Christian unity can be more than a myth. Here’s how.
Jesus prayed that all His followers be united as one so the world will know that God sent Him. (John 17:20-21) If we want people in the world to experience, know, and follow Jesus, all of us who follow Jesus need to unite together.
As long as Christians are governed from within by our thoughts, opinions, feelings, and desires, we will disagree. Just look how divided we are. Look how we ignore what Jesus prayed about unity.
We, who call ourselves Christians, can’t become one solely through logic, reasoning, organization, negotiation, church attendance, sermon-hearing, studying theology, or even through politics and Christian nationalism. All those things without full and obedient surrender to the living Jesus only produce more divisiveness. Estimates say there are more than 40,000 Christian denominations worldwide.
So what can bring us together as one? Jesus gave the secret to Christian unity when He said to His disciples: “Seek first the kingdom (inner government) of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33)
When Christians gather to be governed from within by the risen Jesus, we find true togetherness. When we learn to deny ourselves (Luke 9:23) and to be humbly led by Christ living inside us (Colossians 1:27) rather than by our ego and pride, we discover heart-to-heart unity with one another.
The Bible says, “God resists the proud.” (James 4:6) As long as we hold on to our pride, even subconsciously, we will stay divided.
Will you set aside all self-justification and self-righteousness? Will you humbly and consistently seek and submit to God’s inner government and His righteousness instead of your own? If not, you’ll never know the marvelous unity of the Spirit. (Ephesians 4:3)
God so loved the people in the world that He gave His only Son. Let’s also love all people!
