And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Christ gives to believers the glory the Father gave Him so that they may be one even as the Father and Son are one. That glory is His own character — goodness, mercy, love, meekness, righteousness and holiness — imparted by the Holy Spirit to dwell in those who receive Him by faith and make them complete in Him. The oneness patterned on the Father and Son is oneness in purpose, mind, heart and character, not sameness of person, for the Father and Son remain two distinct persons and believers keep their individuality while joined in harmony. This unity is meant to prove to the world that the Father sent Christ and that the Father loves believers even as He loves Christ, convincing and converting where discord misrepresents Him. It is received as believers are sanctified by truth, conformed to Christ, and overcome self, envy, strife and evil-speaking through the Spirit, while Satan works unceasingly by bickering and division to make the prayer of none effect.
Prayer Setting and Scope
This petition belongs to the last prayer Jesus offered together with His disciples before His suffering, His betrayal and crucifixion, spoken when He was alone with the eleven in the upper chamber after Judas had withdrawn. It was uttered just before Gethsemane, trial, rejection, crucifixion and death, when the sins of the world rested upon Him, and was spoken aloud in their hearing after the instruction of John 13-17. Its purpose was to comfort them for the coming separation, to point them to glorifying the Father, and to prepare and strengthen them for trial. That same prayer continues as His intercession within the veil in heaven, illustrating His care as consecrated High Priest, faithful Shepherd gathering His flock under the shadow of the Almighty, and Mediator for those He has redeemed.
It was not offered for the first disciples alone but embraces all who would believe through their word, taking in believers now, their children, and readers through all time. It presents the benefits purchased by His complete sacrifice and the promises faith can claim to sustain courage and keep believers in God's love, showing the breadth of mercy ready for the obedient and humble. Its lessons are to be studied word by word and even memorized, with the Word taken as the lesson book able to make wise unto salvation through diligent persevering study that sanctifies through the truth. It presents bruised hands graven with His people pleading for pardon for ministers in filthy garments as they humble themselves, trust His saving power, and turn from selfishness.
Glory Christ Gives
The glory the Father gave to the Son has been given by the Son to believers so that they may be one even as the Father and the Son are one. This sharing places Christ in them and the Father in Christ, making them perfect in one so the world may know that the Father sent Christ and loves them as He loved Christ. The unity is like that of the Father and the Son, one in purpose, mind and character while remaining distinct persons, and it extends to all who believe through the disciples' word, including believers now. This perfect oneness is the standard all must reach who enter the heavenly city, the end of faith being perfection of character and sanctification of the entire being shown in obedience to the commandments and harmonious service. The gift seems almost beyond faith to grasp, yet it must be believed, taken and acted upon by taking time to pray and then living in harmony with prayer while trusting God to answer best, for He is too wise to err and too good to harm and meets every trial with what is best.
The glory given is Christ's own character given to make believers one with one another and with God and one in character with Him. It includes His virtues, meekness and lowliness, self-denial, love, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and the excellence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is imparted by His Spirit through sharing humanity with them, by His promises, by light in life and testimony, and by molding and fashioning after the divine similitude, and it is received by faith and connection so that it appears in lives. As inward living union binds them in Christian love with the Father and the Son, their sanctified harmony and transformed lives give convincing, uncontrovertible evidence to the world that God sent His Son to save sinners. The prayer is answered only when every sincere believer puts away evil thinking and evil expressions, refuses dissension, strife and accusation, wills to do God's expressed will, and works in love and unity, for selfishness, envy, jealousy and evil surmising oppose the prosperity of the church.
That character is goodness, mercy, grace, patience and truth, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth as lived by Jesus. It is God's character revealed in Christ's life and an expression of God's law fulfilled in every detail as the pattern for humanity by cooperation of divinity with humanity. It is received as Christ within, the hope of glory, giving power, life and completeness for perfection and for being made complete in unity. By partaking of the divine nature in conformity to Christ's image, lived in prayer and praise, it makes obedience to all the commandments possible and defeats the lie that man cannot keep God's commandments.
The glory is His righteousness and a faultless character fashioned after the divine likeness. It is expressed in Christian conduct and in the pleasantness and sweetness of words and deeds, and receiving it changes disciples from glory to glory and from character to character to assimilate them to Christ. Those conformed to His image are made one in character with Him and perfect in oneness, and those who in Christ have endured the penalty of the law and fulfilled its righteousness will have eternal life and bear God's likeness. It is Christ within them, His character and righteousness, the hope of immortality and eternal life, received by hungering for righteousness and by living faith as meekness and lowliness. It is not an evil heart of suspicion, unbelief and unkind judgment of a brother or sister, which must be made first business to subdue and overcome day by day, refusing to express anything that leads others to view another unkindly, for standing apart from fellow workers works against the prayer.
The glory is the Holy Spirit and grace and spiritual life, the softening subduing power that must be recognized when it comes in. Through Him Christ lives in those who submit the will and give the whole life to Him, dwelling in them to make them perfect in unity. As Christ renews them in His image divisions are healed so that peace, mercy and benevolence abide in the heart, with supreme love for God and love for one another. This oneness does not mean all do the same work, but that different works blend together, and drawing in even cords with Christ means drawing in even cords with brethren, while disunion, variance, dissension, criticism, aloofness and independent self-sufficiency dishonor God. Their unity in love displays redeeming grace, answers the prayer, and bears witness that God loves His people as He loves His Son and sent His Son to save sinners.
The glory is a present privilege to be waited for and willingly taken, as water must be drunk and a taper must be kindled from a candle. Receiving it brings continual gladness, joy, thankfulness and gratitude that God loves them as His Son, with light to lighten their own pathway and others' in a dark world, shining on faces and expressed in words and testimonies. It opens extensive privileges of close relation with Christ, testimony in life and character, deliverance to serve without fear in holiness and righteousness, and princely heavenly treasure in this life and the next to ennoble youth, stand under His banner and set feet on the Rock. It is given to living faith in Jesus as personal Saviour, to undivided affection and the whole nature, out of infinite resources, bought by stooping to the cross between thieves, assuring that God can love believers as His Son with strength to every part of being. It is given for work to save souls and carry light beyond homes and churches, received as an endowment revealed in Christlike meekness and lowliness, and it belongs to Israel's promises of blessing through obedience and to education work with sustaining grace.
The ransomed church receiving this glory becomes Christ's own recompense for His conquests and the chief source of His glory, through whom the manifold wisdom of God is made known to principalities and powers in heavenly places. There is promise to be where He is to behold His glory, with the Father's love and Christ's indwelling in them, and to share as messengers, colaborers and joint heirs to an immortal inheritance, one with Him, revealing Him and making His interests their own. The glory empowers the same work of healing the sick, calling for increased faith to believe that Christ the Healer is present to hear every word prayed in simplicity of true faith, sending disciples now to pray for the sick as the first disciples did, with special earnestness in fervent prayer and special experiences in answered prayer and recovery.
The gift makes close relationship with Christ possible so that life and character testify that God loves the obedient as He loves His Son. Those drawn by Christ's love seek the treasures of truth and form characters like God's, giving evidence that God cares for and loves believers and helping persuade others to believe. Christ is glorified in His saints as their propitiation, glorified in those who trust Him as Saviour and commit themselves and their interests to His guidance, showing through them His power to save with victory over the world, the flesh and the devil and making them perfect in victory through Him. Christ abiding in them brings vital connection conforming them to the divine character in practical unselfish love and self-sacrifice, and receiving the glory involves conversion revealing His meekness and lowliness as those sanctified through truth become one with Christ in God.
Nature of Oneness
Oneness is brought to completeness as Christ dwells in believers and the Father dwells in Christ, making them perfect in one and one in the Father and the Son. This is union with Christ and through Him with the Father by sanctification through the truth and transformation to God's character. It is a high and holy possibility for true faith to be pursued by earnest effort and harmonious work with one another and with God working within, to be believed and acted upon by praying and living in harmony with prayer while trusting God to answer in the way He knows best. The gift seems almost beyond faith to grasp, yet trials and disappointments are to be met with surrender to His will who is too wise to err and too good to harm.
The oneness patterned on Father and Son is oneness in purpose, mind, heart, soul and character, not sameness of person. Father and Son remain two distinct persons, and believers keep individuality, appointed work, field and personality while joined in harmony. They are like distinct branches of one vine sharing one mind, abiding in Christ and in one another with cooperation and harmony of action led by the Holy Spirit as the sign God is among them. Their unity depends on giving up their own way for God's way, and cannot be reached while insisting on one's own way from unsanctified dispositions. Through the Holy Spirit, conformity to God's law, and living union with Christ and the Father, they are made complete in Christ and united with one another.
There is a twofold oneness: believers are to be one with Christ in God partaking of the divine nature, and in consequence one with one another in heart, purpose, fellowship and harmonious action. Union with Christ naturally brings union with one another, forming an enduring bond. Each draws life from Christ the Vine by daily and hourly communion, not from one another, bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit. That unity requires self to be crucified and selfishness purged, leaving no room for empty speculation but calling for purity and devotion to bearing witness to the truth. As they study Scripture and behold Christ they become more like Him, obeying God's Word, strengthening one another's faith, overcoming indifference and division by love and respect, which preserves the church and gives strength.
This oneness does not require the same disposition, temperament, intelligence, experience, gifts, opinions, way of working or understanding of every passage. Different emphases, gifts, languages and branches may blend without division when sanctified by the same Spirit, speaking the same things and working in love. Differences in how people work, value different parts of Scripture, and interpret particular portions need not cause dissension or discord, and even mistakes in interpretation need not divide. It is not forced by resolutions or by requiring adoption of another's ideas, but by Christlike forbearance learned from Christ harmonizing differing members. Nor does it mean pantheism or God as essence, nor accepting sophistry from failing men.
Union with Christ in God is a mystical spiritual union closer than family ties, entered by receiving truth with the heart not mere intellect. It gives unfading life by abiding Christ within, with thoughts, inclinations, desires and appetites on the Lord's side and nothing separate from Him, bringing the heart into perfect harmony with Him. It changes emotions and character to tenderness and contrition, and is known by experience of God's sacrificial love. United to Christ, believers receive the Father's love as it rests in the Son and is communicated to them, as branches draw nourishment from the living Vine. That love strengthens and changes them, freeing from weakness, pride, vanity, selfishness and deformity with gratitude, giving strength to walk in newness of life with forgiveness and cleansing as sanctified vessels fit for the Master's use, kept by daily reception of the Holy Spirit quickening the soul to eternal life. Christ took human nature so humanity could be united with divinity in Him, and through faith people share His divine-human nature and become complete in Him, with the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Son binding body, soul and spirit to Christ; He set aside outward royal power, came in human form and endured temptation so victory through oneness with Him is seen to be possible.
The oneness is like the apostolic church and members of one body blended with distinct places in sympathy. It is advanced by light of the Word, requiring agreement on fundamentals without standing apart over minor points, side issues, perplexing questions or seeking originality. Believers are not to stand against each other but to blend in harmonious proportion like a symmetrical whole, each with distinct place and part like hand, head, ear, eye or limbs, joined in such sympathy that when one suffers all suffer. Each retains individual character and differs as branches differ, yet works together in Christ shown in fruitful lives by abiding in Him and cooperating with Him. All talents depend on Christ as Head in harmony without quarreling for supremacy, preserving unity of faith as evidence of prophecy and that they have been with Jesus, demonstrating the principles of God's law before the world.
Perfect oneness is the standard all must reach who enter the city, the end of faith in perfection of character and sanctification of the whole being in obedience. It sets the highest measure of character, places great responsibility on believers, and offers the richest blessing. It is genuine conversion to full manhood leaving childish self-indulgence, a test and calling to examine self, reached by living the truth daily with Christ abiding as self is surrendered. It is attainable today and to be lived now to dwell together hereafter, connected with becoming victorious overcomers through Christ who faced human temptation.
The oneness is an enduring union joining believers to Christ in God with lasting happiness and change from sin to holiness, a shared faith and understanding. It is a sign of obeying truth that perfects character among the scattered under one Head and Mediator, learned by beholding the Saviour and being changed into His likeness. Drawn near to the same cross hearts blend so God is glorified and loves them as His Son, the highest privilege mortals can have and the great victory of communion with heaven leading to mutual love.
Witness to the World
The oneness given in the glory is meant to make believers perfect in one through Christ in them and the Father in Christ, so that the world may know that the Father sent Christ to save sinners and loves believers even as He loved Christ. That perfected unity is convincing evidence and credentials of truth and power and miraculous working which the world cannot withstand when lived in sanctification, in beholding His glory and sharing His love. It extends beyond the first disciples to all who believe through their word, and it is the standard all must reach who enter the heavenly city, the end of faith in perfection of character and sanctification of the whole being shown in obedience to the commandments and harmonious service. It rules out division into separate groups based on nationality or language, and calls believers to seek this unity and love and live by Christ's words.
Their unity and Christlike lives are to convince the world that Christianity is genuine, leading to acknowledgment, conversion, and belief that Christ came to die, change hearts, and form the divine likeness as the badge of disciples. Those drawn by Christ's love seek the treasures of truth and form characters like God's, giving the world evidence that God cares for and loves believers and helping persuade others to believe. This oneness means God's people work together in church capacity according to God's plan, with no disarrangement and no breaking up into separate disorganized atoms, for disorganization and division would let Satan hold a jubilee and the forces of hell triumph. Their unity and love make an impression on the unbelieving world through love, courtesy, gentleness, and respect, while faultfinding and discord misrepresent Christ and a loose, lax religion leaves the world confused and bewildered. Oneness does not destroy personality, for God and Christ remain two distinct persons, and believers though scattered over the world keep individuality while taking their stand on an elevated platform, giving up their own way for God's way to be one with Christ.
The assurance that the Father loves believers with the same great love He has for the Son is a living reality bringing joy, reverence, gratitude, gladness, and thankfulness. It is a present privilege to be waited for, willingly taken as water must be drunk and a taper kindled, and grasped by faith and feasted upon day and night, making believers complete in Him and loved as the Son. That glory is the light of God to lighten their own pathway and others' in a dark world, shining on faces and expressed in words and testimonies, joined with laying aside keeping apart and cherishing separate minds in striving to be made perfect in one. Through faith people become wholly one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father, escaping corruption through lust and overcoming sin, brought into close relation with favor, honor, and fellowship as God's beloved Son with life hidden with Christ in God. Christ wills that those given Him be with Him where He is to behold His glory given Him because the Father loved Him before the foundation of the world, having declared the Father's name so the Father's love for Christ may be in them and Christ in them.
Where this unity exists love, compassion, and tenderness are expressed one for another, and all are drawn by cords of love to Christ as the great Center as channels of light to the world. It is complete harmony with God under the divine theocracy, with every believer submitting will to God's will and inquiring His way at every step in preparation for the coming of the Lord in the clouds with power and great glory, not independent atoms doing as they please but union by the great principles of the gospel. It comes by Christ in them through the Holy Spirit molding the soul after the divine similitude, as believers partake of the divine nature and Christ dwelling in hearts produces kindness and a united spirit. That mind and love in the heart shown in loving treatment of one another and mutual love and confidence honors God, replaces coldness, breaks barriers, reveals Christ's character and pitying tenderness, and powerfully shows the world that believers are God's children who may share the divine nature. When so made one, Christ can confess them before God and the heavenly angels.
It is by the unity and cooperation of His followers that the world is to know God sent His Son, for nothing short of miraculous power can bring human beings with different temperaments together in harmonious action with the one aim of speaking the truth in love. Their oneness perfected through Christ dwelling in them and the Father in Christ ends Satan's controversy, gives spiritual sight to discern as God does and to warn clearly, preserves the church, and is shown as transformed character contrasting unbelief, sitting in heavenly places, bound by the golden chain curing strife, with grace shared in word and deed so the world sees God's love. Prayed just before the crucifixion, it includes all who believe through the disciples' word and teaches the church to maintain sacred unity rather than divide into factions or contend for supremacy, with its principles shaping life and put into practice.
Receiving Unity Through Christ
Unity is formed as believers are sanctified by the truth, cooperate with God, and are changed by grace to become like Christ in character. Putting on Christ and revealing His mind, they grow into Christian fellowship and love under Him, enlightened by the Spirit into harmony of faith, understanding and practice. This oneness is perfection of character and action with one another and with Christ, showing the world what truth can do, and it cannot be reached while insisting on one's own way and acting from unsanctified dispositions. Giving up their own way for God's way, without losing distinct personhood, they are to be one with Him as He is one with the Father, even when scattered. Lives transformed in mind and character by that grace show the world that God sent His Son to save humanity and reveal the Father's true character.
This unity is Christ in believers through the Holy Spirit molding and fashioning the soul after the divine similitude, making them channels of light to the world. It comes through conformity to God's law and living union with Christ and the Father, making them complete in Christ and united with one another in mind, purpose and character without erasing distinct personhood. It is expressed in Christian love and agreement in the pure truth of the Bible, shown in harmony of spirit, loyalty to God and His Word, and unity with fellow believers. It does not exalt self or seek the highest place, and it is not independent atoms doing as they please nor worldly consolidation, but union by the great principles of the gospel under the divine theocracy with wills submitted to God at every step. Where it exists love, compassion and tenderness are expressed one for another, all drawn by cords of love to Christ the Center as God's fellow workers with angels, bringing perfection of character and convincing witness of Christ's majesty, virtue and power to take away sin.
Christ's righteousness, pitying tenderness and love replace coldness and hardness and unite hearts, breaking down differences and barriers. The oneness is made possible by Christ abiding within and is brought to completion through unselfish, Christlike love, with division, criticism and strife incompatible with perfected unity. Sanctified through truth with Christ living in them, believers put away selfishness and rivalry and love one another, and the glory is seen in the mind and love of Christ in the heart revealed through how they treat one another. Standing on eternal truth they ask God to fill their hearts with His love, avoiding anything that could become a stumbling block to another. Joined in truth and made perfect in one through escaping corruption through lust and overcoming sin, they are God's children partaking of the divine nature, a truth of God's love for them as for His Son to be grasped by faith and feasted upon.
Answering the prayer requires overcoming self, envy, jealousy, anger, bitterness, malice, contention and evil speaking, and humbling self rather than seeking supremacy. Learning meekness and lowliness of heart from Christ, believers cut away every ambitious thought and plan and treat self and selfish purposes as secondary. Self must be crucified and selfishness purged, leaving no room for empty speculation but purity and devotion to witnessing to the truth, opposed to pride, self-sufficiency, envy and seeking first place. When believers consecrate to God all that they have and are, putting self out of sight, heaven's order comes into God's work, Christ is glorified, and united obedience to God's Word in strengthening one another's faith preserves the church.
The way to be one with one another is to be one with Christ first, and then in and through Him one with one another. Remaining in the truths about the Father and the Son, abiding in them and joined together in love, believers have Christ glorified in His saints as He saves them and gives victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. When Christ lives in hearts His love produces kindness, tenderness and a united spirit, answering His prayer, and only the Holy Spirit can bring this oneness through sanctification. Meeting difficulties unitedly hand in hand with no one walking alone, walking in His footsteps, doing His works, studying His ways, obeying His will and consulting Him in humble prayer, they walk the one way to heaven He opened, and through the continual supply of the Spirit become witnesses to God's power to save.
This oneness is learned by taking a Bible course in the lessons of Christ, with humility, love, prayer and sincere joint searching of Scripture with the spirit of a little child to see eye to eye. Approaching Scripture free from prejudice to be corrected by the Spirit, beholding Christ to become like Him, believers bring His life into daily duties in harmony with God's will, setting aside selfishness and helping one another. They must strive by every power to come into harmony and cooperate with Christ, following His enjoined Scriptural way for dealing with unsafe doctrines and preventing discord, rather than managing disunion recklessly in pride and stubbornness which scatters, weakens and kills brotherly love. Presenting apparent differences before the world without coming together as brethren, stirring differences of opinion and strife by words, and struggling for supremacy grieve the Spirit and do not carry the divine imprint.
The prayer is answered only when every sincere believer puts away all evil thinking and evil expressions, refuses dissension, strife and standing as accusers, wills to do God's expressed will, and works in love and unity that God may be glorified. Where ministers and members are envious, full of strife and destitute of love the prayer is not yet answered, dishonoring Jesus before unbelievers; answering requires repentance and conversion, deep humiliation, putting away all variance, loving as brethren and seeking the Holy Spirit, whereupon the world takes knowledge they have been with Jesus. Its lessons are to be studied and practiced with calm, humble, contrite spirit and mind under God's control, shaping habits and bringing lives into harmony with it as the daily lesson treasured in the soul. Embracing all who receive Him in faith through their word, making them perfect in one that the world may believe and know the Father sent Christ and loved them as He loved Christ, it opens the words of life through diligent study by which faith becomes abiding and believers are sanctified through the truth.
Hindrances to Unity
Satan works unceasingly to make the prayer of no effect by creating bitterness, bickering, strife, criticism and dissension among professed believers. All who bring weakness and sorrow and discouragement upon God's people by perverse ways and tempers work directly against Christ's prayer, and disunion misrepresents Christ, shames Him before the world, pains His heart and shows love lost from the heart. When those who profess the truth are at variance God is dishonored, unbelievers become disgusted with Christianity and are fastened in unbelief, while the unity prayed for would be evidence the world cannot withstand that God sent Jesus as Redeemer. That oneness in truth is diligently opposed by the devil to the close of earth's history, for there is no unity in error except to tear down the truth. Variance, talking against one another, envy and fault-finding must be put away, for true service is not pretense but love striving for the unity prayed for.
The prayer remains unanswered while ministers and lay members proclaiming the gospel are envious, full of strife and destitute of love, dishonoring Christ before unbelievers and blocking conviction and conversion. Dissension and seeking the highest place leave weakness instead of strength, while the oneness prayed for gives strength that all the powers of hell cannot break, satisfies infinite love and brings joy. Disunion is met by repentance and conversion, deep humiliation, confession of sin, putting away variance, loving as brethren and seeking the Holy Spirit, and then the Spirit bears witness that believers are His instrumentalities and the world takes knowledge they have been with Jesus. Lived in word and deed in practical life, this unity in love joins believers to one another and to Christ as a defense against Satan's attacks.
Unity is opposed by criticism, suspicion, coldness, murmuring, faultfinding, jealousy, envy, resentment over trivial disputes, and efforts to discredit fellow believers, which separate believers from one another and from God. Easily stirred personal feelings, cherished suspicion, coldness and indifference between close friends and brethren who do not hold ideas alike in all points, with brother set at variance against brother, are terrible fruits of sin. Selfish ambition, insistence on own way, independence, distrust, accusation, backbiting, evil-speaking, rivalry, selfish hereditary and cultivated traits, guile, hypocrisy, malice and worldly policy grieve the Spirit, weaken the work and give occasion to doubt Christianity. Gossip, covetousness and unkind talk are as strange fire needing cleansing by the Spirit's coal, and believers are called to cooperate faithfully with God with heart, soul, mind and strength devoted to His holy work.
Drawing apart from one another displeases Christ so He cannot do much for His people, for division is not pleasing to God and standing apart from fellow workers works against His prayer. Self-love, self-esteem, self-sufficiency, self-glorification and love of praise fill the soul with no room for Jesus, and it is the absence of Christ in the soul with cherishing of self that leads to dissension. Those who hold this hope must purify themselves even as He is pure, doing diligent work to become vessels unto honor sanctified and fit for every good work. Seeking supremacy and going each his own way following his own judgment must be cut away by learning meekness, with unity made complete as Christ dwells in believers and the Father in Christ to show the world the Father sent Christ.
Failure to answer appears in dissatisfaction, Phariseeism, self-righteousness and prejudice kept because another does not meet one's measure, blocking growth to full stature in the Head, and Christ will not shelter one who clings to sin or self-righteousness. Answering requires beholding Calvary with self crucified, taking every thread of selfishness out of the web, having more of Christ's mind and less of self, and believing and practicing the instruction so that giving glory to man, seeking own glory, dissension, strife and human kingly power are ended. Pressing together is of God and drawing away is of Satan, with variance and conceit striving for supremacy opposing oneness. Satan tempts to selfishness, envy, jealousy and evil surmisings against the love and unity that are of greatest consequence for the prosperity of the church, yet the glory given as Christ's character makes possible a wonderful oneness almost too great for expectation.
Living Out Unity
The verse is to serve as the church's creed, meaning just what it says as God's will for ministers and all acquainted with present truth, presenting a high and holy possibility to be believed, treasured, prayed for and lived in harmony while trusting God to answer best, for it seems almost beyond faith yet means much more than is realized. The gift is Christ in believers and the Father in Christ making them perfect in one so the world may know the Father sent Christ and loves them as He loved Christ, a breadth human minds can hardly grasp, to be pursued by earnest effort and work in harmony with God working within, with trials met by surrender since He is too wise to err and too good to harm. The mystery is understood only by those taught of God day by day, who commit all to His care and trust fully, whom He identifies with and makes one, giving victory over world and Satan and everlasting life, with wisdom recognized in heaven as proof His sacrifice was not in vain.
Perfect oneness is the standard all must reach who enter the heavenly city, the end of faith in perfection of character and sanctification of the whole being shown in obedience to the commandments and harmonious service blessed for happiness, made possible by Christ's life and to be lived before fellow workers. It is what overcomers must become, part of the life Christ gives, bringing good fruit and revealing the Saviour, given on condition of meeting the standard of His righteousness and received against getting above simplicity of pure Christlikeness, with believing and practicing causing powerful influence to go forth from commandment-keeping people. Every member of the visible church has individual responsibility to preserve harmony, union and love as evidence the world cannot withstand, and those professing greater light and higher standard must show greater perfection, deeper devotion and purer lives sanctified by truth to glorify God daily.
Unity enables those differing in character, training, habits, gifts, languages and branches to carry out work together, ruling out division into separate groups by nationality, language, territory, color or caste and forbidding independent parties, keeping apart, walking alone or pulling apart in selfish independent judgment. All must give up own way, lay aside separate minds, press together across lines with love and respect, trusting Christ not men, seeking to be made perfect in one as credentials that God sent Christ, joined to His love as partakers of His Spirit with continual gladness. Christian unity does not mean fellowship with the world or conformity to its ways, since God's people and those serving other masters cannot share allegiance, and each must stand in God's strength with distinct responsibility to truth. Churches and institutions must put the principle into practice against worldly principles that weaken spiritual life, acting in harmony, loving and valuing fellow workers rather than wounding them, looking to Jesus not exalting humans, with holiness inseparable from fellowship.
The unity is Christ's desire for believers in every generation, with no perfection in division, calling all to one interest for perishing souls with individual responsibility, and when answered among Seventh-day Adventists tremendous influence will go forth with reformations first in their ranks then among those for whom they labor. Believers hold exalted place as messengers, instruments and colaborers made partakers of divine nature to represent Him full of grace and truth, conveying sanctifying power, making known salvation for others, going as delegated representatives expressing His love to draw hearts, a standing miracle proving God sent Christ and loves them as Christ. The verse teaches complete harmony under divine theocracy, with every one begotten by truth submitting will to God and inquiring His way at every step in preparation for the Lord's coming in clouds with power, not independent atoms but union by gospel principles through the Spirit molding after the divine similitude as channels of light. It is God's plain will and divine antidote for sin by which Jesus makes believers one with Him now and through eternity, with strength in union not independence, order and beauty since truth is a unit, cultivated daily with sanctified speech, for disunion hinders mercy’s message.
Lessons of the chapter presenting redemption's plan are to be studied, practiced and made the daily lesson shaping habits and development, requiring calm humble contrite spirit and mind under God's control with the Word as lesson book making wise unto salvation by acquainting with Christ as life through diligent study, sanctifying through truth. The prayer spoken just before trial and crucifixion to comfort disciples means much more than realized and is to be received into the treasure-house of the soul, calling to bring lives into harmony, seek union with one another and Christ, and live so God can answer, bearing obedience and success. Oneness is cultivated by laboring in Christ's lines seeking His fullness, answering in every word and thought, forbidding strife over branches of work, impatience, jealousy, evil surmising, thinking and speaking, with thoughts captive to Christ.
Believers must make earnest efforts cherishing love, praying with and for one another, showing respect and loving as Christ loves, presenting unbroken front revealing sanctifying truth so God's presence is recognized. When hearts are filled with love and conduct marked by tenderness and courtesy, Christ dwelling within produces kindness and united spirit answering prayer, distinctly revealing Him, convincing the world God sent His Son to die and loves believers as Christ, pressing a searching claim meaning what it says. Variance proves separation from the True Vine, so needless contention is to be left for unity of love revealing Christ, with harmonizing, helping, avoiding prejudice and strife, and working for peace. The gift gives privilege of carrying the divine signature as children of the living God, with experience, intelligence, uplifting and refinement, requiring cleansed spirit, clean heart and works testifying of heaven, since none enter without more heavenly refinement.
Converted believers losing identity in Christ become partakers of His spirit and love, set apart to His work, gaining oneness by searching the Word as leaves of the tree of life to know salvation and learn successful work, living as branches of the Vine keeping commandments in sympathy and harmony without secret bonds with unbelievers. If one with each other in fellowship the Spirit works with inspiration, giving strength and power convincing the world God sent His Son, and unity is to be lived as shared sympathy and love in saving from sin not in sin. Perfect unity is seen when disciples are one in heart and belief of truth showing sympathy, courtesy, compassion and grace, reflecting Father-Son union by sanctifying power. It requires laying aside bruised pride, childish envy, hatred, malice, evil surmising and combative controversy, learning meekness, avoiding dictatorial conduct, seeking one mind, encouraging burden-bearers, loving as brave soldiers bearing reproach so all know they are Christians.
The whole chapter is answered by believing and practicing the Word, calling all serving God to undivided minds under constant sense of His supervision, subject one to another, drawn by cords of love never estranged, made perfect in one. Receiving Christ changes to make divine love visible and complete in unity, and putting whole being into effort makes kind, tender, Christlike in thought, word and act so others know they have been with Jesus, with entire consecration the only hope giving fitness for heaven, purification and burden for souls. Christ as intercessor ever works for unity, and harmony with heaven requires seeking oneness in faith and practice with its instruction and consolation. The prayer holds glorious request including schools near sanitariums blending education in present truth with healing ministry, opening heights and depths calling to labor together with God toward Christ's perfection for all hiding life in God.
Christ gave life to bring inward living union with Himself and the Father and bind brother to brother by golden links in peace and love so heaven is represented on earth, the credentials proving God sent His Son for successful mission, to be answered by ministers and members doing all in power, with love as motive and pattern leading to unreserved surrender of soul, body and spirit to Him who bought humanity. God's people in the antitypical day of atonement come far from answering in spirit and works, requiring confessing and forsaking sins, walking in commandments, contending without carnal weapons, envy, jealousy, surmising or supremacy so light shines. Unity and love lived in practical help, compassion, courtesy and harmony form a barrier against Satan for standing in shaking time, while dissension, pursuit of place and self-exaltation leave weakness and put in Satan's power ready for deception.
Unity is to be practiced beginning in the home, where Christlike conduct and mutual regard influence the church while disunity grieves the Spirit, for members are measured by the home extending to church. Parents are to live the Word before children rejecting dissension and changed by the Spirit, sisters loving kindly with gentle words, pleasant play and patient work without contention answering prayer and pleasing angels, and homes welcoming Christ morning and evening ennoble and refine minds united in Him perfected for heaven. Christ made unity the badge of discipleship revealing binding love, with united consecration and tender respect symbolizing the heavenly family, recovering sinners, softening nature, proving worthiness in testing time. Joined with sanctification through truth it defines exalted position opposing self-sufficiency and criticism, perfected in Christ, with purity and obedience revealing power to change into His image.
Oneness is preserved by striving, cultivating love, being at peace, pressing together as one, putting away suspicion, envy, jealousy, evil thinking and speaking, pride and supremacy and becoming as children, reading the prayer over and over and carrying into life. All bringing weakness and sorrow by perverse tempers work against it, while truth being a unit requires order not confusion, with powers illuminated and sanctified into a complete whole, raising man, saving sinners and glorifying God. Ministers in word and doctrine must be one as Christ is one with the Father, wearing His yoke in justice drawing in even cords in sanctuary service not drawing to self but acknowledging God among them with orderly service and mutual respect. Ministers' wives loving God supremely will love neighbors as self in heart unity, and physicians must work in love without envy or distrust over practice, for unity comes by the Spirit requiring close fellowship and devotion to maintain spiritual life.
The last prayer calls back from backsliding to unity leaving each free to do God-appointed work under Christ as Head without binding another's mind or work, seeking counsel from God. Believers must harmonize, help, avoid prejudice, strife, trivial disputes, resentment and faultfinding creating barriers separating from God, put them away, heal promptly, forgive, reconcile directly, pray unitedly and be drawn in Christ's love while showing it. Each must be right whether others are right, showing mellow meekness not boasting, letting light, peace and joy appear, for if others fail the sin lies at their door and oneness under trial reveals genuine religion. Fellowship gives confidence to the weak sending decided influence demonstrating sanctifying power better known by experience, with shared work and mutual care carrying light. Oneness in heart and soul building up forbids centralized kingly power, requiring counsel together with all parts equally under God looking to Him, sharing responsibility across lines with varied gifts trusting Christ not men.
Union is strength hell cannot break, preservation, order and safety bringing heaven's order into God's work by putting self out of sight in consecration, ending Satan's controversy, enabling discernment to see as God sees and warn clearly without worldly policy. The closer union with Christ the closer with one another, while disaffection opens to the enemy who exults in dissension, and overcoming indifference with love and respect brings strength. Everything is to be harmonized with prayer, cultivating order and sanctified speech day by day rather than drawing apart, pursued with zeal through sanctified love allowing no schisms, with angels working to answer. Unity is seen in working together in Christ grounded in truth free from jealousy, rivalry and self-exaltation, firmly maintained in fellowship with close devotion, refusing to pull down or seek superiority, Christ dwelling giving life and unity.
The last prayer was for confidence, love and unity essential for growth amid warfare between good and evil, with drawing through Daniel and Revelation drawing to one another, while disunion and insisting on own way oppose it requiring united work. Answering by consecration, coming to Jesus, believing, asking in faith for the Spirit and working in harmony to spread truth leads to knowing the Lord like rising morning sun ever increasing, and living it means rising with honest effort to enter the city. Unity calls to look to Jesus not exalt humans, practiced through converted life with supreme love to God and neighbor, forgiveness and sympathy, placing under His command keeping souls in love and striving toward faith and knowledge to full stature as sacred principle shaping experience and showing the Spirit. It must be presented to world, angels and men by converted proclaimers of present truth as channels strengthening each other with heed to soul-action from one Source, fellow workers in harmony exemplifying heart unity.
Oneness on earth prepares for heaven, requiring glorifying God in body and spirit as bought with a price, with grace to dwell in love now to dwell hereafter, fostered by practicing truth, submitting to the Word and looking to Christ to overcome, gained by watching unto prayer and guard. It is to be answered without delay by loving as He loved, the prescription curing alienation, binding by golden chain so men know they are disciples. Unity is a visible miracle binding hearts curing alienation by love, giving living evidence of truth's power, necessary for enjoying heaven now and eternal blessing, preserved by the church through surrender of self and submission of judgment rather than independence. It requires overcoming indifference, putting away division, jealousy, backbiting and criticism lest others remain unconvicted, for when the Spirit transforms, striving for center gives way to harmony, rest, peace and joy.
Instruction calls churches and institutions to manifest Christlike love as greatest gift, loving God wholly and neighbor as self, treating one another as God's children with holiness inseparable from fellowship, walking in light by knowing and obeying truth. Unity in counsel encourages coming together not focusing on differences, practiced through meekness seeking agreement on simple truths not combative speech, with humility, gentleness and freedom from pride guiding words, plans and work. The high calling requires placing selves under Christ's command striving toward unity in faith, servants pressing together in holy pure character not human opinion, linking in work not aloof criticism, uniting experienced with last-day messengers bringing joy and avoiding errors of disunion. As Christ's character lives within, the Spirit gives unity of heart and action setting aside self, esteeming others, witnessing they are God's children and light of the world.
Oneness binds to God by golden cords laying obligation to work for others as interdependent whole with no independence, party strife or partition walls, well-being of each the happiness of all with Christ as Center. It requires shunning schism and political themes, uplifting Christ in meekness as channels bringing joy to angels and the Father, valuing church relations and its united voice above own interests. Peculiarities give no excuse to criticize which is Satan's accusing work bringing strife, but each is to examine self whether Christ is within, stop bemoaning mistakes, correct evils without worsening, talk faith and press to light. Growing usefulness testifies God sent His Son to save from sin with correct representation through harmonious cooperation, defining Christ in goodness through the Spirit, with unselfish love preparing for the Spirit's outpouring and putting away self-worship to make power known.
Further points
Christ's prayer belongs to His intercession offered before trial and crucifixion, and it continues in His ministry as High Priest for those who come humbly, trust His saving power, and turn from selfishness. What He seeks for followers is spiritual blessing that they be kept from sin and remain loyal to God, not wealth or human distinction. That blessing is received through faith, repentance and conversion, by which believers receive the benefits of His atonement and are enabled to live faithfully.
The oneness for which He prays is a light already given to the church, for which its members are accountable to live accordingly. It requires tenderness, affection, respect and love for one another, and failure to embody it brings condemnation. This gift brings great possibilities and probabilities for God's people when they humble themselves and exalt the Lord Jesus. For He has given them the glory the Father gave Him so they may be one even as Father and Son are one, which is Christ in them and the Father in Him making them perfect in one, so the world may know the Father sent Christ and has loved them as He loved Christ.
That oneness makes believers perfect in unity and lets the world know the Father sent Christ and loves His followers. It is expressed in a life of love and harmony, not discord or strife. The glory given as the means to this unity reveals His inexpressible love for fallen humanity, making His plea for His people's unity one that must not be in vain. Such close unity with Christ requires self to be crucified and selfishness purged, leaves no room for empty speculation, and calls His followers to be pure and devoted in bearing witness to the truth.
Christ gives to believers the glory the Father gave Him so that they may be one even as the Father and Son are one. That glory is His own character — goodness, mercy, love, meekness, righteousness and holiness — imparted by the Holy Spirit to dwell in those who receive Him by faith and make them complete in Him. The oneness patterned on the Father and Son is oneness in purpose, mind, heart and character, not sameness of person, for the Father and Son remain two distinct persons and believers keep their individuality while joined in harmony. This unity is meant to prove to the world that the Father sent Christ and that the Father loves believers even as He loves Christ, convincing and converting where discord misrepresents Him. It is received as believers are sanctified by truth, conformed to Christ, and overcome self, envy, strife and evil-speaking through the Spirit, while Satan works unceasingly by bickering and division to make the prayer of none effect.
Prayer Setting and Scope
This petition belongs to the last prayer Jesus offered together with His disciples before His suffering, His betrayal and crucifixion, spoken when He was alone with the eleven in the upper chamber after Judas had withdrawn. It was uttered just before Gethsemane, trial, rejection, crucifixion and death, when the sins of the world rested upon Him, and was spoken aloud in their hearing after the instruction of John 13-17. Its purpose was to comfort them for the coming separation, to point them to glorifying the Father, and to prepare and strengthen them for trial. That same prayer continues as His intercession within the veil in heaven, illustrating His care as consecrated High Priest, faithful Shepherd gathering His flock under the shadow of the Almighty, and Mediator for those He has redeemed.
It was not offered for the first disciples alone but embraces all who would believe through their word, taking in believers now, their children, and readers through all time. It presents the benefits purchased by His complete sacrifice and the promises faith can claim to sustain courage and keep believers in God's love, showing the breadth of mercy ready for the obedient and humble. Its lessons are to be studied word by word and even memorized, with the Word taken as the lesson book able to make wise unto salvation through diligent persevering study that sanctifies through the truth. It presents bruised hands graven with His people pleading for pardon for ministers in filthy garments as they humble themselves, trust His saving power, and turn from selfishness.
Glory Christ Gives
The glory the Father gave to the Son has been given by the Son to believers so that they may be one even as the Father and the Son are one. This sharing places Christ in them and the Father in Christ, making them perfect in one so the world may know that the Father sent Christ and loves them as He loved Christ. The unity is like that of the Father and the Son, one in purpose, mind and character while remaining distinct persons, and it extends to all who believe through the disciples' word, including believers now. This perfect oneness is the standard all must reach who enter the heavenly city, the end of faith being perfection of character and sanctification of the entire being shown in obedience to the commandments and harmonious service. The gift seems almost beyond faith to grasp, yet it must be believed, taken and acted upon by taking time to pray and then living in harmony with prayer while trusting God to answer best, for He is too wise to err and too good to harm and meets every trial with what is best.
The glory given is Christ's own character given to make believers one with one another and with God and one in character with Him. It includes His virtues, meekness and lowliness, self-denial, love, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and the excellence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is imparted by His Spirit through sharing humanity with them, by His promises, by light in life and testimony, and by molding and fashioning after the divine similitude, and it is received by faith and connection so that it appears in lives. As inward living union binds them in Christian love with the Father and the Son, their sanctified harmony and transformed lives give convincing, uncontrovertible evidence to the world that God sent His Son to save sinners. The prayer is answered only when every sincere believer puts away evil thinking and evil expressions, refuses dissension, strife and accusation, wills to do God's expressed will, and works in love and unity, for selfishness, envy, jealousy and evil surmising oppose the prosperity of the church.
That character is goodness, mercy, grace, patience and truth, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth as lived by Jesus. It is God's character revealed in Christ's life and an expression of God's law fulfilled in every detail as the pattern for humanity by cooperation of divinity with humanity. It is received as Christ within, the hope of glory, giving power, life and completeness for perfection and for being made complete in unity. By partaking of the divine nature in conformity to Christ's image, lived in prayer and praise, it makes obedience to all the commandments possible and defeats the lie that man cannot keep God's commandments.
The glory is His righteousness and a faultless character fashioned after the divine likeness. It is expressed in Christian conduct and in the pleasantness and sweetness of words and deeds, and receiving it changes disciples from glory to glory and from character to character to assimilate them to Christ. Those conformed to His image are made one in character with Him and perfect in oneness, and those who in Christ have endured the penalty of the law and fulfilled its righteousness will have eternal life and bear God's likeness. It is Christ within them, His character and righteousness, the hope of immortality and eternal life, received by hungering for righteousness and by living faith as meekness and lowliness. It is not an evil heart of suspicion, unbelief and unkind judgment of a brother or sister, which must be made first business to subdue and overcome day by day, refusing to express anything that leads others to view another unkindly, for standing apart from fellow workers works against the prayer.
The glory is the Holy Spirit and grace and spiritual life, the softening subduing power that must be recognized when it comes in. Through Him Christ lives in those who submit the will and give the whole life to Him, dwelling in them to make them perfect in unity. As Christ renews them in His image divisions are healed so that peace, mercy and benevolence abide in the heart, with supreme love for God and love for one another. This oneness does not mean all do the same work, but that different works blend together, and drawing in even cords with Christ means drawing in even cords with brethren, while disunion, variance, dissension, criticism, aloofness and independent self-sufficiency dishonor God. Their unity in love displays redeeming grace, answers the prayer, and bears witness that God loves His people as He loves His Son and sent His Son to save sinners.
The glory is a present privilege to be waited for and willingly taken, as water must be drunk and a taper must be kindled from a candle. Receiving it brings continual gladness, joy, thankfulness and gratitude that God loves them as His Son, with light to lighten their own pathway and others' in a dark world, shining on faces and expressed in words and testimonies. It opens extensive privileges of close relation with Christ, testimony in life and character, deliverance to serve without fear in holiness and righteousness, and princely heavenly treasure in this life and the next to ennoble youth, stand under His banner and set feet on the Rock. It is given to living faith in Jesus as personal Saviour, to undivided affection and the whole nature, out of infinite resources, bought by stooping to the cross between thieves, assuring that God can love believers as His Son with strength to every part of being. It is given for work to save souls and carry light beyond homes and churches, received as an endowment revealed in Christlike meekness and lowliness, and it belongs to Israel's promises of blessing through obedience and to education work with sustaining grace.
The ransomed church receiving this glory becomes Christ's own recompense for His conquests and the chief source of His glory, through whom the manifold wisdom of God is made known to principalities and powers in heavenly places. There is promise to be where He is to behold His glory, with the Father's love and Christ's indwelling in them, and to share as messengers, colaborers and joint heirs to an immortal inheritance, one with Him, revealing Him and making His interests their own. The glory empowers the same work of healing the sick, calling for increased faith to believe that Christ the Healer is present to hear every word prayed in simplicity of true faith, sending disciples now to pray for the sick as the first disciples did, with special earnestness in fervent prayer and special experiences in answered prayer and recovery.
The gift makes close relationship with Christ possible so that life and character testify that God loves the obedient as He loves His Son. Those drawn by Christ's love seek the treasures of truth and form characters like God's, giving evidence that God cares for and loves believers and helping persuade others to believe. Christ is glorified in His saints as their propitiation, glorified in those who trust Him as Saviour and commit themselves and their interests to His guidance, showing through them His power to save with victory over the world, the flesh and the devil and making them perfect in victory through Him. Christ abiding in them brings vital connection conforming them to the divine character in practical unselfish love and self-sacrifice, and receiving the glory involves conversion revealing His meekness and lowliness as those sanctified through truth become one with Christ in God.
Nature of Oneness
Oneness is brought to completeness as Christ dwells in believers and the Father dwells in Christ, making them perfect in one and one in the Father and the Son. This is union with Christ and through Him with the Father by sanctification through the truth and transformation to God's character. It is a high and holy possibility for true faith to be pursued by earnest effort and harmonious work with one another and with God working within, to be believed and acted upon by praying and living in harmony with prayer while trusting God to answer in the way He knows best. The gift seems almost beyond faith to grasp, yet trials and disappointments are to be met with surrender to His will who is too wise to err and too good to harm.
The oneness patterned on Father and Son is oneness in purpose, mind, heart, soul and character, not sameness of person. Father and Son remain two distinct persons, and believers keep individuality, appointed work, field and personality while joined in harmony. They are like distinct branches of one vine sharing one mind, abiding in Christ and in one another with cooperation and harmony of action led by the Holy Spirit as the sign God is among them. Their unity depends on giving up their own way for God's way, and cannot be reached while insisting on one's own way from unsanctified dispositions. Through the Holy Spirit, conformity to God's law, and living union with Christ and the Father, they are made complete in Christ and united with one another.
There is a twofold oneness: believers are to be one with Christ in God partaking of the divine nature, and in consequence one with one another in heart, purpose, fellowship and harmonious action. Union with Christ naturally brings union with one another, forming an enduring bond. Each draws life from Christ the Vine by daily and hourly communion, not from one another, bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit. That unity requires self to be crucified and selfishness purged, leaving no room for empty speculation but calling for purity and devotion to bearing witness to the truth. As they study Scripture and behold Christ they become more like Him, obeying God's Word, strengthening one another's faith, overcoming indifference and division by love and respect, which preserves the church and gives strength.
This oneness does not require the same disposition, temperament, intelligence, experience, gifts, opinions, way of working or understanding of every passage. Different emphases, gifts, languages and branches may blend without division when sanctified by the same Spirit, speaking the same things and working in love. Differences in how people work, value different parts of Scripture, and interpret particular portions need not cause dissension or discord, and even mistakes in interpretation need not divide. It is not forced by resolutions or by requiring adoption of another's ideas, but by Christlike forbearance learned from Christ harmonizing differing members. Nor does it mean pantheism or God as essence, nor accepting sophistry from failing men.
Union with Christ in God is a mystical spiritual union closer than family ties, entered by receiving truth with the heart not mere intellect. It gives unfading life by abiding Christ within, with thoughts, inclinations, desires and appetites on the Lord's side and nothing separate from Him, bringing the heart into perfect harmony with Him. It changes emotions and character to tenderness and contrition, and is known by experience of God's sacrificial love. United to Christ, believers receive the Father's love as it rests in the Son and is communicated to them, as branches draw nourishment from the living Vine. That love strengthens and changes them, freeing from weakness, pride, vanity, selfishness and deformity with gratitude, giving strength to walk in newness of life with forgiveness and cleansing as sanctified vessels fit for the Master's use, kept by daily reception of the Holy Spirit quickening the soul to eternal life. Christ took human nature so humanity could be united with divinity in Him, and through faith people share His divine-human nature and become complete in Him, with the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Son binding body, soul and spirit to Christ; He set aside outward royal power, came in human form and endured temptation so victory through oneness with Him is seen to be possible.
The oneness is like the apostolic church and members of one body blended with distinct places in sympathy. It is advanced by light of the Word, requiring agreement on fundamentals without standing apart over minor points, side issues, perplexing questions or seeking originality. Believers are not to stand against each other but to blend in harmonious proportion like a symmetrical whole, each with distinct place and part like hand, head, ear, eye or limbs, joined in such sympathy that when one suffers all suffer. Each retains individual character and differs as branches differ, yet works together in Christ shown in fruitful lives by abiding in Him and cooperating with Him. All talents depend on Christ as Head in harmony without quarreling for supremacy, preserving unity of faith as evidence of prophecy and that they have been with Jesus, demonstrating the principles of God's law before the world.
Perfect oneness is the standard all must reach who enter the city, the end of faith in perfection of character and sanctification of the whole being in obedience. It sets the highest measure of character, places great responsibility on believers, and offers the richest blessing. It is genuine conversion to full manhood leaving childish self-indulgence, a test and calling to examine self, reached by living the truth daily with Christ abiding as self is surrendered. It is attainable today and to be lived now to dwell together hereafter, connected with becoming victorious overcomers through Christ who faced human temptation.
The oneness is an enduring union joining believers to Christ in God with lasting happiness and change from sin to holiness, a shared faith and understanding. It is a sign of obeying truth that perfects character among the scattered under one Head and Mediator, learned by beholding the Saviour and being changed into His likeness. Drawn near to the same cross hearts blend so God is glorified and loves them as His Son, the highest privilege mortals can have and the great victory of communion with heaven leading to mutual love.
Witness to the World
The oneness given in the glory is meant to make believers perfect in one through Christ in them and the Father in Christ, so that the world may know that the Father sent Christ to save sinners and loves believers even as He loved Christ. That perfected unity is convincing evidence and credentials of truth and power and miraculous working which the world cannot withstand when lived in sanctification, in beholding His glory and sharing His love. It extends beyond the first disciples to all who believe through their word, and it is the standard all must reach who enter the heavenly city, the end of faith in perfection of character and sanctification of the whole being shown in obedience to the commandments and harmonious service. It rules out division into separate groups based on nationality or language, and calls believers to seek this unity and love and live by Christ's words.
Their unity and Christlike lives are to convince the world that Christianity is genuine, leading to acknowledgment, conversion, and belief that Christ came to die, change hearts, and form the divine likeness as the badge of disciples. Those drawn by Christ's love seek the treasures of truth and form characters like God's, giving the world evidence that God cares for and loves believers and helping persuade others to believe. This oneness means God's people work together in church capacity according to God's plan, with no disarrangement and no breaking up into separate disorganized atoms, for disorganization and division would let Satan hold a jubilee and the forces of hell triumph. Their unity and love make an impression on the unbelieving world through love, courtesy, gentleness, and respect, while faultfinding and discord misrepresent Christ and a loose, lax religion leaves the world confused and bewildered. Oneness does not destroy personality, for God and Christ remain two distinct persons, and believers though scattered over the world keep individuality while taking their stand on an elevated platform, giving up their own way for God's way to be one with Christ.
The assurance that the Father loves believers with the same great love He has for the Son is a living reality bringing joy, reverence, gratitude, gladness, and thankfulness. It is a present privilege to be waited for, willingly taken as water must be drunk and a taper kindled, and grasped by faith and feasted upon day and night, making believers complete in Him and loved as the Son. That glory is the light of God to lighten their own pathway and others' in a dark world, shining on faces and expressed in words and testimonies, joined with laying aside keeping apart and cherishing separate minds in striving to be made perfect in one. Through faith people become wholly one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father, escaping corruption through lust and overcoming sin, brought into close relation with favor, honor, and fellowship as God's beloved Son with life hidden with Christ in God. Christ wills that those given Him be with Him where He is to behold His glory given Him because the Father loved Him before the foundation of the world, having declared the Father's name so the Father's love for Christ may be in them and Christ in them.
Where this unity exists love, compassion, and tenderness are expressed one for another, and all are drawn by cords of love to Christ as the great Center as channels of light to the world. It is complete harmony with God under the divine theocracy, with every believer submitting will to God's will and inquiring His way at every step in preparation for the coming of the Lord in the clouds with power and great glory, not independent atoms doing as they please but union by the great principles of the gospel. It comes by Christ in them through the Holy Spirit molding the soul after the divine similitude, as believers partake of the divine nature and Christ dwelling in hearts produces kindness and a united spirit. That mind and love in the heart shown in loving treatment of one another and mutual love and confidence honors God, replaces coldness, breaks barriers, reveals Christ's character and pitying tenderness, and powerfully shows the world that believers are God's children who may share the divine nature. When so made one, Christ can confess them before God and the heavenly angels.
It is by the unity and cooperation of His followers that the world is to know God sent His Son, for nothing short of miraculous power can bring human beings with different temperaments together in harmonious action with the one aim of speaking the truth in love. Their oneness perfected through Christ dwelling in them and the Father in Christ ends Satan's controversy, gives spiritual sight to discern as God does and to warn clearly, preserves the church, and is shown as transformed character contrasting unbelief, sitting in heavenly places, bound by the golden chain curing strife, with grace shared in word and deed so the world sees God's love. Prayed just before the crucifixion, it includes all who believe through the disciples' word and teaches the church to maintain sacred unity rather than divide into factions or contend for supremacy, with its principles shaping life and put into practice.
Receiving Unity Through Christ
Unity is formed as believers are sanctified by the truth, cooperate with God, and are changed by grace to become like Christ in character. Putting on Christ and revealing His mind, they grow into Christian fellowship and love under Him, enlightened by the Spirit into harmony of faith, understanding and practice. This oneness is perfection of character and action with one another and with Christ, showing the world what truth can do, and it cannot be reached while insisting on one's own way and acting from unsanctified dispositions. Giving up their own way for God's way, without losing distinct personhood, they are to be one with Him as He is one with the Father, even when scattered. Lives transformed in mind and character by that grace show the world that God sent His Son to save humanity and reveal the Father's true character.
This unity is Christ in believers through the Holy Spirit molding and fashioning the soul after the divine similitude, making them channels of light to the world. It comes through conformity to God's law and living union with Christ and the Father, making them complete in Christ and united with one another in mind, purpose and character without erasing distinct personhood. It is expressed in Christian love and agreement in the pure truth of the Bible, shown in harmony of spirit, loyalty to God and His Word, and unity with fellow believers. It does not exalt self or seek the highest place, and it is not independent atoms doing as they please nor worldly consolidation, but union by the great principles of the gospel under the divine theocracy with wills submitted to God at every step. Where it exists love, compassion and tenderness are expressed one for another, all drawn by cords of love to Christ the Center as God's fellow workers with angels, bringing perfection of character and convincing witness of Christ's majesty, virtue and power to take away sin.
Christ's righteousness, pitying tenderness and love replace coldness and hardness and unite hearts, breaking down differences and barriers. The oneness is made possible by Christ abiding within and is brought to completion through unselfish, Christlike love, with division, criticism and strife incompatible with perfected unity. Sanctified through truth with Christ living in them, believers put away selfishness and rivalry and love one another, and the glory is seen in the mind and love of Christ in the heart revealed through how they treat one another. Standing on eternal truth they ask God to fill their hearts with His love, avoiding anything that could become a stumbling block to another. Joined in truth and made perfect in one through escaping corruption through lust and overcoming sin, they are God's children partaking of the divine nature, a truth of God's love for them as for His Son to be grasped by faith and feasted upon.
Answering the prayer requires overcoming self, envy, jealousy, anger, bitterness, malice, contention and evil speaking, and humbling self rather than seeking supremacy. Learning meekness and lowliness of heart from Christ, believers cut away every ambitious thought and plan and treat self and selfish purposes as secondary. Self must be crucified and selfishness purged, leaving no room for empty speculation but purity and devotion to witnessing to the truth, opposed to pride, self-sufficiency, envy and seeking first place. When believers consecrate to God all that they have and are, putting self out of sight, heaven's order comes into God's work, Christ is glorified, and united obedience to God's Word in strengthening one another's faith preserves the church.
The way to be one with one another is to be one with Christ first, and then in and through Him one with one another. Remaining in the truths about the Father and the Son, abiding in them and joined together in love, believers have Christ glorified in His saints as He saves them and gives victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. When Christ lives in hearts His love produces kindness, tenderness and a united spirit, answering His prayer, and only the Holy Spirit can bring this oneness through sanctification. Meeting difficulties unitedly hand in hand with no one walking alone, walking in His footsteps, doing His works, studying His ways, obeying His will and consulting Him in humble prayer, they walk the one way to heaven He opened, and through the continual supply of the Spirit become witnesses to God's power to save.
This oneness is learned by taking a Bible course in the lessons of Christ, with humility, love, prayer and sincere joint searching of Scripture with the spirit of a little child to see eye to eye. Approaching Scripture free from prejudice to be corrected by the Spirit, beholding Christ to become like Him, believers bring His life into daily duties in harmony with God's will, setting aside selfishness and helping one another. They must strive by every power to come into harmony and cooperate with Christ, following His enjoined Scriptural way for dealing with unsafe doctrines and preventing discord, rather than managing disunion recklessly in pride and stubbornness which scatters, weakens and kills brotherly love. Presenting apparent differences before the world without coming together as brethren, stirring differences of opinion and strife by words, and struggling for supremacy grieve the Spirit and do not carry the divine imprint.
The prayer is answered only when every sincere believer puts away all evil thinking and evil expressions, refuses dissension, strife and standing as accusers, wills to do God's expressed will, and works in love and unity that God may be glorified. Where ministers and members are envious, full of strife and destitute of love the prayer is not yet answered, dishonoring Jesus before unbelievers; answering requires repentance and conversion, deep humiliation, putting away all variance, loving as brethren and seeking the Holy Spirit, whereupon the world takes knowledge they have been with Jesus. Its lessons are to be studied and practiced with calm, humble, contrite spirit and mind under God's control, shaping habits and bringing lives into harmony with it as the daily lesson treasured in the soul. Embracing all who receive Him in faith through their word, making them perfect in one that the world may believe and know the Father sent Christ and loved them as He loved Christ, it opens the words of life through diligent study by which faith becomes abiding and believers are sanctified through the truth.
Hindrances to Unity
Satan works unceasingly to make the prayer of no effect by creating bitterness, bickering, strife, criticism and dissension among professed believers. All who bring weakness and sorrow and discouragement upon God's people by perverse ways and tempers work directly against Christ's prayer, and disunion misrepresents Christ, shames Him before the world, pains His heart and shows love lost from the heart. When those who profess the truth are at variance God is dishonored, unbelievers become disgusted with Christianity and are fastened in unbelief, while the unity prayed for would be evidence the world cannot withstand that God sent Jesus as Redeemer. That oneness in truth is diligently opposed by the devil to the close of earth's history, for there is no unity in error except to tear down the truth. Variance, talking against one another, envy and fault-finding must be put away, for true service is not pretense but love striving for the unity prayed for.
The prayer remains unanswered while ministers and lay members proclaiming the gospel are envious, full of strife and destitute of love, dishonoring Christ before unbelievers and blocking conviction and conversion. Dissension and seeking the highest place leave weakness instead of strength, while the oneness prayed for gives strength that all the powers of hell cannot break, satisfies infinite love and brings joy. Disunion is met by repentance and conversion, deep humiliation, confession of sin, putting away variance, loving as brethren and seeking the Holy Spirit, and then the Spirit bears witness that believers are His instrumentalities and the world takes knowledge they have been with Jesus. Lived in word and deed in practical life, this unity in love joins believers to one another and to Christ as a defense against Satan's attacks.
Unity is opposed by criticism, suspicion, coldness, murmuring, faultfinding, jealousy, envy, resentment over trivial disputes, and efforts to discredit fellow believers, which separate believers from one another and from God. Easily stirred personal feelings, cherished suspicion, coldness and indifference between close friends and brethren who do not hold ideas alike in all points, with brother set at variance against brother, are terrible fruits of sin. Selfish ambition, insistence on own way, independence, distrust, accusation, backbiting, evil-speaking, rivalry, selfish hereditary and cultivated traits, guile, hypocrisy, malice and worldly policy grieve the Spirit, weaken the work and give occasion to doubt Christianity. Gossip, covetousness and unkind talk are as strange fire needing cleansing by the Spirit's coal, and believers are called to cooperate faithfully with God with heart, soul, mind and strength devoted to His holy work.
Drawing apart from one another displeases Christ so He cannot do much for His people, for division is not pleasing to God and standing apart from fellow workers works against His prayer. Self-love, self-esteem, self-sufficiency, self-glorification and love of praise fill the soul with no room for Jesus, and it is the absence of Christ in the soul with cherishing of self that leads to dissension. Those who hold this hope must purify themselves even as He is pure, doing diligent work to become vessels unto honor sanctified and fit for every good work. Seeking supremacy and going each his own way following his own judgment must be cut away by learning meekness, with unity made complete as Christ dwells in believers and the Father in Christ to show the world the Father sent Christ.
Failure to answer appears in dissatisfaction, Phariseeism, self-righteousness and prejudice kept because another does not meet one's measure, blocking growth to full stature in the Head, and Christ will not shelter one who clings to sin or self-righteousness. Answering requires beholding Calvary with self crucified, taking every thread of selfishness out of the web, having more of Christ's mind and less of self, and believing and practicing the instruction so that giving glory to man, seeking own glory, dissension, strife and human kingly power are ended. Pressing together is of God and drawing away is of Satan, with variance and conceit striving for supremacy opposing oneness. Satan tempts to selfishness, envy, jealousy and evil surmisings against the love and unity that are of greatest consequence for the prosperity of the church, yet the glory given as Christ's character makes possible a wonderful oneness almost too great for expectation.
Living Out Unity
The verse is to serve as the church's creed, meaning just what it says as God's will for ministers and all acquainted with present truth, presenting a high and holy possibility to be believed, treasured, prayed for and lived in harmony while trusting God to answer best, for it seems almost beyond faith yet means much more than is realized. The gift is Christ in believers and the Father in Christ making them perfect in one so the world may know the Father sent Christ and loves them as He loved Christ, a breadth human minds can hardly grasp, to be pursued by earnest effort and work in harmony with God working within, with trials met by surrender since He is too wise to err and too good to harm. The mystery is understood only by those taught of God day by day, who commit all to His care and trust fully, whom He identifies with and makes one, giving victory over world and Satan and everlasting life, with wisdom recognized in heaven as proof His sacrifice was not in vain.
Perfect oneness is the standard all must reach who enter the heavenly city, the end of faith in perfection of character and sanctification of the whole being shown in obedience to the commandments and harmonious service blessed for happiness, made possible by Christ's life and to be lived before fellow workers. It is what overcomers must become, part of the life Christ gives, bringing good fruit and revealing the Saviour, given on condition of meeting the standard of His righteousness and received against getting above simplicity of pure Christlikeness, with believing and practicing causing powerful influence to go forth from commandment-keeping people. Every member of the visible church has individual responsibility to preserve harmony, union and love as evidence the world cannot withstand, and those professing greater light and higher standard must show greater perfection, deeper devotion and purer lives sanctified by truth to glorify God daily.
Unity enables those differing in character, training, habits, gifts, languages and branches to carry out work together, ruling out division into separate groups by nationality, language, territory, color or caste and forbidding independent parties, keeping apart, walking alone or pulling apart in selfish independent judgment. All must give up own way, lay aside separate minds, press together across lines with love and respect, trusting Christ not men, seeking to be made perfect in one as credentials that God sent Christ, joined to His love as partakers of His Spirit with continual gladness. Christian unity does not mean fellowship with the world or conformity to its ways, since God's people and those serving other masters cannot share allegiance, and each must stand in God's strength with distinct responsibility to truth. Churches and institutions must put the principle into practice against worldly principles that weaken spiritual life, acting in harmony, loving and valuing fellow workers rather than wounding them, looking to Jesus not exalting humans, with holiness inseparable from fellowship.
The unity is Christ's desire for believers in every generation, with no perfection in division, calling all to one interest for perishing souls with individual responsibility, and when answered among Seventh-day Adventists tremendous influence will go forth with reformations first in their ranks then among those for whom they labor. Believers hold exalted place as messengers, instruments and colaborers made partakers of divine nature to represent Him full of grace and truth, conveying sanctifying power, making known salvation for others, going as delegated representatives expressing His love to draw hearts, a standing miracle proving God sent Christ and loves them as Christ. The verse teaches complete harmony under divine theocracy, with every one begotten by truth submitting will to God and inquiring His way at every step in preparation for the Lord's coming in clouds with power, not independent atoms but union by gospel principles through the Spirit molding after the divine similitude as channels of light. It is God's plain will and divine antidote for sin by which Jesus makes believers one with Him now and through eternity, with strength in union not independence, order and beauty since truth is a unit, cultivated daily with sanctified speech, for disunion hinders mercy’s message.
Lessons of the chapter presenting redemption's plan are to be studied, practiced and made the daily lesson shaping habits and development, requiring calm humble contrite spirit and mind under God's control with the Word as lesson book making wise unto salvation by acquainting with Christ as life through diligent study, sanctifying through truth. The prayer spoken just before trial and crucifixion to comfort disciples means much more than realized and is to be received into the treasure-house of the soul, calling to bring lives into harmony, seek union with one another and Christ, and live so God can answer, bearing obedience and success. Oneness is cultivated by laboring in Christ's lines seeking His fullness, answering in every word and thought, forbidding strife over branches of work, impatience, jealousy, evil surmising, thinking and speaking, with thoughts captive to Christ.
Believers must make earnest efforts cherishing love, praying with and for one another, showing respect and loving as Christ loves, presenting unbroken front revealing sanctifying truth so God's presence is recognized. When hearts are filled with love and conduct marked by tenderness and courtesy, Christ dwelling within produces kindness and united spirit answering prayer, distinctly revealing Him, convincing the world God sent His Son to die and loves believers as Christ, pressing a searching claim meaning what it says. Variance proves separation from the True Vine, so needless contention is to be left for unity of love revealing Christ, with harmonizing, helping, avoiding prejudice and strife, and working for peace. The gift gives privilege of carrying the divine signature as children of the living God, with experience, intelligence, uplifting and refinement, requiring cleansed spirit, clean heart and works testifying of heaven, since none enter without more heavenly refinement.
Converted believers losing identity in Christ become partakers of His spirit and love, set apart to His work, gaining oneness by searching the Word as leaves of the tree of life to know salvation and learn successful work, living as branches of the Vine keeping commandments in sympathy and harmony without secret bonds with unbelievers. If one with each other in fellowship the Spirit works with inspiration, giving strength and power convincing the world God sent His Son, and unity is to be lived as shared sympathy and love in saving from sin not in sin. Perfect unity is seen when disciples are one in heart and belief of truth showing sympathy, courtesy, compassion and grace, reflecting Father-Son union by sanctifying power. It requires laying aside bruised pride, childish envy, hatred, malice, evil surmising and combative controversy, learning meekness, avoiding dictatorial conduct, seeking one mind, encouraging burden-bearers, loving as brave soldiers bearing reproach so all know they are Christians.
The whole chapter is answered by believing and practicing the Word, calling all serving God to undivided minds under constant sense of His supervision, subject one to another, drawn by cords of love never estranged, made perfect in one. Receiving Christ changes to make divine love visible and complete in unity, and putting whole being into effort makes kind, tender, Christlike in thought, word and act so others know they have been with Jesus, with entire consecration the only hope giving fitness for heaven, purification and burden for souls. Christ as intercessor ever works for unity, and harmony with heaven requires seeking oneness in faith and practice with its instruction and consolation. The prayer holds glorious request including schools near sanitariums blending education in present truth with healing ministry, opening heights and depths calling to labor together with God toward Christ's perfection for all hiding life in God.
Christ gave life to bring inward living union with Himself and the Father and bind brother to brother by golden links in peace and love so heaven is represented on earth, the credentials proving God sent His Son for successful mission, to be answered by ministers and members doing all in power, with love as motive and pattern leading to unreserved surrender of soul, body and spirit to Him who bought humanity. God's people in the antitypical day of atonement come far from answering in spirit and works, requiring confessing and forsaking sins, walking in commandments, contending without carnal weapons, envy, jealousy, surmising or supremacy so light shines. Unity and love lived in practical help, compassion, courtesy and harmony form a barrier against Satan for standing in shaking time, while dissension, pursuit of place and self-exaltation leave weakness and put in Satan's power ready for deception.
Unity is to be practiced beginning in the home, where Christlike conduct and mutual regard influence the church while disunity grieves the Spirit, for members are measured by the home extending to church. Parents are to live the Word before children rejecting dissension and changed by the Spirit, sisters loving kindly with gentle words, pleasant play and patient work without contention answering prayer and pleasing angels, and homes welcoming Christ morning and evening ennoble and refine minds united in Him perfected for heaven. Christ made unity the badge of discipleship revealing binding love, with united consecration and tender respect symbolizing the heavenly family, recovering sinners, softening nature, proving worthiness in testing time. Joined with sanctification through truth it defines exalted position opposing self-sufficiency and criticism, perfected in Christ, with purity and obedience revealing power to change into His image.
Oneness is preserved by striving, cultivating love, being at peace, pressing together as one, putting away suspicion, envy, jealousy, evil thinking and speaking, pride and supremacy and becoming as children, reading the prayer over and over and carrying into life. All bringing weakness and sorrow by perverse tempers work against it, while truth being a unit requires order not confusion, with powers illuminated and sanctified into a complete whole, raising man, saving sinners and glorifying God. Ministers in word and doctrine must be one as Christ is one with the Father, wearing His yoke in justice drawing in even cords in sanctuary service not drawing to self but acknowledging God among them with orderly service and mutual respect. Ministers' wives loving God supremely will love neighbors as self in heart unity, and physicians must work in love without envy or distrust over practice, for unity comes by the Spirit requiring close fellowship and devotion to maintain spiritual life.
The last prayer calls back from backsliding to unity leaving each free to do God-appointed work under Christ as Head without binding another's mind or work, seeking counsel from God. Believers must harmonize, help, avoid prejudice, strife, trivial disputes, resentment and faultfinding creating barriers separating from God, put them away, heal promptly, forgive, reconcile directly, pray unitedly and be drawn in Christ's love while showing it. Each must be right whether others are right, showing mellow meekness not boasting, letting light, peace and joy appear, for if others fail the sin lies at their door and oneness under trial reveals genuine religion. Fellowship gives confidence to the weak sending decided influence demonstrating sanctifying power better known by experience, with shared work and mutual care carrying light. Oneness in heart and soul building up forbids centralized kingly power, requiring counsel together with all parts equally under God looking to Him, sharing responsibility across lines with varied gifts trusting Christ not men.
Union is strength hell cannot break, preservation, order and safety bringing heaven's order into God's work by putting self out of sight in consecration, ending Satan's controversy, enabling discernment to see as God sees and warn clearly without worldly policy. The closer union with Christ the closer with one another, while disaffection opens to the enemy who exults in dissension, and overcoming indifference with love and respect brings strength. Everything is to be harmonized with prayer, cultivating order and sanctified speech day by day rather than drawing apart, pursued with zeal through sanctified love allowing no schisms, with angels working to answer. Unity is seen in working together in Christ grounded in truth free from jealousy, rivalry and self-exaltation, firmly maintained in fellowship with close devotion, refusing to pull down or seek superiority, Christ dwelling giving life and unity.
The last prayer was for confidence, love and unity essential for growth amid warfare between good and evil, with drawing through Daniel and Revelation drawing to one another, while disunion and insisting on own way oppose it requiring united work. Answering by consecration, coming to Jesus, believing, asking in faith for the Spirit and working in harmony to spread truth leads to knowing the Lord like rising morning sun ever increasing, and living it means rising with honest effort to enter the city. Unity calls to look to Jesus not exalt humans, practiced through converted life with supreme love to God and neighbor, forgiveness and sympathy, placing under His command keeping souls in love and striving toward faith and knowledge to full stature as sacred principle shaping experience and showing the Spirit. It must be presented to world, angels and men by converted proclaimers of present truth as channels strengthening each other with heed to soul-action from one Source, fellow workers in harmony exemplifying heart unity.
Oneness on earth prepares for heaven, requiring glorifying God in body and spirit as bought with a price, with grace to dwell in love now to dwell hereafter, fostered by practicing truth, submitting to the Word and looking to Christ to overcome, gained by watching unto prayer and guard. It is to be answered without delay by loving as He loved, the prescription curing alienation, binding by golden chain so men know they are disciples. Unity is a visible miracle binding hearts curing alienation by love, giving living evidence of truth's power, necessary for enjoying heaven now and eternal blessing, preserved by the church through surrender of self and submission of judgment rather than independence. It requires overcoming indifference, putting away division, jealousy, backbiting and criticism lest others remain unconvicted, for when the Spirit transforms, striving for center gives way to harmony, rest, peace and joy.
Instruction calls churches and institutions to manifest Christlike love as greatest gift, loving God wholly and neighbor as self, treating one another as God's children with holiness inseparable from fellowship, walking in light by knowing and obeying truth. Unity in counsel encourages coming together not focusing on differences, practiced through meekness seeking agreement on simple truths not combative speech, with humility, gentleness and freedom from pride guiding words, plans and work. The high calling requires placing selves under Christ's command striving toward unity in faith, servants pressing together in holy pure character not human opinion, linking in work not aloof criticism, uniting experienced with last-day messengers bringing joy and avoiding errors of disunion. As Christ's character lives within, the Spirit gives unity of heart and action setting aside self, esteeming others, witnessing they are God's children and light of the world.
Oneness binds to God by golden cords laying obligation to work for others as interdependent whole with no independence, party strife or partition walls, well-being of each the happiness of all with Christ as Center. It requires shunning schism and political themes, uplifting Christ in meekness as channels bringing joy to angels and the Father, valuing church relations and its united voice above own interests. Peculiarities give no excuse to criticize which is Satan's accusing work bringing strife, but each is to examine self whether Christ is within, stop bemoaning mistakes, correct evils without worsening, talk faith and press to light. Growing usefulness testifies God sent His Son to save from sin with correct representation through harmonious cooperation, defining Christ in goodness through the Spirit, with unselfish love preparing for the Spirit's outpouring and putting away self-worship to make power known.
Further points
Christ's prayer belongs to His intercession offered before trial and crucifixion, and it continues in His ministry as High Priest for those who come humbly, trust His saving power, and turn from selfishness. What He seeks for followers is spiritual blessing that they be kept from sin and remain loyal to God, not wealth or human distinction. That blessing is received through faith, repentance and conversion, by which believers receive the benefits of His atonement and are enabled to live faithfully.
The oneness for which He prays is a light already given to the church, for which its members are accountable to live accordingly. It requires tenderness, affection, respect and love for one another, and failure to embody it brings condemnation. This gift brings great possibilities and probabilities for God's people when they humble themselves and exalt the Lord Jesus. For He has given them the glory the Father gave Him so they may be one even as Father and Son are one, which is Christ in them and the Father in Him making them perfect in one, so the world may know the Father sent Christ and has loved them as He loved Christ.
That oneness makes believers perfect in unity and lets the world know the Father sent Christ and loves His followers. It is expressed in a life of love and harmony, not discord or strife. The glory given as the means to this unity reveals His inexpressible love for fallen humanity, making His plea for His people's unity one that must not be in vain. Such close unity with Christ requires self to be crucified and selfishness purged, leaves no room for empty speculation, and calls His followers to be pure and devoted in bearing witness to the truth.