John 17:21 “That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me.”
Oneness is at the heart of God’s eternal purpose. The church, as the Body of Christ, must grow in oneness to fulfill this purpose. This oneness is not organizational but organic, stemming from the divine life shared by all believers.
In John 17, the Lord prayed for the oneness of His followers, a oneness that mirrors the relationship between the Father and the Son. This oneness comes as we abide in Christ and allow His life to flow in us. It is maintained by the Spirit, who enables us to love, forgive, and forbear one another.
When the Body grows in oneness, it becomes a powerful testimony to the world of Christ’s reality. This oneness expresses God’s nature and glorifies Him on earth.
Main Points:
– Organic Oneness: True oneness comes from the divine life shared by all believers.
– Christ’s Life in Us: Abiding in Christ enables His life to flow and unify us.
– Maintained by the Spirit: The Spirit works to produce love, forgiveness, and harmony.
– Testimony to the World: The church’s oneness testifies to Christ’s reality and glorifies God.
Reflections
Examine areas where oneness may be lacking in your relationships. Pray for grace to love and forgive others, asking the Spirit to produce harmony and unity.
Prayer Confessions:
Lord, make me one with You and with other believers in the Body.
Abide in me and let Your life flow to unify and build us together.
Keep me in the Spirit, enabling me to love, forgive, and forbear others.
Let the oneness of the church be a testimony to the world of Your reality.
Glorify Yourself in our oneness, fulfilling Your purpose on earth, Amen.
