Skip to content 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Why Jesus Prays for Unity
In John 17, Jesus is praying for the disciples as He is about to enter the hardest part of his ministry—His arrest and crucifixion. He imparts to them the hope and prayer that will yield success in continuing the ministry that Jesus started, aimed at bringing about the kingdom of God. Why is His prayer for unity important, and what does it tell us about how we should approach our relationships with our fellow Christians?
Humanity is modeled after the Triune God.
One of the greatest mysteries of the attributes of God is that He is a triune God—He is the one true God, yet He exists in three persons. In this incomprehensible relationship, God has a relationship with Himself. As Jesus puts it, “just as you are in me and I am in you.” In this peculiar relationship that God has with His three parts, Jesus prays that we have that same relationship.
God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in harmony with one another in love and in one accord. Although they may have different minds, they desire the same thing and rely on and trust each other. As Jesus prays that the cup of suffering pass from him, he ultimately yields to the Father’s will. Jesus trusts the Father and His plan, and Jesus submits to His Father’s will.
We as humans, at the start of creation, were created in His image, as in Genesis 1:26: “Let us make man in Our image.” God, being separate yet one, created us as separate individuals, yet we were created to be as one.
Why this Matters to Jesus
We are not only created to be united, but unity is also the key to the success of Jesus’ ministry. At the end of verse 23, it says:
“Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
When believers are united in the same manner as Christ is united with the Father, the world will recognize that Jesus is sent by God. Why is that significant?
I used to be part of a group that we called the “Does God Exist Group.” The intention was to gather people from all walks of faith and engage in discussions about our beliefs, essentially attempting to convince one another of our worldviews. After months of these meetings, it dawned on me that proving the existence of God is not simply a matter of logic and reason. There are other aspects to belief—external relationships, emotional and social reasons, past experiences.
The reason I bring this up is because when non-believers see people from diverse backgrounds, individuals who are so different from one another, yet united in one accord and one mission, it carries weight for those observing from the outside. At the very least there is an admiration.
For example, if you encounter a company where all the employees are happy, love their work, feel a sense of purpose, and collaborate seamlessly, you would likely conclude that the company is doing something right. You might even aspire to join that company. This is analogous to how it would be when the world sees followers of Christ in unity.
Furthermore, as humans, we are communal beings, and we operate best when we work together as a community. If each person were solely focused on their individual needs, we would all spend our time gathering food and shelter for the day. However, by working in communities, we share our time and resources with one another for the benefit of all. Similarly, in the context of furthering the gospel, unity among believers enables us to work collectively towards a common goal.
The Christian Body – In division
Being in disunity is not solely a matter of differing denominations. In fact, having a multitude of denominations may not be inherently negative. It is unlikely that Jesus intended us to adhere strictly to every detail of our religion as the standard of unity. Instead, despite peripheral differences, the essence lies in being united in the central message of Jesus’ ministry—that we have all fallen short, yet through God’s grace, we are forgiven, with Jesus serving as the bearer of our sin. However, this central doctrine does not always take precedence in our beliefs.
When you ask a random person in the West about what defines a Christian, the response may often center around conservative values, church attendance, or simply belief in God. Additionally, in the United States, Christianity has become intertwined with American patriotism or love of country. However, these associations often stray from the essence of Christianity.
This divergence from the core principles of Christianity has led to a lack of unity among believers. Christians find themselves engaged in conflicts with each other and with society over issues that are peripheral to the central message of Jesus’ ministry. As a result, we are not perceived as a unified force, and our impact on the world is diminished. To truly embody the teachings of Jesus and fulfill His prayer for unity, we must refocus our efforts on what truly matters—embodying love, forgiveness, and compassion, and spreading the message of salvation through Christ alone. Only then can we reflect the unity that Jesus desires for His followers and effectively impact the world for His kingdom.
How to Unify
To be united in one spirit, we must grasp the essence of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus sacrificed Himself for our sake, not because we deserved it, but out of His profound love for us. This is grace; it is the essence of the good news that binds us together in perfect unity. When we realize that our worth and righteousness are not based on our own merits, but on Jesus alone, we gain access to unity as one body. Loving one another not for their accomplishments, but simply because they are loved by God, and recognizing that their worth, just like ours, is rooted in God’s love, erases any sense of opposition between us. When this truth becomes central to our lives, despite our peripheral differences, we recognize each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
In summary, unity stems from embracing the mercy bestowed upon us through the work of Jesus Christ, making it the focal point of our existence. Viewing each other through this lens is the path to true unity. Jesus’ prayer for unity will indeed be answered..
