The Bible refers to this moment of uniting with God by his indwelling spirit as being “baptized into Christ” (Gal 3:27). We are one because we share his very nature. The Holy Spirit is the “glory” which God the Father has given us and the means by which all believers are united in Him. In John 17:22 Jesus prayed, And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one. This spiritual union with Christ, the Father and all other believers happens as God sends the Holy Spirit to dwell within the believer. What did Jesus pray for believers in this passage?Ĭhrist’s prayer was not primarily about practical unity in daily church life, but about the spiritual union that takes place at the moment of salvation. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit as actually an act of the Father in answer to the prayer of Jesus Christ (John 14:26). In doing so, we grieve the very source of spiritual unity and are left only with unity for unity’s sake. For this reason, it makes no sense to compromise doctrine or holiness in an effort to unify. All that we are and all that we do must please the Spirit of God. Spiritual unity keeps the Spirit of God as its center and its circumference. The “unity of the Spirit” is a principled, spirit-led and spirit-empowered unity under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Oftentimes these would-be unifiers call for unity “at any cost.” They are willing to lay aside most anything that causes division, including distinct, biblical doctrine and standards of personal holiness. In our day of countless denominations, worldy compromise and doctrinal ignorance there is a consistent call for the unification of the body of Christ. There is a stark contrast between the world’s “spirit of unity” and the church’s “unity of the Spirit.” The focus of a “spirit of unity” is unity for unity’s sake and often results in compromise and a lowest-common-denominator type of religion. What did Paul encourage the Ephesians to “keep?” 4 There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call– 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Spiritual unity is not this way.Įphesians 4:1-6 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. When one party feels that his needs or wants aren’t being met he will, driven by self-interest, disrupt the unity. Unity in the world is accomplished when individuals see it as in their best interest to lay aside differences. Generally, worldy unity is artificial and fragile. Unity can be described negatively as “a lack of division” or it can be described positively as having commonality in our thoughts, desires, affections, pursuits and consequently, our actions. In what 4 ways is unity described in this verse?
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