progress. So often, the purpose of discussion among Christians sounds as though it is about victory, with participants trying to prove that they are right and others are wrong. I would say that the purpose of discussion is not just progress, it is also understanding. If we love our sisters and brothers in Christ we will want to understand them. This means we have to listen to them.
I reckon that we followers of Jesus are called, by him, to a humble, affectionate, kind, respectful and listening love.
May our loving Father bless us, strengthen us, keep us safe, and encourage us to listen to each other.
Jesus is Lord.
Peter O
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How does the devil attack the Church? Answer 1 – Division
“What did Jesus say about judging or condemning others?”
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I love the thread above that shows that although we are to be united through his Spirit of endurance and encouragement, where we are to think of others as better than ourselves, we are also to respectfully debate as “iron sharpens iron”, where we are to ensure heresy doesn’t creep into our doctrine.
I think that if Jesus is the truth, we all need to travel toward Him, and if we do, we will all be closer to one another too.
Regarding our context, of being in the world, perhaps Romans 13 describes how God has created authority structures on earth, and Revelation describes how we are to stand firm against the anti-Christ when he takes over that authority structure. Perhaps, we have to recognize, like Daniel, when we need to obey Jesus to serve within those secular structures and obey Him when we need to stand against an evil government or evil laws, ie to discern when we are closer to Romans 13 or Revelation.
Such a challenge to be His light in this dark world and fight against spiritual principalities. Good to be in the fight with all of you!!
The Greek word translated to judge is discerning, having decernment. Looking at the model God on earth, Emanuel, Jesus set in His relationships is the goal to aspire to. For I, we, will stand be for our Lord. I will not me able to say someone told me! I am a countable for my choices. Who am I to judge when Jesus said I have not come to judge but to set you free. Woman where are your accuser’s, go and sin no more. Will I / we take up our cross and follow the examples set by our Lord. I do know definitly how Jesus felt about deliberate hypocrisy. And at the same time, we have all sinned and fallen short of the mark. If we say we haven’t the truth is not in us. I pray I choose to help and walk with the wonded samaritan! What is the choice?
Great sentiments, I think one needs to be careful though about what love is and if this simply means the same thing as getting along. Sometimes, the most loving thing we can do is to rebuke the wrong or sinful actions of others (Galations 6). Within the body of believers there is absolutely the mandate to judge…the passages you mention are speaking out against judging hypocritically and are not outright against judgement. The categories e.g. Conservative or Progressive are not what divides, it is the gospel (Luke 12:51, Gal 2:14), and we are warned against accepting another gospel (Galations 1) that comes from false teachers whom Paul says should be cursed! Unity is not the goal, but rather the fruit of a Church that seeks to put Christ as her head and preach the true gospel. Ignoring the essential differences that divide such as the divinity of Christ, the atonement, the resurrection etc. is neither loving or unifying. When Paul called for unity in the Corinthian church he didn’t mean at any cost, in fact he also said, “be perfectly united in mind and thought” meaning that sound doctrine was the glue that would truly unite them.
Amen to this! What also came to mind was 2 John 1
What is this love?
Teach the doctrine Jesus taught…If they do not teach the doctrine Jesus taught we are instructed what to do so we do not share their sin!
Jesus knew the division of the church as to the book of Revelation chapter 2, Jesus send messages to these individual churches! Then why are we are praying for the unity of the churches?
I need the reply
Hello Vajira
I’m not sure that I understand your question fully, but these are my thoughts.
The churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3 are separated by distance from each other. Christians form groups with other Christians living locally and these are called churches. Inevitably each church will develop a group culture of its own that will be different to the cultures of other churches and each will have their own group strengths and group weaknesses. This is why the letters in Revelation, and Paul’s letters, do not say the same thing to every church.
Does God see his children as members of different churches, or as members of one family, his family? I think he sees us as members of his family and not as members of churches. God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), not at our allegiance to a particular church.
We may choose to pray for unity in the church because Jesus prayed that we, his followers, would be one:
“I ask not only on behalf of these (the disciples), but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23).
Happy to discuss further.
God Bless You.
Peter O
Praise the Lord. In revelation we have seen 7 churches in 7 places, but here we are talking about things needs to be followed by a Christian.
ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT THAT QUESTION? READ The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, God is a God of UNITY, and unity was exacting in all of Gods people until some time in the second century AD (apart from when many Israelites did bad and God punished them). The letters Paul sent to all the congregations were to keep all Christians united in “mind, heart, spirit…” and Paul, along with the other writers, were God inspired so those lessons will not be taken away. Unity in Gods people is a law.
Paul also said: Romans 13:1-2 NKJV
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. [2] Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
Is this true? Jesus warned about the leaven of Herod (government) Mark 8:15 NKJV Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”.
Peter has a great comment about following man: Acts 5:29 NKJV
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn’t obey the government to worship the idol.
Lastly in Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 17:5-10 NKJV
Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. [6] For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. [7] “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. [8] For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. [9] “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? [10] I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Jesus was God and Man. Paul is just like us, just a man. He made some great truthful comments, but also some comments contrary to Jesus commands. Seek and you will find.
Paul also said: Romans 13:1-2 NKJV
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. [2] Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
Is this true? Jesus warned about the leaven of Herod (government) Mark 8:15 NKJV Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”.
Peter has a great comment about following man: Acts 5:29 NKJV
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn’t obey the government to worship the idol.
Lastly in Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 17:5-10 NKJV
Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. [6] For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. [7] “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. [8] For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. [9] “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? [10] I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Jesus was God and Man. Paul is just like us, just a man. He made some great truthful comments, but also some comments contrary to Jesus commands. Seek and you will find.
I have been a devoted Christian since 05 this the 17th chapter of John just came to life in my heart. I believe the disciples heard this prayer. I believe Apostle Paul was in oneness with the LORD. I am going to be in oneness with the LORD.