Now let us turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 17, from verse 9 through verse 23. Let us read them together, and read slowly.
We pray that, when we read the Word of God, the Word of God may truly be rooted in our hearts.
Lord, Your Word is spirit and life. Therefore, we pray that You will plant the Word of the Spirit and the life in every one of us through Your Holy Spirit, so that we may obey Your Word. Open the eyes of our hearts and give us discernment, so that we may follow You. In the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
This time, we are looking together at the matter of the unity of the saints before the Lord. This is the central burden of our Lord when He prayed, as recorded in John 17.
Not only was He praying for those eleven disciples by His side; He also prayed for those who would believe in Him through the word of His disciples. In other words, the prayer that our Lord offered was for the whole church. He was praying for you, for me, and for all the brothers and sisters here.
Would that the prayer of the Lord truly touch the heart of every one of us. This is His wish, and this is also His faith. May this prayer be our wish and our faith.
Yesterday morning, we said that, if we want to touch this matter of the unity of the saints, we have to look at it from the source. Today, God’s children often want to solve this problem outside of the source. Although the heart may be right, the result is usually contrary.
We have to come to the source to find the principles of unity. The unity in the Godhead is the origin. The unity of the saints is totally according to the unity in the Godhead. Only this unity is true unity, and that is the unity for which our Lord prayed.
Outside of this, all so-called unity is a counterfeit and a substitute. Not only has God rejected it, but we also should reject it.
This morning, we would like to share why the unity of the saints must be according to the unity in the Godhead. The unity of the saints is a very important matter.
Why is it so important? Our Lord has asked us to be like Him in all things. A brother has already mentioned Romans 8:29. This is a verse with which all of us are very familiar.
The will of the Lord is that we all be conformed to the image of His Son. God has chosen us in order to conform us to the image of His Son, so that His Son may be the firstborn among many brethren.
In the past, when we considered this verse, we often applied it individually: “I am the one chosen, and God wants to conform me to the image of His Son.” Of course, this is accurate, but it is not complete. God’s will to conform us to the image of His Son is a corporate matter.
Our Lord is so glorious, so abundant, and so complete. It is not possible for one person, two people, or even a group of people to express Him completely—to express the abundance of the Head.
Our Lord is our Head. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily, and all of us who have been chosen by Him compose His Body. We are members of that Body. No single member can express the riches of the Head completely.
Therefore, the Bible tells us that the church is the Body of Christ, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. To be conformed to the image of the Son of God is a matter of the whole church. Together, we are conformed to the image of the Son of God, so that the Body and the Head may be completely the same.
We also see that the church is the bride of Christ. When God created Adam, He said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.”
We know that this help meet is one who completely matches him—his counterpart, his complement. She is the one who is totally like him, and only she can help him.
Therefore, the church is the bride of Christ. The church has to grow to the fullness of the stature of Christ. It is not only one Christian, two Christians, or even a group of Christians who must grow so that Christ may be formed in them.
It requires all Christians, all God’s children, to grow up to the full stature of the fullness of Christ. Therefore, we must remember: the will of God is for us to be like Him.
To be like Him is to be like Him in essence. The essence in the Godhead is unity. Therefore, He requires the essence in the Body to be unity.
You cannot imagine division in the Godhead, because the unity in the Godhead is complete. How can we say that in the Body we may not be in unity? If the essence of the Head is unity—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are all one—then all God’s children in the Body must be in unity.
The unity of the saints is so that our God may be glorified. When our Lord prayed in John 17, He said, “And because of them I am glorified.”
You know, the essence of sin is division. Wherever there is sin, there is division. When Adam and Eve sinned, they not only separated themselves from God; immediately, we see division even between Adam and Eve.
Wherever there is division, there is shame. Wherever there is unity, there is glory. Therefore, the unity of the saints is what glorifies God the most. It shows us the result of the salvation of God.
In His salvation, He has abolished all our divisions on the cross so that we may be one in Him. This is a glorious thing.
Why is the unity of the saints so important? Because the unity of the saints is a testimony.
The Lord said:
That they may all be one;
even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee,
that they also may be in Us:
that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.
Brothers and sisters, on earth you cannot see unity; on earth you see only division, because that is the phenomenon of our flesh. Galatians clearly tells us that among the works of the flesh are jealousy, strife, and division. Wherever there is flesh, there is division.
On earth, everything is full of flesh; therefore, there is division everywhere. But today God has done a wonderful thing on earth. He has brought together people who were in division. He has saved us so that we may be one and have fellowship.
This has never happened on earth. Therefore, when the world sees that there is a group of people who can be one, they cannot help but acknowledge that God has sent His Son into the world. This testimony is most powerful.
In the early days of the church, the power of this testimony was so strong. When the world saw these people, they said, “These people truly love one another. They are truly in one accord as one person.” They could not help but bow their heads and worship God.
The unity of God’s children expresses the love of God. The Lord said that the world would not only see that the Father had sent Him, but would also know that the Father loved them even as He loved Him.
Therefore, the unity of the saints is a token of how God has loved us. His love constrains us. His love has been poured out in our hearts, so that we not only love the God whom we cannot see, but also love the brothers and sisters whom we can see.
Whenever there is love and oneness among brothers and sisters, the love of God is expressed. This is the work of love. Therefore, brothers and sisters, the unity of the saints is so important.
But let us turn back and look at the real condition of the church. Even in the church of the first century, there was the beginning of division.
When we read 1 Corinthians, we see that, although they had various problems and wrote to Paul asking questions, the deepest burden in Paul’s heart was one thing: “I hear that among you there is strife and division.”
Some said, “I am of Paul.” Others said, “I am of Apollos.” Some said, “I am of Cephas.” Others said, “I am of Christ.” Paul asked, “Is Christ divided?”
At that time, the church in Corinth had not yet been totally separated into the church of Paul, the church of Cephas, the church of Apollos, and even the church of Christ. They had not come to that degree. But division was already within them.
If that inward split is not resolved, it will grow into outward division. Paul said that divisions and strife among them would reveal those who were approved. The original translation says that those who are approved may be manifested.
Who are those approved by the Lord? They are those who maintain the unity of the saints.
In Acts 15, we see a meeting in Jerusalem to solve the question of whether Gentiles, after receiving the Lord, needed circumcision and needed to observe the law of Moses.
We thank the Lord that this particular question was answered. But although that particular problem was solved at that time, the problem itself was not resolved. Throughout Acts, wherever Paul went, people of a Judaic background followed him and gave him trouble.
Even the church at Philippi was a very good example church. It was full of love and good brothers and sisters. From the first day, they were in one accord with Paul for the gospel.
Yet among them were two sisters who were leaders, two gifted sisters who had helped Paul preach the gospel. But between these two sisters there was strife and division, so that the church at Philippi lost its joy in the Lord.
When we come to 3 John, near the end of the first century, John speaks of a man named Diotrephes. He loved to be first.
Not only did he refuse to receive the servants of the Lord, but he also forbade the brothers and sisters from receiving them. Those who wanted to receive the Lord’s servants, he cast out of the church.
Here we see that even toward the end of the first century, there was this phenomenon of division in the church. Of course, we see that this situation became worse and worse.
Later Christianity became divided into three major divisions: Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, and the Reformed churches. Within each of these divisions, there were further divisions.
Outwardly speaking, the church came into great ruin. Is it true that God’s children do not know that we should have unity? No. God’s children all know that oneness is the will of God.
If I were to tell you that division is the will of God, I believe you would say, “You are a false prophet.” In every child of God, there is a deep feeling that we should be one.
Therefore, throughout all generations, many have said that we should not be divided, but should be in unity. The Roman Catholic position is often expressed this way: “You should be merged into us, because we are orthodox.”
In other words, the unity they seek is uniformity: “You must join me because I am the canonical one. I am the right one.” If you all join us, then we will all be one. Brothers and sisters, is this unity?
In our time, there is the ecumenical movement. It is a movement that says we should all be one and should all come together.
You may say, “You are Presbyterian, I am Baptist, he is Methodist, and another is Assembly of God. Let us all come together.” This extends not only among Reformed churches, but also between the Reformed churches and the Catholics, between the Catholics and the Greek Orthodox, and between the Greek Orthodox and the Reformed churches.
Thus, there are many conferences in the world where theologians and leaders come together and say, “We have too many things about which we argue. Let us see whether each side can give something, so that we can compromise and all come together.”
But even until today, this has not succeeded. Not only that, it is a very dangerous thing.
At this end time, the enemy wants to combine all the religions of the world into one religion. In this ecumenical movement, Christians have contact with Buddhists and with other religions.
One day there could be a religious ecumenical union, and that is the mystery Babylon mentioned in Revelation 17. In this harlot there is a cup full of the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus Christ. Is this unity? We cannot be one in this way.
Uniformity is not unity. To be combined together is not unity. Federation is not unity. How about cooperation? Is working together unity?
Working together cannot, by itself, express that we are one. For example, suppose there is a large evangelistic event. All groups are invited—the Catholics, all religious groups, and all Christian groups.
For the sake of unity, they all join in and work together for that evangelistic event. Is that unity?
Indeed, during the period in which they work together, there may seem to be a condition of unity. They can come together to pray, fellowship, and work together. But after the work is over, you go your way and I go mine.
Even the fruit of the evangelistic work is divided. Some are sent to the Catholics, some are sent to one group, and some to another group. I am not saying that it is wrong to work together in such a work. We thank God that such work may indeed glorify Him. But I ask: is this unity?
I heard of a famous convention, though I did not attend it. I am not criticizing; I am only giving an example. There was a convention known for messages concerning overcoming and the deeper Christian life.
God truly used that conference. Christians from all over the world came to it, and a large tabernacle was prepared. At the back of the podium was a banner: “All One in Christ.”
God’s children from many places and denominations came into that tabernacle. They worshipped the Lord together, sang hymns, prayed together, and pursued the life of the Lord together. What a glorious and joyful event that was.
But I also heard that, when one came out of the tabernacle and walked down the street, there was a booth on one side and another booth on the other. One belonged to the Baptists, another to the Methodists, and each denomination had its own booth, selling its own books.
“We have the truth here.” Brothers and sisters, is this unity? Is this the unity that the Lord wants?
Unity does not come from organization. Francis Schaeffer said that true unity is not cooperation between member and member.
You have two hands. How can these two hands work in complete harmony? It is not that the left hand shows the right hand that they are in unity. It is not so.
Every member is under the control of the head. When all the members are under the control of the head, all the members are one and fitted together.
What is our problem today? We have division, and then we come together for negotiations: “Let us be one.” This is horizontal. This is organization. This is man-made. This is not unity.
Unity is vertical. Everyone must be one with the Lord. Then, in the unity of the Lord, we have unity.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, anything organizational, anything man-made, anything external, anything uniform, anything federal, or anything temporarily cooperative is not the unity for which our Lord prayed.
What, then, is the unity for which our Lord prayed? The unity among the saints is according to the unity in the Godhead.
The unity in the Godhead is not out of organization. It is not made by men. It is not external. It is not a federation. It is not merely temporary cooperation.
The unity of the Godhead is inward. This is what we shared yesterday. The unity in the Godhead is completely within: the Father is in the Son, the Son is in the Father, and the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are all one in the Spirit. This is an inward matter.
Dear brothers and sisters, the unity of the saints must be within. Anything external is not it. Anything man-made is not it. Anything organized is not it. Anything horizontal is not it. The unity of the saints must begin from within.
Thank God. In 1 Corinthians 1:30, we are told that we are in Christ Jesus of God, who was made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
When we believe in the Lord, not only has the Lord given us His own life, but God has put us in Christ. Brothers and sisters, remember this: we who belong to the Lord live in Christ and relate in Christ.
All of us who have believed in the Lord are in Christ because God has put us in Christ. God has made us a new creation.
Second Corinthians 5 tells us:
Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature:
the old things are passed away;
behold, they are become new.
But all things are of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, we thank and praise God. When we believe in the Lord, we do not know how great a thing God has done in us. On the cross, He has abolished the old creation and made us a new creation. The old things are passed away; all things are become new; and all things are of God.
Division belongs to the old creation. In Christ, division has already passed away. The cross has abolished all divisions. Today we stand on the ground of the new creation. Today we are in Christ; therefore, we are one.
You are in Christ, and I also am in Christ. The “you” who is in Christ is a new creation, and the “I” who is in Christ is also a new creation. Therefore, in this we are one.
Oneness can only be found in Christ. Outside of Christ, there is nothing but division. How is it that Christians, who are already in Christ, still divide? It is because, when we return to the old creation, we become individualistic.
Division in the old creation is not strange. But division in Christ is impossible, because Christ is not divided. Wherever you see division, you know that man has fallen back into the old creation and is not standing in Christ.
John Darby said that there is a center. Only in God is there unity. If you are not within that center, no matter how you work, you cannot obtain unity.
Therefore, our Lord said:
That they may all be one;
even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee,
that they also may be in Us.
“Father, You are in Me, and I am in You, and they are in Us.” This is the secret of unity.
If you turn again to John 17:22-23, we read:
And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given unto them;
that they may be one, even as We are one;
I in them, and Thou in Me,
that they may be perfected into one.
In John 17:21, it says that they are in Us. This is the secret of unity. In verse 23, it says, “I in them,” so that they may be perfected into one. Here we see a progression.
We are in God; therefore, we are one. When the Lord is in us, we are perfected into one. We are in God—that is our position. The Lord in us—that is our experience.
In other words, not only are we in God positionally, and therefore one; experientially, Christ lives in us. He is our life.
As Galatians 2:20 says:
I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I that live,
but Christ liveth in me:
and that life which I now live in the flesh
I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.
Brothers and sisters, today Christ is in us. It is the Lord who lives in us. He lives in you, and He lives in me. If we all let the Lord live, this unity is perfect.
Our problem is that the Lord is indeed in us, but we do not let Him live. We insist on living ourselves. The result is that we are totally divided.
Therefore, you have to see that unity is a matter of life. What is life? Christ is life. If we let Christ live in us, that unity is perfect unity.
Not only that, unity is in the Spirit. We know that the work of unity is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4 tells us that we must give diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit. The unity of the Spirit has already been given to us. There is that unity of the Spirit in each one of us.
What is the unity of the Spirit? The unity of the Spirit is the unity of the Godhead.
Therefore, Ephesians 4 tells us:
There is one body, and one Spirit,
even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling.
Here we see three “ones”: one Body, one Spirit, and one hope of calling. These three are related to the Holy Spirit.
No matter whether we are Greeks or Jews, we have been baptized in one Spirit into one Body. It is the Holy Spirit who has baptized us from different individuals into one Body.
Has the Holy Spirit done this work? The Holy Spirit did this work on the day of Pentecost. The one hundred and twenty individual believers were baptized by the Holy Spirit into one Body.
Then three thousand were baptized into that one Body on the same day. Throughout two thousand years of church history, throughout the whole world, whenever a person believes in the Lord, the Holy Spirit not only regenerates him but also baptizes him into the Body of Christ.
Therefore, today, in the Body of Christ, you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into this Body. Otherwise, how could you be in this Body?
This can be easily proved. When a person believes in the Lord, there are two inward consciousnesses.
First, he has a consciousness toward God. God is no longer an abstract and faraway God. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, so we can cry, “Abba, Father.” This consciousness is present when one truly believes in the Lord.
If you say that you believe in the Lord but do not have this consciousness, then you have not truly believed in the Lord, and you have not been born of the Holy Spirit. If you have this new life in you, surely you know the Father.
At the same time, once you believe in the Lord and see another believer, immediately you are conscious that there is unity between you and that person. You may never have known him before. The first time you see him, you know that he is a Christian. You say, “My brother,” or, “My sister.”
Immediately, you have the consciousness that you belong to one Body. Brothers and sisters, this is the work of the Holy Spirit: one Body, one Spirit, and one hope of calling.
What is our hope, brothers and sisters? Our hope is that day when the Body becomes full-grown, attaining to the full stature of Christ, and the Lord returns to receive His Bride. This is our hope.
There is no hope more glorious than this. Our hope is not merely to walk on a golden street. Our hope is that we together become the Bride of Christ. This is the hope that the Holy Spirit has wrought in us.
The work of the Holy Spirit in us is toward that goal. Therefore, these three “ones”—one Body, one Spirit, and one hope—are all in the Holy Spirit.
If we go on, Ephesians 4 says, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” There are three “ones” again, and these three have to do with our Lord.
We have only one Lord. We have only one faith: we believe in Him. We have one baptism: we are baptized into Him, Christ. We belong to Him. Therefore, in the Son, we are one.
Lastly, Ephesians 4 speaks of one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. When we are in God, we are one also.
Your God is my God. Your Father is my Father. We have only one Father. We have only one God. In this, we are one.
There are seven “ones.” This is the unity of the Spirit, and it has already been given to us. We already have this unity. Now we must give diligence to keep it and not lose it, because in the Spirit God has already given us this unity.
Because of the limitation of time, I can only mention this: the unity of God is not only inward; it is not only in essence; it is not only in the fellowship of life. It is also in His will and purpose.
Brothers and sisters, our unity today is totally according to the unity in the Godhead. It is an inward matter. It is the same essence. It is fellowship in life. Also, we have unity in the purpose of God.
If God’s children do not see His will, they will never be able to express that unity.
Therefore, remember Proverbs 29:18:
Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint.
What is this vision? The vision is to see the eternal purpose of God.
Today, when we speak of vision, we have lowered its meaning. The vision here speaks of the purpose of God in His heart. If you see that purpose, then we become one. If we do not see that purpose, then we are disintegrated.
Today the difficulty is that I say, “I have a vision. My vision is this.” Another says, “I also have a vision. My vision is that.”
One person’s vision is to preach the gospel. Another’s vision is the exercise of gifts. Another’s vision is to instruct God’s children. Another’s vision is to open an orphanage. Everyone has his own vision.
Vision controls our lives and controls our relationships. Therefore, if your vision differs from another person’s vision, the two of you cannot walk together. Each will walk in his own way.
Today, God’s children cannot be one because they have different visions. They may have good hearts, but they do not have the same vision.
Paul spoke of the heavenly vision. That heavenly vision has to do with the eternal purpose of God.
The eternal purpose of God is that His Son may have the supremacy in all things. He wants all things in the heavens and on the earth to be summed up in His Son.
We are the complement that God has given to His Son. That is the vision, and that is the purpose. Only in that purpose can we be one, because God is one in that Spirit and in that purpose.
Let us bow down and pray.
Lord, we pray that You would give us, in the depths of our hearts, a very deep consciousness: it is not unity if it is not according to Your unity.
Open the eyes of our hearts, so that we may not only see Your unity, but also see the unity which You have already given us, that we may give diligence to keep it.
May that unity be manifested. In the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.