Certainly, one of the most important subjects in the Bible is the unity of the Lord's church. The church is the body of Christ and the body of Christ is the church. Paul said, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). And again he said, "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18). We read in I Cor 12:20, "But now are they many members, yet but one body." And again in I Cor. 12:27, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." Jesus promised to build His church. He said, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). The Lord did build or establish his church on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two. Does Jesus desire that his church be divided? David said, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1). If unity is good and pleasant, wouldn't it be God's will for his church to be united or to be one?

     In John 17:1-26, we have the longest prayer in the New Testament. The Lord prayed this prayer just before he went out to the garden of Gethsemane. In verses twenty through twenty six, Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples or his church. Surely it was a sincere prayer. Surely it was a prayer within the realm of possibility. We know that Jesus meant what he prayed and prayed what he meant. Here is what 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. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one" (John 17:20-23). Jesus not only prayed for unity, he gave the plan for unity. God would not expect his people to be united without a plan. Jesus said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). His church is to be united through the word of the apostles. Was it really obtainable? After all, many say that we cannot understand the Bible alike? My friends, if we really understand the word of God, we will understand it alike! Luke tells us in Acts 2:42, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." In Acts 4:32-33 we read, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." The apostles preached the gospel by the Holy Spirit who guided them into all truth. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13). The teachings of the apostles of Christ were understood and followed in the early church. Peter exhorted, "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour" (II Peter 3:1-2). And Paul informs us in I Cor. 14:37, "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." Jesus gave us the plan for unity. Now we are expected to follow the plan. There is only one God and God has only one plan for unity! Division in the Lord's church is sinful. Paul commanded the brethren in Corinth, "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). In chapter 3:1-3 we read, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" Envy, strife, and division are carnal. They are fleshly, worldly, sinful! It is not a light matter to divide the Lord's church. Paul wrote to the Philippians and said, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (Phil. 1:27). How can anyone study these verses and the prayer of Jesus and then affirm that there is nothing wrong with division in the body of Christ? Let us be one in Christ, just as our Savior prayed.

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The church is commanded to be of one mind,

To labor together -- a God given sign.

United in love, one body indeed,

Helping the helpless, and all those in need.

 

The church of the Lord is to be of one soul,

Cleansed by the blood, redeemed and made whole.

Led by the words of the Bible each day,

United as one, let us walk in the way.

 

One body, one Spirit, one Savior Divine,

One Lord and one Faith, delivered one time.

So let us take heed to the prayer of God's Son.

Like Him and the Father, we all should be one.

 

"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 gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one."                               John 17:20-22