And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
— John 17:11
That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
— John 5:23
Christ Prayed for Unity, by Anthony Burgess. The following is an excerpt from his work, “From Christ’s Prayer before His Passion.”
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me.—John 17:21 a, b
In this verse is laid down the matter of Christ’s petition: what it is that He prays for in the behalf of those who shall believe in Him. That is unity and concord amongst themselves. As before, He prayed for the apostles that they “might be one” as apostles in the work of the ministry, so here He prays for all believers, so great a matter it is to have all the godly at union amongst themselves. Now although this union comprehends in it grace begun here and glory consummated hereafter, yet it is again and again to be considered that these glorious privileges should be comprehended in their union, as if that being preserved all was preserved, and without that there could not be any godliness here or blessedness hereafter.
We have then the unity and agreement of all believers made the principal part of Christ’s petition for them, and in that, take notice:
1. Of the benefit itself: “So that they may be one.” He does not say that they may love and agree with one another, but “be one,” as if the church should be but one person, and as the apostle argues, “no man ever yet hated his own flesh” (Eph 5:29). So, there should be no divisions, envyings, or differences amongst the godly because they are one spirit, as it were. They should no more hate one another than a man does himself. Here is,
2. The universal extent of this unity: “That they all”—though there be great variety and difference in gifts, graces, offices, (and outward condition, yet they must all be one.
3. The pattern of this unity: “as thou Father in me, and I in thee.”
4. The nature and quality of this unity: “that they may be one in us.”
5. The benefit and fruit of this union: “that the world may believe thou hast sent me”…
Doctrine: Union amongst the godly is of so great necessity and consequence that Christ does in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for this. Though in this unity be included grace and sanctification, yet that which is expressly mentioned is their agreement…I shall pursue from this text union amongst believers themselves.
Consider that there is a two-fold unity among the godly. And because our Savior does enlarge Himself about it, I shall also insist upon it. To open this truth, consider that there is a two-fold unity or union among the godly: invisible and visible.
1. Invisible Union: Invisible unity is that whereby they, being united to Christ their Head by the Spirit on God’s part and faith on (their part, do receive spiritual life and increase, in which some believers are compared to the several members of the body and Christ to the head because of that spiritual life and motion they receive from Him. This is the foundation of our visible union; and without this, though we may be outwardly of the church, yet we do indeed receive no saving advantage by Christ. Of this union the text does not speak because it is such a union that the world seeing it may thereby be induced to believe.
2. Visible Union: There is therefore a visible union, whereby believers do outwardly and visibly express their compacted nearness to one another. And so those particular churches of Corinth and Ephesus are called Christ’s body in respect of their external union as well as internal, for not only by faith but also by the ordinances we have fellowship with Christ and with one another.
The text speaks of this visible unity, and it is made a special means to bring the world to believe. Whereas on the contrary, differences of opinion, sad rents, and sects in religion are the only way to confirm men in their impiety, and to think there is no truth and no religion at all. This visible union does diffuse itself in many branches, as:
a. There is a unity of faith and profession: When they all believe and speak the same thing. This must be laid as the foundation of unity, for unity in error and idolatry, or false ways, is not peace, but a faction or conspiracy. This unity of faith is reckoned among the many unities the apostle mentions in Ephesians 4:5 and Philippians 2:2. They are exhorted to be “of one mind”; and the apostle notably presses this: “that ye all speak the same thing…be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1Co 1:10). What a sad breach, then, has the devil made upon God’s people when there are so few of the same mind and do judge the same things. But (as you heard) it must be a sameness and unity in the true faith. For the Jews are one amongst themselves; the Mohammedans are one; the Papists are so one that they boast of it and make it a note of the true church. Now though this should be granted (though they have a thousand divisions amongst themselves), yet unless it is unity in the faith, unity in sound doctrine, it is nothing at all.
b. There is a unity of affection and love (both in the heart and outwardly one to another. Love is called the affection of union and makes a man to be the object he loves as much as his own. And we see the prayer of Christ abundantly fulfilled in this respect concerning the primitive Christians, for it is said (that they “were of one heart and of one soul” (Act 4:32). Those thousands of believers were as if they had but one heart and soul among them. And thus in Tertullian’s time, the heathens did admire the love Christians had to one another. Our Savior makes it a surer sign of discipleship than if they wrought miracles (Joh 3:35).
c. This union is seen in the public worship and ordinances that God has appointed. As God said of man at first (that it was not good (that he should be alone, so it is true of every believer. He is not to serve God alone, to think that a private religion is enough. Therefore, you have the examples of the primitive Christians, how they “were all with one accord in one place” and that to have the enjoyment of public ordinances, they prayed together, the Word was preached to them, they received the sacraments together (Act 2:1; 5:12). And the apostle in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 shows how the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper declared their union and communion one with another. Hence the apostle reproves those whose manner it was to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb 10:25).
This visible union of believers in church ordinances is their highest beauty and their chiefest advantage. Hence, David professes his ravishment herein, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!” (Psa 84:2); and…it is called “the beauties of holiness” (Psa 110:3). And in Haggai 2, this temple is said to be more glorious than the former ever was; and that because of Christ’s presence therein, preaching and reforming all abuses and corruptions. When the ark was taken, Phinehas’s (wife cried, “The glory is departed from Israel” (1Sa 4:21). Hence the ordinances even in this life are called the kingdom of heaven because of God’s glorious presence therein. David, when banished, longed to see “thy glory…as I have seen thee in the sanctuary” (Psa 63:2). And then it is our greatest profit and advantage, for God’s presence is promised to these, so that the Christian ordinances are the life of the church. There is a larger dispensation of God’s gifts and graces here than otherwise.
d. This unity is seen in that public order and government that Christ has appointed in His church. As God has appointed some to be shepherds and to govern, so others to hear and obey, He has commanded admonition, and in some cases sharp reproof, and where obstinacy is, to cast out. Now it is very hard to have unity in this respect, for, as in 1 Corinthians 12, it appears private Christians do (with difficulty keep within their sphere. Every member would be an eye, as the apostle there charges. So, it is hard to meet with an obedient ear, though to a wise and godly reproof. It is therefore a blessed thing, as to have unity of faith, so also of order. That is to see every member of the church with its relation in a harmonious way, as it is in the body, though they be heterogenic parts, yet they all harmoniously unite in their operations. This unity of order is like the nerves and ligaments to this spiritual society.
e. This unity is seen in the sympathizing that all believers have one with another. And that in respect of mourning and rejoicing. In respect of those that mourn, we are to weep and mourn with them. We are to bear one another’s burdens. We are to be affected by the church’s calamities as being also of the body. As the apostle said, “That which cometh upon me daily, the care of all churches…Who is offended, and I burn not?” (2Co 11:28-29). The same proportionally is to be in every believer. Therefore, this unity of believers should be vigorous (in this way: what evils, what exercises befall others, they should be affected with them as their own. This discovers they are lively members of the body. For if Christ, though in heaven, was sensible of the persecutions done by Paul against the church, saying, “Why persecutest thou me?” (Act 26:14), how much rather should every member account the temptations of others as his own?
As it is thus for mourning, so also for rejoicing. There ought to be such a unity among believers that we are to rejoice in the gifts, graces, and good things that others have, as if they were our own. But oh, the self-love, the envy, the repinings that are apt to be in one godly man against another. “The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy” (Jam 4:5), says the apostle—even in believers. Hence are those daily exhortations against grudgings, murmurings, and envyings one against another, and these are made the fruit of the flesh because where the Spirit of God works and enlivens, there is joy, peace, and longsuffering, all graces contrary to such unquiet distempers. Now this is very difficult to flesh and blood, that those parts and gifts which obscure yours and those good things in others that seem to hinder yours, yet to rejoice and bless God for them, as if it were (in your own self, but this spiritual and mystical unity will enable you thereunto. Neither is the sun nor air more requisite than this union; no wonder if our Savior does thus affectionately pray for it.
f. This union is seen in their mutual striving together in promoting the kingdom and glory of Christ. They all have the same heart, the same shoulders, the same tongue to bless and praise God. They are like so many servants in the same house, all promoting and furthering their master’s work. As the apostle says, all the officers are one; “he that planteth and he that watereth are one” because they agree in one end, which is to set forward the work of God (1Co 3:8). Thus it is here, though there be never so much variety in the gifts and graces, and conditions of God’s people, yet they are all one in this work. The glory of God is the end they all look upon. Thus, you see in how many particulars this unity diffuses itself.
3. Invisible union does extend itself further than the visible. For this is to the visible church only, but that to the invisible…In this respect there is a unity between all believers that ever have been, with Enoch, Abel, Abraham, and all that of old ever were. This is believed in that which usually is called the Apostle’s Creed: “I believe in the…catholic church.” Sometimes there was added “the one catholic church,” and this is believed, and not seen; but by this it is that all the godly who have been, are, and ever shall be, make up one body. All Christ’s sheep will have one sheepfold, so that there is an invisible union, where there cannot be a visible one.
4. Some are of this union both visibly and invisibly, externally and internally, and in appearance. Now such only who in both ways of this unity enjoy God are indeed members of Christ and receive benefit by Him. But the others are only in name and title, like a withered branch in a tree, or an artificial eye or leg, which, though joined to the body, yet receives no life or nourishment thereof. Think it not therefore enough to be of this unity; many have gloried and rested on this, that they are of such and such a church, yet their condemnation is greater than those of Sodom and Gomorrah.
5. This unity, therefore, when it is true and advantageous, does first terminate on Christ, and then descends to others. Hence it is added, “that they may be one in us.” There must be first a unity with Christ the Head, and then it extends to other members…This is to be looked upon as the foundation and cause of all. There must be first an incorporating into Christ. “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1Co 6:17).
6. This visible union is not interrupted in some effects of it by distance of place. For in regard to prayer, there everyone is remembered when the church is prayed for. The poor Christian who cannot pray for himself yet has the prayers of the whole church of God. What a comfortable refreshing this should be to every godly soul!
Use of exhortation: To lay to heart more the divisions, differences, and breaches that are among the godly. Learn of Christ here to be affected with the unity of the church. Again and again, He commended peace to them. We are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. God is the God of peace, the gospel is the gospel of peace, believers are called the children of peace. Take heed of being a Jonah in this ship; let not your pride, your conceits, your discontents make you tear and rend the church. (May Jerusalem be “as a city that is compact together” (Psa 122:3)!
How often Christians have wasted their strength in contending against their brethren, instead of contending against sin and the devil! How repeatedly they have given occasion to the world to say, “When you have settled your own internal differences, we will believe!” All this, we need not doubt, the Lord Jesus foresaw with prophetic eye. It was the foresight of it which made Him pray so earnestly that believers might be “one. —J. C. Ryle
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