John 17:1-26 "These WORDs spoke JESUS and lifted up HIS eyes to heaven, and said, FATHER, the hour is come: glorify THY SON, that THY SON also may glorify THEE: as THOU hast given HIM power over all flesh, that HE should give eternal life to as many as THOU hast given HIM. And this is life eternal, that they might know THEE the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THOU hast sent. I have glorified THEE on the earth: I have finished the work which THOU gave ME to do. And now, O FATHER, glorify THOU ME with THINE own self with the glory which I had with THEE before the world was. I have manifested THY name unto the men which THOU gave ME out of the world: THINE they were, and THOU gave them ME; and they have kept THY WORD.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever THOU hast given ME are of THEE. For I have given unto them the WORDs which THOU gave ME; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from THEE, and they have believed that THOU did send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which THOU hast given ME; for they are THINE. And all MINE are THINE, and THINE are MINE; and I AM glorified in them. And now I AM no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to THEE, HOLY FATHER, keep through THINE own name those whom THOU hast given ME, that they may be one, as WE are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in THY name: those that THOU gave ME I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
And now come I to THEE; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have MY joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them THY WORD; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I AM not of the world. I pray not that THOU should take them out of the world, but that THOU should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I AM not of the world. Sanctify them through THY truth: THY WORD is truth. As THOU hast sent ME into the world, even so have I sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify MYSELF, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
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. And the glory which THOU gave ME I have given them; that they may be one, even as WE are ONE: I in them, and THOU in ME, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that THOU hast sent ME, and hast loved them, as THOU hast loved ME. FATHER, I will that they also, whom THOU hast given ME, be with ME where I AM: that they may behold MY glory, which THOU hast given ME: for THOU loved ME before the foundation of the world. O righteous FATHER, the world has not known THEE: but I have known THEE, and these have known that THOU hast sent ME. And I have declared unto them THY name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith THOU hast loved ME may be in them, and I in them. "
Unbelieving ecumenists and even a surprisingly large number of professed Bible believers claim that CHRIST's prayer found in today's text is their mandate for seeking a visible unity, or at least a spirit of cooperation, among all who call themselves "Christian." "Doctrine separates -- love unites !" is their cry, and if anyone dares to oppose their efforts of uniting all who name the name of CHRIST, then such a one is promptly labeled as being "unloving," "schismatic," or "pharisaical."
However, those who embrace and propagate this kind of thinking are mistaken in their interpretation of the LORD's prayer in today's text. They assume the unity of which the LORD JESUS CHRIST is speaking here is a united testimony accomplished by getting all who claim to be "Christians" to recognize one another as such and to express that unity in some form of common outward witness. But CHRIST's petition in this chapter is for the FATHER to accomplish unity only among the redeemed, the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT. No man-made ecumenical movement can do this. The spiritual unity in CHRIST's prayer has already been answered by GOD the FATHER. All who are "IN CHRIST" are also in the FATHER and have - at this very moment - a spiritual unity with every other blood-washed believer. This unity was realized when the HOLY SPIRIT came to dwell within every believer (John 14:16-17), placing him or her, in turn, into the body of CHRIST (John 1:12; 1st.Corinthians 12:13). Being one in CHRIST and in GOD the FATHER by the indwelling of the HOLY SPIRIT through faith in JESUS is part and parcel of our "eternal life" (1st.John 2:22-25) - this is the true unity for which CHRIST prayed in John 17.
Banners displaying the phrase "That they may be One" are often seen at World Council of Churches and National Council of Churches meetings as well as other gatherings designed to foster unity among all who claim to follow JESUS. Yet one will never see a banner that displays the rest of the sentence: "That they also may be one in US" (v.21) and: "That they may be one, as WE are" (v.11). And why is that so ? It is because the phrases "in US" and "as WE are" state in no uncertain terms exactly what kind of unity the LORD is talking about and who is involved - this is certainly not the unity the liberals are striving for among believers and unbelievers alike. CHRIST's prayer was not to ignore truth for the sake of unity but, instead, to experience unity according to GOD's truth (v.17). To join with unbelief in any form is antithetical to this prayer.
"In US" - that means all who are to be included in this unity must be saved, born again by the SPIRIT and the WORD. They must possess a relationship with CHRIST (vv.8,20). No one can possibly be in CHRIST and in the FATHER without having been born again, yet the whole thrust of the modern ecumenical movement is to welcome whoever "calls JESUS 'LORD.'" But multitudes of people who are members of churches that preach a false gospel and a false Jesus, can and do say those very words (Matthew 7:22-23). Do Catholic, Orthodox, and liberal Protestant churches have congregations who are genuinely saved and, therefore, "in US" ? Absolutely not ! The whole ecumenical movement is a sham - avoid it (Romans 16:17-18)! The world will believe (v.21) only when it is confronted by the pure witness of born again saints (John 16:7-11), not man-made organizations. Do not be misled by ecumenical deceit. DWC
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.
Used with permission. www.feasite.org
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