There are infinite subjects to study and all the Word of God is good - however the subject of unity isn't often brought up. Being scripture makes us know that the unity of the Church is amongst the highest of priorities to God - then I will not ignore this directive of scripture. I am going to attempt to take the entire Bible and identify that which is the absolutely most important directives - or what God really wants from us. There are infinite distractions mostly created by our own efforts. Meaning we search the scriptures in an honest attempt to learn about God and what He wants from us. That is all good. Except for the tendency to find a set of scriptures that form a particular ideology. For example "Once saved always saved" - "Predestination" - "Name it and claim it" and the such like.

Certain ideologies that focus on particular sets of scripture verses tend to be out of balance with the entirety of scripture. For example ideologies that teach grace is a license to remain a sinner - we can't be perfect and God will forgive us anyway - so we completely ignore the overwhelming balance of teachings that plainly say we need to pursue sanctification, righteousness and holiness. In spite of teachings that plainly say "They that do such things" such as sinning - these words "They shall not inherit the Kingdom of God" - get completely ignored.

There are thousands of 'churches' which then becomes a clear witness that there are thousands of opinions on what scripture teaches. This is the hardest issue to deal with because religious people, groups, organizations, and institutions are all sidestepping to one degree or another the very heart of God. Before moving on let me go ahead and identify the very core reason of why God created mankind to begin with and then as I go along and then I'll explain and add substance to this truth.

We have our Bibles which contains sixty six books and in total contains tens of thousands of words so there is an obvious challenge to boiling all that down into a single idea that represents the very heart of God. Honestly without God being active in getting His plans fulfilled we would be left to our own resources and intellect. That intellect and human tenancies would be very pleased with our own understanding of scripture and we would park on our personal mountains to die. Hence the current state of thousands of denominational mountains.

Can thousands of individual churches really be representative of One God? Or do thousands of churches represent thousands of well meaning opinions, dogmas, and shortsighted ideologies? Well to answer these questions I'm going to start off with Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane and identify this as the prime directive.

The Very Heart of God - That We All May Be One

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:21-23

Jesus whom John described as being "in the bosom of God" or as close to God's heart as is possible uses the term "one" five times in three verses. But within the context of "that they may" indicating a desire - 'that they may'. A desire being spoken in Jesus' prayer indicating a directive. A desire 'that they may' pursue and find oneness with God. A oneness that culminates in perfection. Not because we are perfect but rather because God is perfect and He loves us enough to invite us into His perfection and share a union with Him. This is marriage language and this is why the Church is described as His Bride.

My mind is just spinning trying to wrap my brain around what that all means. To pursue and find a oneness with God that culminates with perfection. That is a God sized massively humongous huge directive and that is probably why we bypass it. Our human minds focusing on human possibilities see the absolute impossibility of even becoming humanly perfect never mind being one with God perfection. Forget that - I'm sure I'm reading that wrong let me just deal with whether or not I should eat pork - that's more my speed.

It is exactly and precisely because of the impossibility of that directive that God is up to that challenge and to God be all the glory when "That they may" becomes the reality 'that they are' and then Jesus' prayer is fulfilled - "that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

The total impossibility of attaining any sort of perfection never mind a union with God is only possible exactly because of God's love. When you know God loves you just as much as God loved Jesus - that God sized love makes all things possible.

So what makes me think Jesus' prayer represents the universal and prime directive for His Church? I'm always glad when you ask such good questions and that deserves a good answer. As is my habit I tend to take a step back and look at the big picture. In this case we have "In the beginning God" then in the end Paul tells us:

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28

So we are beginning with God and ending with God being not alone but rather being all and in all. That is the parenthesis - God in the beginning - God in the end - with all else in the middle. This is what Jesus prayed - for us in the middle - "that they may" become part of that God in all culmination.

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:21

All that exists is God's doing - One God's doing. Being God is not confused - "For God is not the author of confusion..." 1Co 14:33 Then we must acknowledge that confusion does not originate with God. Wherever misunderstanding, division, and disunity arise, the problem is found on our side of the relationship And it's the misunderstandings that divide and create disunity and the thousands of churches on every corner. Division and disunity is not God's doing. So instead of hunkering down with your favorite dogma - which is fine - but don't ignore the elephant in the room - which is - there is One Body and we should be honoring God and unity of that Body. Which now brings us to the second directive.

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:3-6

Unity does not mean abandoning truth. No one is advocating less of the word of God but rather simply moving towards maturity. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). The unity Christ prayed for is not unity at the expense of truth, but unity produced by truth and sustained by love. A fullness of truth and a fullness of love is the sign of maturity. From there it becomes a matter of abiding and continuing in the truth. Some will and some won't. The choices people make isn't our responsibility but how we treat them is.

Endeavouring means: to make effort, be prompt or earnest. Earnest effort - sincere effort - diligent effort - If we all were making earnest effort to keeping the unity knowing that there is one body (one church), one Lord, God and Father of us all, one faith giving us all one hope - Then do you think that understanding and effort should result in the disunity that exists today? Nope, don't think so. Again the disunity isn't coming from God's end. Someone is not understanding and not obeying directives and that is a sign of immaturity.

Today believers are told "to keep the unity" very much like Adam was told to "keep" the Garden. Both the Church and the Garden are created by God. They are both places God has placed His own. The command to "keep" means: to guard, preserve, watch over, maintain, or keep intact. In other words believers are stewards over what God has created for our benefit. Wanting to step up to become a steward versus just being a church attendee is the call to duty. If Adam was a responsible steward and guarding as he should - how did the beast of the field end up in the Garden? If believers are responsible stewards at 'keeping the unity' - then where did all this division come from? We have many more only pursuing self interests - more that being interested in the welfare of our brothers and sisters and that is what allows the beasts to roam free.

So rather than just be content with our little corner, our own little place in all this - can we just look at the bigger picture and acknowledge that the big picture we are seeing on earth today doesn't look like Christendom is even in unity with each other nonetheless a perfect union with a perfect God. So if we can at least get that and acknowledge that what we see is not God's failure but let's just say 'someone's' failure. Then I can move forward and at least present the path that leads to us all pursuing and finding oneness with God and His perfection.

Having a wish list is one thing but attaining everything on that list is something else. Attaining takes effort. Attaining takes endeavoring. Attaining takes overcoming. Attaining a oneness with God that culminates with perfection takes obedience to the directives. Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane was what He was hoping for - "that they may". Jesus also told us how to attain:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35

Do you know God is not wanting to make anything hard for us? The opposite is true. Our own deceptive hearts and minds like to complicate things. We want hoops and flames of fire to jump through. Why? Because we want to be the star of our own show. We want to show off in a way that makes us look like we are the special ones. Look at what we discovered in the Bible - we have found the way. Well, I don't know about this 'we' business. That all sounds more like Lucifer's list of "I will" statements. You can only get so far before a rude awakening.

Remember I mentioned God is the only One up to the challenge of the impossible? Jesus' command if obeyed is where the impossible becomes possible. Unity is impossible where pride, envying, jealousy, defensiveness, arrogance, and the inability to submit exists. The heart of fallen man is defensive and suspicious filled with fears. But having God in your heart casts out fears and gives us the ability to love.

Babel was a place where mankind was scattered because rebellion was in their hearts so then God confused their language and scattered them. Babel is not forever. Pentecost is the opposite of Babel. Pentecost was an event in which God gathered rather than scattered. Three thousand souls the first day then God added daily to the church such as should be saved. With the infilling of the Holy Ghost the church was given a new language and a new heart filled with love - love that casts out all fears.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

What was impossible for fallen man becomes possible by the power of God dwelling in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Unity is possible because God gave us the tools - Him residing in you enables us to "endeavor to keep the unity." (Eph 4:3) The rubber meets the road though with the preceding verse 2 that tells us how it's done.

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3

That is definitely not Lucifer's list of "I will" - but it is Jesus'. Unity is impossible where flesh rules. Unity is only possible where love rules, period. The door God opened on Pentecost is an invitation to experience the fullness of God the way God designed it. The fullness of God is experienced in a Church where love dominates and the unity is unbreakable. The thing is at this point in time God is not gathering perfect people. He is gathering broken people and in bonding with broken people Ephesians 4:2-3 is God's prescription that heals. Forbearing means putting up with stuff. Love covers a multitude of sins. Loving one another means you don't always have to be right - even if you are. It means - that person is in the body (assuming they actually are) - I must keep - guard, preserve, watch over, maintain, or keep intact - that relationship above all else. That is when healing takes place. Oh yes, this is where miracles take place and the impossible becomes possible.

Personal responsibility to become stewards of the gifts God has wrought. Your brothers and sisters are the gifts - repeat after me - so and so is a gift God has given to me. Oneness with God leading to perfection involves loving so and so.

As much as lies within you - my hope is this information is tugging on your heart. Doing right by all the great things God has done requires a willingness to "keep" as a steward. There is one God and He created one body - a unified body in Him. Getting into that unified body comes with a prayer by Jesus "that they may". Attaining requires us to obey the command to love one another. Can we be made one with people we don't love? Love everybody and let God sort them out.

It is easy for all of us to become so focused on our favorite doctrines and positions that we lose sight of the greater directive of loving one another and keeping the unity of the Spirit. While many focusing on their favorite doctrines and dogmas and vying for their positions as experts, teachers, prophets and apostles - if their prime directive is not keeping "the unity of the Spirit" - then we should question what spirit are they keeping?

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:20-21

...If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect... 1 John 4:16-17

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:23

If I were to break all this down and summarize into a basic outline this would be it:

Love is the command.
Unity is the result.
Oneness with God is the destination.

Just to be clear in what I'm saying - God's goal is to ultimately bring all together into an eternal union - that is His invitation to all. We respond to that invitation by loving one another and with as much as lies within us we are to keep that unity as a primary directive. That becomes a personal way of life. We are not responsible for the whole Kingdom nor the whole Body. We are only responsible for our own lives and the ones that cross our paths. Perfection becomes possible in love. First God's love towards you - then your love towards others. As long as love keeps moving forward eventually God who is Love will be all and in all.

Tying everything together to demonstrate the cohesiveness of scripture we need to realize the idea of unity or bringing together starts at the very beginning. What follows now is more reflective so we can just absorb and digest the fullness of God.

The Gathering Heart of God

If there is one thing that becomes increasingly obvious as we read scripture from beginning to end, it is that God is continually gathering together what sin has scattered apart. Most people think of salvation as simply escaping judgment or going to heaven. While those are certainly blessings, the larger picture is that God is restoring union. Sin divides. God reconciles. Sin scatters. God gathers. Sin separates. God joins together. This pattern begins in the very first chapters of Genesis.

The First Union

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone... Genesis 2:18 And they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:24

Before there was a nation, a church, a covenant, or even a commandment, there was union. Adam and Eve were created to live in union with God and in union with one another. The first picture we are given is not separation but oneness. God Himself declared that it was not good for man to be alone. The first marriage becomes a prophetic picture of God's ultimate purpose - many becoming one.

The First Division

Sin did not merely bring death. It brought division. Adam and Eve hid from God. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. Soon Cain killed Abel.

The very first effects of sin were separation and division. Man became separated from God, separated from one another, and even divided within himself. The story of scripture from that point forward becomes the story of God repairing what sin broke.

The Gathering of Israel

When God called Abraham, He was not merely selecting one man. He was beginning a work of gathering.

Now the LORD had said unto Abram... in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

When Israel was gathered from among the nations God established:

One covenant. One tabernacle. One priesthood. One God.

Even in the Old Testament God was teaching the lesson of oneness.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD. Deuteronomy 6:4

The Gathering Shepherd

When Jesus arrived, He described Himself as a Shepherd gathering sheep.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring... and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:16

Notice His language:

Not two flocks. Not many flocks. One flock. One Shepherd.

Jesus was already looking beyond every earthly distinction toward a united people gathered under Himself.

Babel and Pentecost

One of the clearest pictures of division and restoration can be found in Babel and Pentecost. At Babel mankind united in rebellion. God scattered them by confusing their language.

So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:8

At Pentecost God began gathering people back together. The Spirit was poured out. The gospel was heard by people from many nations. Three thousand souls were added in one day. The Church was born.

Babel scattered. Pentecost gathered. One was the result of pride. The other was the result of God's grace.

The One Body

The Apostle Paul continually returns to this theme.

For as we have many members in one body... Romans 12:4

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. 1 Corinthians 12:1

There is one body, and one Spirit... One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Ephesians 4:4-5

The Church is not many bodies trying to become one or ultimately becoming one in heaven. The Church was created as one body - but it has many members needing to learning how to live like it. That is why believers are told to keep the unity of the Spirit rather than create it. God has already created it. Our responsibility is to guard it

.

The Final Gathering

The Bible ends exactly where God's purpose has always been heading.

John sees one Bride.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2

He sees one throne.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life... proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1

Most importantly, he hears God's final declaration.

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. Revelation 21:3

The story ends with God dwelling among His people.

No separation. No division. No fear. No death. No walls. Only union.

The Great Purpose

When we step back and view the whole Bible, a pattern emerges.

God gathers what sin scatters. God joins what sin divides. God heals what sin wounds. God restores what sin destroys.

The command to love one another is not merely a moral instruction. Keeping the unity of the Spirit is not merely good church practice. Both are participation in the very purpose of God.

Love is the command. Unity is the result. Oneness with God is the destination.

And when all things are finally complete, God shall indeed be all in all.