Post by tomdurst on Sept 24, 2012 20:55:35 GMT -5
THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE
"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
"And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”—JOHN 17:3, 11, 20-23 (ESV)
The disunity among those who profess to be followers of Christ has been a huge obstacle to the advancement of Christianity. Over the past 2000 years since Jesus established His church many creeds, confessions, and statements of faith have been adopted in an effort to bring unity but they have all failed to do this. In fact, many times these written creeds have only promoted more disunity, fighting, and sometimes people killing others who wouldn’t subscribe to their creeds. I think John 17 has the answer to how we “may be one” and this unity is not found in agreeing to some written document but is found only in knowing (in the sense of actually experiencing) God and Jesus Christ who came to this earth as God incarnate (see John 14:1-3, 14; Colossians 2:9). Preaching certain information ABOUT Jesus isn’t the same thing as actually experiencing His love and having our egos fully surrendered at the foot of the cross. The reason why the Bible is so powerful is because the writers wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that transformed their lives (see 1 John 1:1-4). Unless we are really experiencing God we have nothing more than certain information to propagate and often judge those who don’t accept our overtures as being lost or inferior to us in some way. When we are really communing with God and partaking of His love we shall indeed be a blessing to those who are open to God’s love. We must also recognize that there are many who steel their hearts against the love of God and they often persecute those who are abiding in God’s love.
"To a true child of God, the invisible bond that unites all believers to Christ is far more tender, and lasting, and precious; and, as we come to recognize and realize that we are all dwelling in one sphere of life in Him, we learn to look on every believer as our brother, in a sense that is infinitely higher than all human relationships. This is the one and only way to bring disciples permanently together. All other plans for promoting the unity of the Church have failed."- A.T. Pierson
"And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”—JOHN 17:3, 11, 20-23 (ESV)
The disunity among those who profess to be followers of Christ has been a huge obstacle to the advancement of Christianity. Over the past 2000 years since Jesus established His church many creeds, confessions, and statements of faith have been adopted in an effort to bring unity but they have all failed to do this. In fact, many times these written creeds have only promoted more disunity, fighting, and sometimes people killing others who wouldn’t subscribe to their creeds. I think John 17 has the answer to how we “may be one” and this unity is not found in agreeing to some written document but is found only in knowing (in the sense of actually experiencing) God and Jesus Christ who came to this earth as God incarnate (see John 14:1-3, 14; Colossians 2:9). Preaching certain information ABOUT Jesus isn’t the same thing as actually experiencing His love and having our egos fully surrendered at the foot of the cross. The reason why the Bible is so powerful is because the writers wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that transformed their lives (see 1 John 1:1-4). Unless we are really experiencing God we have nothing more than certain information to propagate and often judge those who don’t accept our overtures as being lost or inferior to us in some way. When we are really communing with God and partaking of His love we shall indeed be a blessing to those who are open to God’s love. We must also recognize that there are many who steel their hearts against the love of God and they often persecute those who are abiding in God’s love.
"To a true child of God, the invisible bond that unites all believers to Christ is far more tender, and lasting, and precious; and, as we come to recognize and realize that we are all dwelling in one sphere of life in Him, we learn to look on every believer as our brother, in a sense that is infinitely higher than all human relationships. This is the one and only way to bring disciples permanently together. All other plans for promoting the unity of the Church have failed."- A.T. Pierson