“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 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. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them that they may be one even as we are one.”
John 17:20-22
What Does Unity in Christ Look Like Today?
How do we embrace our Lord’s prayer in a world full of division? We are plagued by prejudice, angry spirits, pride, selfishness, hatred, hurts and mean-spirited people. We live in a time of genocides where differences in ideas have led to the deaths of millions. We live in a country where 9 am–12 pm on Sunday is the most segregated time in the week because few people attend services with others of a different color. In many families, there are relatives who do not speak to each other because of their differences.
And still Christ prayed for unity. Would the God who created both the heavens and the earth be unable to see the fulfillment of this prayer among believers? I think not! Did He not understand the impact of our fallen nature? Yes, He understood. As an omniscient God, He knew that we would be divided by denominationalism, the color of our skin and differences in our views and provided a way for us to still be unified in Christ. Some brothers will still like vanilla ice cream and you may still like chocolate. But what God does is an even greater work in us!
The Life-Changing Blood Transfusion
As Christians, we are all redeemed by the same blood and will go to the same Heaven. We are all a part of the same heavenly family. We may disagree, but unity in Christ allows us not to become disagreeable. We may have differences, but we are all made in the image of God. At the cross, we received a blood transfusion from Christ which changed us from the inside-out.
If you’re like me, you’ve been hurt by others. You’ve found it so much easier to migrate to people who are less hurtful. You may even have found it less threatening to surround yourself with others who always agree with you or look a lot like you! But when a blood transfusion is given, its sole purpose is to give life so that all the members of the body can function together. In a like manner, through the transfusion of Jesus’ blood at Calvary, those of us in the Body of Christ can function like a healthy body!
Article by Dr. L.W. Edwards
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