UNITY

Sharron I Scott

May 31, 2012

My spirit keeps returning to John 17:23. I find comfort there as opposed to the next chapter when Jesus is taken prisoner (John 18). It's so hard to read again, even though I have read it thousands of times.

Jesus says in verse 23 “May they be brought to “complete Unity,” Unity is what Jesus and God have. They are one. All decisions are made in harmony with a common goal. No dissension. Jesus is asking that the Body of His followers (I don’t use “believers” here) be “brought to” complete Unity with Jesus, the Father, and each other. Not individually, but collectively. That indicates a journey that we cannot make on our own. If we could achieve Unity without God, we wouldn't need Jesus. Certainly we have not yet arrived.

Division of purpose, even interpretation of the Word, has kept us apart. We say we seek Unity, but who among us will sacrifice their opinions? Unity indicates a “oneness”. For that we ALL need to surrender pride and ego. The enemy is very successful with denominationalism. Those calling themselves the “One True Faith” (two denominations from my past experience immediately come to mind) believe that all others are excluded from salvation. We are so wrapped up in “converting others” to our “One True Faith” that we do not love unconditionally. We feel that if we can baptize them “into” our Faith, we have removed them from “wrong thinking”.

We cannot baptize into Unity. We cannot take ourselves there. If that were so, Jesus would have said “will go to” instead of “be brought to”. We can only arrive at Unity by being “in Christ”. What does that look like? Being one with Christ, in communion with Him, in intimate relationship with Him; where there is no ego, no self, no confusion, and no false humility. It is to “know the Master’s business”. To be in Christ is to be filled with His Holy Spirit. All worldly concerns are set aside. We focus on love, worship and serving. It is not the HOW of it, but the DOING. Unity is absolutely unattainable for us if we seek it in and of ourselves; it is only ours if we see Christ. In Christ alone we will find it. Looking for Jesus in others, and shedding all else is the only way.

Do we find ourselves asking “How are they dressed? Are they clean? Do they speak in tongues? Do they sit or stand when they should? Do they pray silently? Do they worship my way, as and when I do? Do they exercise? Do they eat right? Do they treat others well? Do they drink, smoke, take drugs?” None of these things matter! Not in Unity. These are God’s business, not ours. Our business is to seek Christ first in ourselves and then in others. Anything beyond that is our own path to “conformity,” and NOT God’s Unity.

Leave to God the work of polishing us. I search for a glimmer of the heart of Jesus in each person’s eyes. That is all. First, Jesus. Past that, I introduce each of His beloved to who they really are in Heaven (as the Spirit reveals to me), shed of this world. I show them the road they don’t yet see. For aside from Jesus, there is no life—only conformity to the world manufactured and manipulated by the enemy; a distraction from our true purpose-- the purpose of Unity with God.

Seeking Unity in Jesus gives freedom. All judgment is the responsibility of the Father alone (aren’t we glad!?). If we look into each person and see Jesus, as opposed to looking AT each person for conformity, we go directly to the Source. I see a cord within each soul, with a beginning and an end. If I reach in and grab on to the beginning, and another member of the Body grabs the end, the cord is strengthened. It is continuous, and leads to the heart of the Father. It is our Lifeline to Christ. Seek Him alone.

It is because of the Glory of Jesus that we can be brought to Unity. His glory, as He has given it to us, brings Unity (John 17:22). Seek His glory within yourself and in others. There we will find Him. And there we will be brought to Unity. Thus, the Body will grow, be fortified and made mighty, not because of our strength, but with the collective heart of Jesus. No enemy shall pass through, or even survive proximity. It is only there, in that place, we will see the Face of God.