The apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesians to “…walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:1-6). It has been said that the seven “ones” of verses four through six make up a seven plank platform for unity. It is true if all who propose to be Christians were united in belief on these seven facts, there would be unity of the believers. Yet, it is obvious to all who are honest that there is no unity among those to claim to be the family of God. There are differences in doctrine and practice. The prophet Amos once said, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Two can be geographically together, but they are not one in heart, thus no real unity. Several years ago, a movement began to bring about what was being described as “unity in diversity”. In short, the concept was to all just agree to disagree. You have your beliefs and practices and I’ll have mine and we will all make out like we think we are all right. Amos must not have considered this to be unity. It may well be called “union”, but it certainly is not “unity”.
Most are familiar with what is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matt. 6:9-13). However, this was a model prayer, a prayer used to illustrate to His disciples how they should pray (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:1-2). Yet, there is a “Lord’s Prayer”, that is a prayer where the Lord was praying His prayer to His Father in heaven. This prayer occurred in the upper room where He had already instituted the Lord’s supper. It is recorded only in John’s gospel account and included all of the 17th chapters. Our reason for bringing this up is that just before going to the garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed fervently to escape the agony of the cross, he prayed for the unity of all believers. As He concluded His prayer for His apostles, He prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). Let us consider some basic truths about God’s plan for unity as seen in the Lord’s prayer.
There is a plan for unity. The very fact that Jesus prayed for such to come to pass shows that God had a plan for it to happen. Other passages, some already cited present a command that there be unity of all believers. The apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Cor. 1:10). Indeed, God planned that there be Christian unity.
God’s plan for unity is only for true Christians. Those for whom the Lord prayed for their unity were those who had heard the gospel of Christ first taught by the apostles (Matt. 16:19; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8) and then obeyed that gospel, thus putting them into the body of Christ (Acts 2:41, 47; Rom. 6:3-4; II Thess. 1:7-8). There can be no true Christian unity outside of true Christianity. Separation is commanded instead. Paul wrote, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). To the Corinthians he wrote, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (II Cor. 6:17).
God has a pattern for unity. Often missed in the passage under consideration is the pattern for unity that the Lord revealed. He said, “…as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee…” (John 17:21). Where is that “agreement to disagree” that we spoke of? There was no disagreement between the Father and the Son! They were and are in total agreement, in perfect harmony. Certainly such is a lofty goal for us, but there Jesus set the goal.
Truth is the prominent element needed to produce unity. The apostles and those who became believers (Christians) by way of hearing and obeying the gospel taught by the apostles are the ones for whom Jesus is praying for their unity. That unity can exist only when all concerned are adhering to the same standard and that standard is the sanctifying word of God. Jesus had just prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). When all embrace the same standard, all will be in unity in teaching and practice. Some have been heard to say, “we can’t all understand the Bible alike”, but the fact is, if our understanding is not alike, at least one of us does not understand it, for truth does not contradict itself. Both may indeed misunderstand, but both cannot be understanding it. Unity is commanded and possible, but only through adhering to God’s word.