MAKE THEM ONE AS WE ARE ONE (CONTINUED)
“THEY are wrong; the Bible clearly supports my interpretation of that scripture verse.”
“My church has believed this way for a hundred years—We’re not going to change now!”
“Nope, I’ll never get along with THOSE people. They call themselves ‘Christians,’ but I don’t believe they are really TRUE Christians!”
“The Bible says to stay away from those who teach THAT! It’s of the devil. It’s dangerous to expose yourself to their heretical teaching.”
“You can’t have unity with churches that have different doctrines. After all, my church is the only TRUE church.”
I’m not talking here about agreeing with other religions. . .I’m not even suggesting you have to give up your pet doctrine. . .or say or do things exactly the way other believers do. . .BUT, I am saying that Jesus has called us to put aside our criticism and nasty attacks against other parts of the body of Christ—and LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
Jesus cautioned His disciples against judging and condemning others that were not in their own “group” but who were still following the teachings of Jesus. John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:49–51, NLT)
You see, none of us, not any denomination or non-denomination, or however we like to classify ourselves as Christians, have a monopoly on ALL of the truth in the Bible. We like to pat ourselves on the back and think smugly, “I have special insight that so and so doesn’t have.”
But friend, it’s time to humble ourselves. . .to set aside our spiritual arrogance about the knowledge we perceive that we possess because the Bible declares: Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT)
Notice that this verse falls in what is commonly referred to as the “Love chapter” in the New Testament and is followed by verse 13: “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” And, it is preceded in verse 8 with these familiar, but oh so important words: “Love never fails!”
Love is so important that Jesus said it is what will show the unbelieving world who is truly His disciple. . .a REAL Christian. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34–35, NLT)
You might say to me, “Well, people in the world who don’t believe in Christ also love each other and do good things.” This is true; however, let’s look a little more closely at the God-kind of love we as believers are called to demonstrate before the world. Jesus instructed His disciples to love God first and man second (Matthew 22:37); to love others as you love yourself (Matthew 22:39); to have the pure motives of the God-kind of love; to glorify God (Romans 15:6); to obey and be like Christ (John 14:23); to give of yourself, your time, help, money and possessions (James 1:27; Galatians 6:10); to walk in humility, not judging others or feeling superior (Philippians 2:2–4); and to give to those who cannot give back (no hidden agenda), not expecting to receive anything in return. (Luke 14:13–14)
We are living in days where this God-kind of love, being very different from human love, is rare. We are going to have to learn to stand together, based solely on our faith in Jesus Christ, if we want this dark and hurting world to turn to the God of the Christians!
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25, NIV). Families, churches, and governments crumble when there is division from within.
Not everyone who says he is a Christian is truly a Christian. One important sign of authentic Christianity is, as we already mentioned, loving one another in the body of Christ. Another is this: Regardless of church affiliation or non-affiliation, true Christians will have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in them as shown in this scripture: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13–14, NIV)
There are more, but included below are three distinguishing factors that will describe a Christian who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him: (1) He will proclaim that Christ came to earth in a body (1 John 4:2); (2) The fruit of the Spirit will be growing and evident in his life (Galatians 5:22–23); and (3) He will love his brothers and sisters in Christ as one with the Father and the Son. (John 17:23)
Why can’t Christians get along? Have you ever wondered why? If we have the same Christ and the same Spirit of God living inside of us, why is there such dissension, such disagreement within the body of believers, all claiming to be followers of Jesus? There are a number of reasons, including that our human, carnal fleshly desires and weaknesses get in the way (Galatians 5:17). As mentioned previously, our knowledge and understanding is only partial (1 Corinthians 13:12). We are all still growing in the truth of God’s Word and ways (Ephesians 4:15). Each of us has different spiritual and ministry giftings from God (1 Corinthians 12:4–6; Romans 12:6). We tend to emphasize those portions of God’s Word that focus on and agree with our “call from God.” We get out of balance, neglecting other equally important truths in the Bible.
The devil seeks to “divide and conquer” and devour us, which results in a powerless, weak, scattered flock of Christians unable to withstand him. (Matthew 12:25; 1 Peter 5:8)
Unity in Jesus brings strength, power and “proof” that we are Christians! I have titled this article, “Make Them One as We Are One!” This is a direct quote from Jesus’ prayer to His Father in our behalf (John 17). Jesus knew that when He left the earth to return to His Father and our Father, His disciples (which includes us) would need the strength that comes from our unity with God and Jesus—and with each other.
We love because he first loved us (emphasis mine). Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:19–21, NLT)
Wow – that’s a tall order, isn’t it? It’s relatively easy to love God, but loving people who have shortcomings…who argue, hurt and disappoint you; well, that’s another story! Have you ever said, “Well, I’ve forgiven him or her, but that doesn’t mean I have to be friendly toward them.” Or, “I’ll forgive them this time because God says I have to, but I’ll never give them a chance to do this to me again!”?
My friend, that’s NOT love! And, there can be no unity between believers without love. Let’s look at Jesus’ prayer in John, Chapter 17, beginning in verse 20:
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! 25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” (John 17:20–26, NLT)
Jesus made it clear that He was not only speaking to those disciples who walked with Him upon the earth, but to all who would believe on Him down through the ages. Obviously, it was vitally important to Him that we, as believers, should be “as one.” What do we see in Jesus’ incredible prayer? Jesus asked His Father not once, but twice, to make those who believe in Him (that’s us!) as one. Why. . .? There are two reasons shown in these passages: (1) Our “perfect unity” will prove to the world that Jesus is Who He said He is, the Son of God, and that You sent Him; and (2) When we are one; we are in Jesus as He is in the Father and the Father in Him.
Also, a very important third reason found in the examples we see throughout the Bible is the power that is in corporate prayer—praying together as believers—manifests in answered prayer. Here are just a few:
If my people (plural), who are called by my name, will humble themselves (corporately) and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 14–15, NIV)
BEHOLD, HOW good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1, AMP)
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19–20, NLT)
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place… (Then the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised came.) (Acts 2:1, NKJV)
Good news and bad news . . .
The bad news first. . .the bad news is that we have a long way to go in fulfilling Jesus’ command to love one another and to be “as one.” Most of the persecution we receive does not come from the world, but rather from our brothers and sisters in the Church. This should not be! The world sits by watching, laughing and mocking, as they watch Christians criticizing each other’s beliefs. . .Christians tearing each other down. . .Christians accusing, accusing, accusing! Do you know, my sister and brother, that God hasn’t called us to accuse each other? This is the work of the “accuser of the brethren,” which is the devil himself:
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. (Revelation 12:10–11 NLT)
You may call yourself a mainstream Evangelical, a Charismatic, or any other tag with which you label your own particular “group” that makes your beliefs unique from those of your Christian brothers and sisters. But, if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God who took our sin upon Himself, paid our penalty with His sinless blood, was raised from the dead—and you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you—then you are a follower of Jesus Christ.
Jesus does not categorize His followers by denomination or doctrine. He expects us to imitate His example and love one another! Jesus prayed, “Make them one as We are One.”
Now for the good news. . .In our natural state, it is impossible to have “perfect unity” or be “as one.” But again, notice 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” We can love only because Jesus first loved us. It is His love—not our love—that we can truly and sincerely share with others.
In Jesus’ prayer in John, chapter 17, He knew we couldn’t be “as one” by our own human effort, so He prayed to the Father to “make us one.” Consequently, it is only the working of God’s Spirit in our hearts and lives that can bring the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer for us to be one. Jesus also added: “I have given them the glory you gave Me, so they may be one as We are one. The glory—the presence, the power, the very essence of Who God is—is in us! Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27)! If Jesus Christ is in us, then it is possible for us to be one with each other!
My brother and sister in Jesus, please pray this prayer from your heart with me today:
“Dear Father in heaven, I forgive my brothers and sisters who have hurt me or who don’t believe exactly as I do. I repent of any criticism, hatred or anger in my heart toward those who claim Christ as their Lord. I willingly let go of any accusation against them. I leave the judging of their hearts to You and choose to walk in Your love toward them. Father, I submit myself to You in fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer for all believers in Him to be as one as You give me the power to do so. May we, the Church which is the body of Christ on earth, glorify You before the world that they may know You sent Jesus to them because You loved them. In Jesus Name, Amen!”