Perfectly One
Perfectly One
Unity and Dying to Self
“22 The glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 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 17:22-23
Jesus uttered these words just prior to his arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. In it, a few things stand out. First, one of the reasons that the church is given glory is so that it might have unity. Second, unity is not simply a nice sentiment that the church might attain, but it is the intention the church be “perfectly one.” This is an ideal expectation for the church that can seem overwhelmingly, unlikely, or easy to dismiss as a utopian dream.
I neglect unity to save face. If I were Jesus, I might have instead said, “The glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may not have any disagreements and get along really well!” This is far from God the Father and God the Son being one. Even Jesus wrestled with the Father moments before this statement when He asked that the cup of His Father’s wrath might be removed from Him, while ultimately desiring the Father’s will. If I were in the garden next to Jesus when he did this, I might have said, “Are you sure you want to bring this up to God the Father…?” My human heart’s desire in this case is not unity but a pretty bow on top of a box of fear.
But Christ accomplished His task! We are united to Him! Our moments of false unity in our hearts must be checked because we now have a new identity. In Him we are one. Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “Every human wish dream that is injected into the Christian community is a hindrance to genuine community and must be banished if genuine community is to survive.” Here’s the rub: being one in Christ sounds so wonderfully cozy and perfect and harmonious, until we realize it means our earthly (or human) desires must die.
The gospel centers on the truth that Jesus died on the cross, rose again, and all you must do is believe to be saved. This is true, and beautiful, and humbling! But our response to this gospel, and what is often neglected, is that we also have died with Him on that cross. It is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us, and the life we now live, we live by faith (Galatians 2:20). This includes how we approach godly unity at church. Pursuing this task might result in what we could probably call godly conflict.
The church is a divine reality, to represent, reflect, and be an extension of our Creator God. If what we look for when we come to church is not Christ, then we will not find what we are looking for at church. The church goes awry when Christ is not the centerpiece in every facet, including our worship, what we hope to “get out of it” and our unity. We are alive in Him and therefore die to self.
When we gather together, we gather as one body, the body of Christ, to worship. It was why we were given this glory! In this way, let us reflect the light of Christ so that the world may know Christ set aside His own interests, that we might gain glorious access to the Father. Praise God for this beautiful union we have both in Christ and with each other!
Thoughts for Reflection
What human desires do you have for the church that might compromise the in-Christ unity of the church?
What might conflict look like in the church since the church, of which you are a part, is a divine reality in Christ?
What encourages you when you ponder that the church is a place where this is a divine reality?
All Saints Contributor - David Gallagher