²² “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one…”

Goal-oriented, God’s desire is for we believers to be unified. But it brings no glory to God if our unity means watering down of the truth. The modern ecumenical movement (more prevalent among theologically liberal-minded churches) seeks common ground on the essentials of religious faith: “Don’t focus on what divides us, but on what unites us.” The problem with that effort is that it reduces all religions to the lowest common denominator, where the only thing that matters is “faith” in some sort of spiritual sense. Even then, the issue is not “what” you believe, but simply “that” you believe. The object of your faith is irrelevant to unity. Why cannot all religions agree to that, we are asked?

Followers of Jesus (as presented in the Bible) will never be able to have unity with other religions. Jesus Himself did not allow for that option in the same conversation in the Upper Room. He said earlier, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). By His own words, He puts off all other ways of spirituality outside of the path to God. No other path leads to Truth and Life. His statement does not go over well in our pluralistic, multi-religion society. Never has, never will. But true believers are called to follow Him, not to bend to humanistic pressures.

Jesus, when speaking of unity, was not speaking about “Christendom” in general but about true disciples of His, genuine believers. Through history and even into our present times, many “religions” self-identify as “Christian” yet deny the Lord’s teachings about Himself and deny His deity. Denominations abound that even deny the unique authority of Scripture, and teach notions completely foreign to what Jesus and His apostles taught, yet hold onto the name “Christian” as a means of referring to their religious “tradition.” These can hardly be included in the ones Jesus had in mind when He spoke of unity.

Further, even among true Christians, Jesus was not suggesting that we dilute our doctrinal differences or treat them as being unimportant. Remember He also said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). We dare not enslave ourselves to that which is false by minimizing truth in the quest for unity. No, we absolutely dare not. Having said that, unity must still be sought in the midst of our diversity, without watering down the truth. That is God’s glory and that is what will impact our evangelistic outreach.

Lord, help me be firm in the truth, but gracious in unity toward those with whom I disagree.