“SO THAT THEY MAY BE ONE…”

by | Mar 9, 2023 | 2013 | 0 comments

When I attended school many decades ago, one thing was sure to happen sooner or later. There would be an argument between Catholics and Protestants in the classroom.

As I belonged to neither of these groups (I was raised in an agnostic home), I didn’t take part in the debate, but the level of intolerance and prejudice was amazing. It did nothing at all to recommend Christianity to a teenager who was not even sure whether God existed.

A brief search of a few websites on church history and the enmity between the two groups could be enough to cause some to reject not only Christianity, but any form of religion.  There were violent acts of hatred and intolerance from both sides – burnings at the stake, and various forms of torture too horrible to think about, much less write about. One atheist site states quite categorically that all religion, and Christianity in particular, is the chief cause of violence during the last couple of thousand years. This, of course, is an arrogant assumption which cannot be proved, but it does paint Christianity in dark and dubious colours.

Was this what Jesus prayed for  in John 17:11 when he said – “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.?”

Much as Jesus – the Prince of peace – desired peace and unity amongst his followers, he knew there would be differences of opinion, differences in understanding – attitudes and ideas that the prince of darkness would exploit. He knew divisions would come.  From the moment Jesus began to preach publicly, those listening were divided, some wanting to seize and kill him, and others inspired by his unique teaching. Do you think I came to bring peace on earth,” he asked his disciples (Luke 12:51). “No, I tell you division.”

Paul’s letters abound with similar sentiments. Writing to the Corinthian church – still quite immature in the faith – Paul says, “I appeal to you brothers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you, and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10). “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teachings you have learned. Keep away from them” (Romans 16:17).

Clearly, Christians were in for a bumpy ride. Yet Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church.

Was there a long term aspect to Jesus’ prayer?

So, did something go wrong? Did God the Father really not answer Jesus’ prayer? Just looking at the information on the internet, it might seem so. But Jesus also warned his disciples that the world (society as a whole) would hate them. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18). Jesus deeply understood that his followers would have a relentless enemy who would stir up strife wherever he could, especially amongst themselves.  Paul solemnly warned the Ephesian church of this.  

People seem to prefer sensational negative reporting rather than good news. If we can point a finger at others, we can more easily convince ourselves we would ‘never be drawn into that kind of behaviour.’

Perhaps this why we don’t read so much on the internet about all the good works of Christians throughout the centuries. They were the people who quietly went about doing good, building hospitals, orphanages, schools, preaching the gospel in hostile territory and showing the love of God through the Holy Spirit. They were not necessarily the kind of people who made the headlines or became famous. Even during the darkest times of church history, there were small groups of Christians who resisted the evil and persisted in righteousness. And, as Jesus said, they were persecuted.

What’s happening today?

Today there are groups of aggressive atheists. Atheist churches are popping up all over the United States and in Britain. They have music, ordained ministers and money collections, but no Bible. There are even ‘support groups’ for people newly embracing the atheistic faith. It might be funny if it were not so tragic. However, God loves atheists too, and so should we.

Jesus told his disciples that the only ‘badge’ Christians could wear was their love for one another ( John 13:35). As we mature in Christ we learn to love others in a wider circle than just our own spiritual family, just as Jesus did. He spent time with all kinds of people – from prostitutes to Pharisees. We begin to understand that our Triune God loves everybody – even those who want nothing to do with him. They too are made in his image, and it is only by God’s mercy and grace that we ourselves have come to know him. We can see what they need and we long to share it with them.

Christians of various denominations are getting to know and appreciate one another much more. Apart from the fact that there have been many movements during the 20th and 21st centuries to try and bring Christians together, we are seeing it happen right here amongst our friends, neighbours and families. Our own church – Grace Communion International – has changed in the last 20 years from a legalistic exclusive and self righteous body to a church which actively seeks to make contact with unbelievers, and where anyone is welcome. The message of grace is overriding theological differences as people recognize their brotherhood in Christ.

A few years ago I had chat with one of my staunch Catholic school friends at a 50 year reunion. She was very interested to hear what I had to say, and made a remark I would never have expected from her. “Yes,” she said. “It’s all about the love of God, not which church you belong to.”

So did God ignore that impassioned plea of Jesus for a unified church? Jesus and his Father and the Holy Spirit are at all times in unity of mind, so the desires of all are the same. Whatever God desires, he will bring about, and although our human efforts at unity may fall short, it will be perfected in the resurrection. Scripture tells us: “but let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die but we will all be transformed!…for our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies…then this scripture will be fulfilled; death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55) NLT.

Yes, we will then be completely united just as Jesus asked.

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