Based on John 17:20-23 (King James Version)
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, 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. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
In this passage, we see the part of the Lord’s prayer that goes directly to us, to those of us that have come to faith in Christ after the Apostles (this does not apply to those that continue being unconverted, because the Holy Spirit is the link that unites us). What we see here is something quite simple, but at the same time complex because there are a lot of misunderstandings. So then, to be able to understand this concept, we need to clarify the misunderstandings. And as always, we can never hold opinions as truth, nor take a Bible passage as doctrine without seeing its compliment in different parts of the Scriptures, because the Bible compliments itself within itself (there are no controversies in the Holy Scriptures).
Love is the most important thing that needs to be present so that there can be true unity. You can’t do anything without love. The Word teaches us the following: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” 1 John 4:7-12. And the Word goes even deeper in that, if we hate our brother, we then have a serious a problem with God, for it is written: “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:15.
Now then, does loving our brother or sister in Christ mean that we have to do whatever they want? Absolutely not, and here is where we get to our first misunderstanding, the issue of understanding what love means (because the majority of people don’t know). The Bible teaches us that the following is love: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. For there to be true love, then it must be based on Biblical principles. Because in the end, God is love, so God teaches us what is love; and it’s not whatever we want it to be. Therefore, if there isn’t a complete understanding of the Scriptures, the full counsel of God, then a person is simply not equipped (per se) to love, because they will be led by their opinion, by whatever they feel. To be able to at least give some direction (because it takes time to search the Scriptures), we would really need to understand the passage we just read, which goes completely against what our society teaches as love. Our society teaches that we need to let people be as they wish, and yes, that is true. Each person has the ability of free will. But also, that does not mean that we need to support what is evil, because we just saw that love cannot rejoice in iniquity, but rather, rejoices in the “Truth”. So, is it love for two people of the same sex to have a relationship? Of course not, because it goes against what the Scriptures teach. Do we need to attack them? Of course not. They will give an account for what they do, if they don’t look for the Lord. But at the same time, we cannot support nor say that it is good, and least of all, say that it is love.
Now then, is love then giving in to everything a person desires to do? Absolutely not and under no circumstances. If something is good according to the Word of God, then by all means. But, if what they desire is wrong or evil, then, of course not, because God Himself does not do that with us. God does not give us everything we want, but rather, what we need, and here is where we disagree with much of what society teaches as well. God is not in the business of spoiling. The devil is who promotes that, and that’s why everything he offers is so attractive, because he offers to do whatever you want. What’s wrong with doing everything we feel like doing? Simple. Sin is still living within our members, despite us having come to Christ. So, how can we just let loose something that produces death (because that is what sin produces)? Therefore, fulfilling whims and aiding selfishness (because love: “does not seek its own”) is not the will of God.
The Bible also teaches us this: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:7-10. So, the unity among the people of God consists in doing “good”, and not in something else. And “good” can only be things that are in agreement with what the Bible teaches. So then, good does not necessarily consist of fulfilling whims, spoiling, accepting abuse, supporting evil, fostering disorder, succumbing to deceit, etc. In summary, good neither consists in, nor can support, and least of all, promote under any circumstances sin. That’s why good cannot be something subjective, or based on personal opinion, but rather, it must be founded objectively on the Word of God.
Therefore, both good and love are things that can only be learned (because we are not born knowing them) by what the Holy Spirit teaches (because it cannot be learned intellectually) through the Word of God. The way we can assure our unity, just as the Lord prayed for, which shows the work of God in Jesus Christ, is through this simple concept: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12.
So then, are you procuring to promote unity among the people of God through the love and good that the Lord teaches? Lord bless! John