Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Jn 17:20-23
The question that came up for me in reading this scripture was, "Do I see myself as one with Christ?"....Where His thoughts are my thoughts, His love my love, His words my word, His actions my actions. Jesus said that I am in Him and He is in me and that the works that He does I will do too. Do I see this? When I reach out to someone do I see and feel His love flowing through me to bring healing, peace and rest?
Jesus prayed that we would be one, even as He is one with the Father. This is unity. One is the only number that is not divisible, except by itself. Am I divisible from Christ? Do I hold to any teaching or opinion that is in opposition to Him? Do I have any negative emotions that are not Christlike nor bring Him glory? Do I show forth His character or humility, love and grace or do I bring division and control or manipulation because of my strong opinions? I thing that these are good questions for those of us who follow Christ to ask.
Do I see myself as one body? There is so much division in the body of Christ yet the Holy Trinity are one. They function as one. God the Father as the creative mind, Jesus the Son as the creative word and the Holy Spirit as the creative power. This is why they do not act independently of each other. This is why unity is so important to the Godhead because unity is their very nature and essence. Right from Creation, we hear God say, "Let US make.." And we see the picture of the Holy Spirit brooding, waiting for God to speak. We know from scripture that the Holy Spirit can read the mind of God. If He wanted to act independently, He could have said, "I know what you are thinking" and He could have created the substance God was thinking about. He didn't! He waited for God to speak the Word and then brought it into being. Clearly the Holy Trinity in operation together in the opening pages of the Word.
Jesus purposely demonstrated this unity in His ministry on earth. He very succinctly stated that He only did and said what He saw His Father doing. Jesus only began His powerful ministry after being filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism; even though He was fully the Son of God.
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matt 3:16-17
Once again, this show us the Trinity at work together. Jesus was also obedient to the Spirit who lead Him into the wilderness to be tested by satan. Scripture tells us after this time of testing, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit. He conquered temptation of the flesh. He conquered sin. He was victorious over rejection. He was victorious over sickness, demons and nature.
If we are one with Him, we should be in perfect unity with the Holy Spirit, obedient to do what He tells us, even as Jesus listened to do the Father's will by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, we are clay vessels and wounded souls and we so easily take up offences. satan seeks to divide and bring disharmony which is totally opposed to the essence of unity of the spirit. This is why the bible continually teaches on the aspect of peace and unity, which involves our actively being full of grace
and forgiveness.
Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. Col 3: 12-13
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. Eph 4: 1-6
Interestingly Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, finishes the discourse of keeping the unity, with a series of "one" statements. One Body, One Spirit, one hope, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all. I think the concept of being one and moving as one is most important to the Godhead. If we are keeping in the Holy Spirit, and constantly checking if we have grieved Him in anyway, we have more chance of being "in unity" being empowered by the Spirit to put on love and be gracious with each other. Unity is totally opposite to what our current world view teaches us. We just need to look at the politicians for a worldly example. Christ calls us as the body to act according to His Kingdom principles, as hard as we struggle to obey, He can and will help us to change.
Lastly, I have heard people say that we shouldn't allow ourselves to be walked all over just because we are Christians. Maybe I will let scripture answer this one for me.
For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favour with God. For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for
you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed. For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 1 Pet 2:20-25
Offences will come but how we deal with those offences is of utmost importance. Jesus never retaliated, never considered it His right to get even. He trusted all to God. Jesus promised in Matthew 18 that offences will come. Interestingly the word offence means a "snare" like an animal trap. This is how satan works, trapping people to take up offences and the picture I get, is that the person who takes up an offence is caught in the torment of pain and struggle if he doesn't forgive and let it go. He stays trapped and will rehearse that offence over and over, causing more hurt as it literally eats him alive.
There is a time for confronting someone who has sinned against you but it must be done in the biblical manner and always in the spirit of humility, grace and reconciliation.
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established." Matt 18:15-16
Notice that this passage of scripture does not say that we must first rehash our hurt to all family and friends. Every time we re-live the offence, the worse it becomes and the more torment it brings. The specific instruction from our Lord is that we sort it out with the person first and only take witnesses if reconciliation fails.
God wants us to live in unity. When "stuff" happens, He is more interested in the outcome of reconciliation between us, so much so, that He would prefer us not to be in church offering any gift to Him until the rift is healed.
But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. Matt 5:22-23
Carrying offences is not worth the torment and the destruction it brings to our soul. This is definitely an opening where demonic activity can be prevalent in our soul. We need to walk in forgiveness. As Jesus warned offences will come, but WOE to the one who brings the offence. We cannot be a stumbling block to others nor can we afford to pick up a stumbling block. The burden is too heavy to carry.
The question that came up for me in reading this scripture was, "Do I see myself as one with Christ?"....Where His thoughts are my thoughts, His love my love, His words my word, His actions my actions. Jesus said that I am in Him and He is in me and that the works that He does I will do too. Do I see this? When I reach out to someone do I see and feel His love flowing through me to bring healing, peace and rest?
Jesus prayed that we would be one, even as He is one with the Father. This is unity. One is the only number that is not divisible, except by itself. Am I divisible from Christ? Do I hold to any teaching or opinion that is in opposition to Him? Do I have any negative emotions that are not Christlike nor bring Him glory? Do I show forth His character or humility, love and grace or do I bring division and control or manipulation because of my strong opinions? I thing that these are good questions for those of us who follow Christ to ask.
Do I see myself as one body? There is so much division in the body of Christ yet the Holy Trinity are one. They function as one. God the Father as the creative mind, Jesus the Son as the creative word and the Holy Spirit as the creative power. This is why they do not act independently of each other. This is why unity is so important to the Godhead because unity is their very nature and essence. Right from Creation, we hear God say, "Let US make.." And we see the picture of the Holy Spirit brooding, waiting for God to speak. We know from scripture that the Holy Spirit can read the mind of God. If He wanted to act independently, He could have said, "I know what you are thinking" and He could have created the substance God was thinking about. He didn't! He waited for God to speak the Word and then brought it into being. Clearly the Holy Trinity in operation together in the opening pages of the Word.
Jesus purposely demonstrated this unity in His ministry on earth. He very succinctly stated that He only did and said what He saw His Father doing. Jesus only began His powerful ministry after being filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism; even though He was fully the Son of God.
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matt 3:16-17
Once again, this show us the Trinity at work together. Jesus was also obedient to the Spirit who lead Him into the wilderness to be tested by satan. Scripture tells us after this time of testing, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit. He conquered temptation of the flesh. He conquered sin. He was victorious over rejection. He was victorious over sickness, demons and nature.
If we are one with Him, we should be in perfect unity with the Holy Spirit, obedient to do what He tells us, even as Jesus listened to do the Father's will by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, we are clay vessels and wounded souls and we so easily take up offences. satan seeks to divide and bring disharmony which is totally opposed to the essence of unity of the spirit. This is why the bible continually teaches on the aspect of peace and unity, which involves our actively being full of grace
and forgiveness.
Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. Col 3: 12-13
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. Eph 4: 1-6
Interestingly Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, finishes the discourse of keeping the unity, with a series of "one" statements. One Body, One Spirit, one hope, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all. I think the concept of being one and moving as one is most important to the Godhead. If we are keeping in the Holy Spirit, and constantly checking if we have grieved Him in anyway, we have more chance of being "in unity" being empowered by the Spirit to put on love and be gracious with each other. Unity is totally opposite to what our current world view teaches us. We just need to look at the politicians for a worldly example. Christ calls us as the body to act according to His Kingdom principles, as hard as we struggle to obey, He can and will help us to change.
Lastly, I have heard people say that we shouldn't allow ourselves to be walked all over just because we are Christians. Maybe I will let scripture answer this one for me.
For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favour with God. For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for
you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed. For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 1 Pet 2:20-25
Offences will come but how we deal with those offences is of utmost importance. Jesus never retaliated, never considered it His right to get even. He trusted all to God. Jesus promised in Matthew 18 that offences will come. Interestingly the word offence means a "snare" like an animal trap. This is how satan works, trapping people to take up offences and the picture I get, is that the person who takes up an offence is caught in the torment of pain and struggle if he doesn't forgive and let it go. He stays trapped and will rehearse that offence over and over, causing more hurt as it literally eats him alive.
There is a time for confronting someone who has sinned against you but it must be done in the biblical manner and always in the spirit of humility, grace and reconciliation.
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established." Matt 18:15-16
Notice that this passage of scripture does not say that we must first rehash our hurt to all family and friends. Every time we re-live the offence, the worse it becomes and the more torment it brings. The specific instruction from our Lord is that we sort it out with the person first and only take witnesses if reconciliation fails.
God wants us to live in unity. When "stuff" happens, He is more interested in the outcome of reconciliation between us, so much so, that He would prefer us not to be in church offering any gift to Him until the rift is healed.
But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. Matt 5:22-23
Carrying offences is not worth the torment and the destruction it brings to our soul. This is definitely an opening where demonic activity can be prevalent in our soul. We need to walk in forgiveness. As Jesus warned offences will come, but WOE to the one who brings the offence. We cannot be a stumbling block to others nor can we afford to pick up a stumbling block. The burden is too heavy to carry.
