I am praying not only for those disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you an I are one, Father - that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are - I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.

John 17:20-23

God’s equation is simple. God’s glory acting within us leads to unity. Unity has an impact on belief within the world. Unity demonstrates love visibly. Simple, right?

We can so easily complicate things. Unity is obviously desirable. But many denominations have long-standing divisions. Many local churches have internal divisions that disrupt their ministry and effectiveness. And even outside of the “church” world, we see rampant division within schools, families, communities, governments, and the world at large. The problem is more than just an inability to agree. Often even those who agree with each other seem to build barriers that disrupt unity.

This passage makes clear that the world will recognize our unity with each other and God and will believe that God the Father sent Jesus. That’s great - and unfortunately not a reaction you hear from the world a lot. The passage also points out that unity will help make clear that God’s love for Jesus is matched by his love for us. That is amazing, just to even ponder!

Jesus asks that we might share in the Father’s glory. This neatly fits with the whole theme of unity. When we recognize that it is God’s glory that fills us, then our tendency to boast in our own ability is lessened. It is a lot easier to find unity when we aren’t constantly focused on ourselves and our abilities. Not that we haven’t been made unique - but even this uniqueness is to God’s glory, and not our own. He created us that way.

Unity as an abstract principal is not very helpful. Unity is more than an “ideal”, or something useful only as a practical matter. Unity is a matter of our very existence. If we are believers, having put our trust in Christ, then we are made one through the Spirit. Our ability to serve in unique fashion is based on this unifying Spirit. Christ is the head of one body with various parts, and a sense of competition among its members - whether individuals or churches - is counter to his activity.

The church can be a wonderful place to be unique. We need not be vanilla. But we must be unified. We must work together, because Jesus designed the church that way. And he didn’t do it on a whim. He had a plan in placing such unique and diverse people in the body.

towards application

Identify one Christian friend. How has God used your differences and similarities to strengthen your relationship? How have you dealt with the differences?

What does the concept of unity bring to our understanding of who God is and how he operates?