Thoughts on Unity and John 17, Part 1
ell, I finally am getting around to sitting down to write some of my own thoughts on this topic. Thank you to all of you who contributed such insightful comments in response to my question.
Much of what I would like to say has been said in one form or another in the comments that were posted previously. This has the net effect of letting me know ahead of time that my thoughts won’t be overly controversial to everyone in the discussion! 
But seriously, it is refreshing to see such thought being given to this topic. I likely will not address everything that was written in the comments, but they are there for you to read for yourself. Instead, I want to share my thoughts, some of which will overlap the thoughts of others.
It is easy, I think, for us to agree that whatever Jesus meant when he prayed for our unity, we’re not fulfilling it. I don’t think I’ve ever come across anyone who says that the body of Christ is experiencing unity at the level that Jesus prayed for. Part of this is because we don’t even agree on what the unity is supposed to look like!
Some options of interpretation that I have come across in my time of examining this passage include:
- Unity = Unanimity — Unity can only come when we fully agree on everything that is believed, practiced, taught, etc.
- Unity = Consensus — Unity means that we “agree to disagree”
- Unity = Anything Goes — Unity means that every person’s belief is valid, and we should never “debate” or try to convince others of our viewpoints
- Unity = Eschatological Perfection — The unity that Jesus prayed for is only possible, and will only exist, when Jesus returns and we are made perfect.
With that in mind, I posed the question, “What is the unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17 and is it primarily (or even solely) eschatological in nature?”
Let me first of all give my thoughts on the eschatology aspect of the question. I think determining the eschatological import (if any) helps us determine what the unity actually is. It also impacts what we believe to be our responsibility toward the unity in question.
In other words, if the unity is primarily (or solely) eschatological, we can easily assume that it is not attainable in this lifetime, and we will generally feel like it’s not even worth trying. If, however, the unity is a present possibility and reality, we will understand our own response to the prayer of Jesus.
As some have already commented, I do not believe that the unity for which Jesus prayed is eschatological. Eschatological unity is almost a given. Why would Jesus take the time to pray for what is essentially a guaranteed part of the future kingdom?
But more importantly, the words of Jesus in John 17 give us ample evidence that eschatology is not in view during this prayer. Verse 21 tells us specifically that the prayer of Jesus for unity is for this purpose: “…so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
Verse 23 expands on this by saying that the purpose of the unity is “…so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”
In my opinion, these two statements of purpose that Jesus gave for his prayer for unity remove any eschatological implication from the prayer. The purpose of the unity is to demonstrate to the world that God sent Jesus and that God loves us.
If this is correct (and obviously, I believe it is), then this greatly impacts our understanding of what that unity is and whether or not we should actively be pursuing it. Since it is not a future unity (any eschatological implications must come from outside the text), there must be a present unity for which Jesus prayed.
Within this prayer, Jesus gives some indication as to what the unity should be. Namely, it should be a mirror of the unity that Jesus and the Father share. He compares the unity of us with his unity with the Father in verse 21:
…they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us….
Would we say that the unity of Jesus and the Father is manifest in “you go your way and I’ll go mine and we won’t bother each other”? Yet this is frequently what ends up happening among Christians.
You believe in infant baptism? Then I can’t fellowship with you. You believe in speaking in tongues? You’ll have to have church across town. You believe that the Genesis account of creation is metaphorical? I have nothing in common with you.
This cannot be what Jesus prayed for.
And with that, I will have to hold off on the rest of my thoughts because I am out of time. Comments are open, and I will return with a further post at some point.
Until next time,
steve 
October 9th, 2007 15:03
A good summary… and convicting as well.
October 9th, 2007 18:17
Steve,
Great job. I agree with the conclusion that you have drawn from this passage. The implications are of course very dangerous. Of course, if I follow these implications, the next important questions is, “What do I do with these people who do not agree with my understanding of the Genesis account?”
I won’t answer that here… but I think it is very important for us to think about.
Great post.
Lew
The Pursuit Online Store
October 10th, 2007 07:57
Sarah, thanks. I hope it wasn’t too convicting
Lew, that’s a great question. I hope to deal with that in my second part coming up.
October 10th, 2007 11:30
I think you are dead on that it isn’t a “you go your way; I’ll go mine” thing. But I have a question… I see the unity as being a unity in Jesus. It is a unity that develops when we all fix our eyes on Jesus, knowing Him (as a person and not as a theological fact), and unite around Who He Is. So, in that it is unanimity of a sort, but it doesn’t mean that we all agree on every aspect. So, I’m not sure that this unity, my thoughts, fit into any of your four categories. Do they? Did I try to comment too briefly to tell?
October 10th, 2007 11:32
Lew, in answer to your question, I think you come to the point where “your” answer to the Genesis account and other things aren’t important. What’s important is Jesus and introducing people to HIm..
October 10th, 2007 19:36
ummmm…Jesus said, “When you pray, pray like this, ‘OUR Father…’” What does that suggest about our unity?
October 10th, 2007 19:36
Thanks for the post Steve. One thing I just noticed which may be of some interest. The request for unity is centered in our being in the Father and the Son. In other words it’s not just that our oneness will be like the Father’s oneness with the Son but also that just as the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son we may be one by being in the Father and the Son.
What difference does that make? I suppose it speaks to how the prayer might be answered. The goal is not to settle all of our differences but to be in the Father and the Son.
October 10th, 2007 23:04
I think Craig V. is onto something. Unity seems to be a by-product of abiding in Christ. Unity can also be a measure of whether or not we are abiding in Christ.
-Alan
October 11th, 2007 01:34
Steve, it is interesting that you would post about this at this time. I have been working on some posts on the same topic. One thing that I have been learning about unity is that it has little or nothing to do with externals such as unanimity or uniformity. I actually believe that from God’s point of view, unity is already accomplished by the believer’s standing in Christ. (I think Brian may have already alluded to this.) The responsibility then lies upon believers to demonstrate to the world what is already a reality.
I believe it boils down to this, unity will only be demonstrated when our one and only goal is the glory of God. If we add any mixture of our own agenda or pride, unity will not be seen.
October 11th, 2007 17:01
Steve,
Great comment.
Bryan said,”It is a unity that develops…”
Far too often we are looking for what we already have in Christ. We are adopted into one family. The unity is already there, but we haven’t appreciated it for what it is. We are still confusing unity for unanimity. We are frustrating a recognition of unity by wanting people to believe EXACTLY what we do.
As Paul declared,”.. by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
If a person is a new creature in Christ, according to Scripture, I am united with him/her, but I may not have unanimity with them on all points. We will need to learn to agree to disagree even though our disagreement is strong on some points.
It would seem that we have assumed that God has not answered His Son’s prayer, or that the answer is for the future.
I am 100% with Gordon on this one.
October 11th, 2007 17:59
Unity is a lot like trying to stack bb’s. No matter how you force them or pile them, they will roll off one another, spilling all over the place.
There must be a unifying container.
Unity, in other words, will never come by focusing on unity. Unity will only come by being “in Christ”. We must each of us abide in Him. I cannot “unify” my neighbor, nor am I ever called to. But I can definitely encourage him in Christ.
October 11th, 2007 19:02
I’m with you, too, Aussie John. Words are important and I should have used a different one.
October 12th, 2007 12:29
I suspect that behind Steve’s question about unity being eschatological, there may be a related and more general question. Is the unity that Jesus is praying for somehow hidden? If it’s eschatological then it’s hidden until Christ comes again. There are, however, other ways it can be hidden. If it’s completely internal based on our relationship with Jesus then we might say it’s invisible. If we go that route, we still have to face Steve’s thoughts on John 17. How can something hidden bring conviction to the world? How can the world see it?
October 13th, 2007 13:45
I like the way David R expresses this. Unity cannot be achieved by a search for unity; unity is achieved by residing in the container that is Christ.
It is a privilege to be hosted by Christ, and I should appreciative enough to defer to my Host’s wishes. Given that He has invited me in knowing full well that I am less than a perfect guest, it’s probably best if I do not argue with His other guests. While He may appreciate my efforts to welcome prospective guests, He’s also told me to love — not just tolerate — the existing ones. If we have differences, we can discuss them or even resolve them as long as we can do so in love. (If we can’t, then we’ve taken it outside.)
But I’m not invited into Christ to address differences. I’m invited in to celebrate the Host. My differences are essentially unimportant to the reason for the invitation. If I make those differences more important than the purpose intended by the Host, then I’m a pretty rude guest.
I suppose I could say my differences simply identify who is not a legitimate fellow guest. But if I did say that, it would be fair to ask me if the invitation extended to me was ever made contingent upon my knowing the correct and complete answers at the time the invitation was extended.
Would we all be better off ignorant of the doctrines that overlay and cohere — or attempt to cohere — scripture? Probably not, because such systems help us to understand, if only as thru a darkened glass, the Host. But we should never lose sight of the first characteristic to grasp: Love one another.
October 14th, 2007 17:43
LORD, may the Body of Christ cry out in one voice for You to make us One as You and the Father are One so the world will see Jesus!
October 14th, 2007 18:27
Amen, George. Your comment warmed my heart.
October 16th, 2007 12:44
Greetings brother
What is unity? If you look up the phrase “in Christ,” it’s in the bible about a million times. Our unity comes primarily through our unity “in Christ.” As Stephen Covey said in his book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” private victories precede public victories. As we become more and more rooted in Christ in our personal lives, the outward assembling of ourselves can be what it should be. Since many of us are scattered throughout the world, and since there are FEW true believers (Matt 7:13) sometimes this can be difficult. The narrow path has few on it. Grace and peace brother~Dave
October 19th, 2007 02:13
Well put, Steve.