Unity "in" Christ

*Light* · October 23, 2018

I and my Father are one. (John 10:30)

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 17:22-23)

Does John 10:30 teach us that Jesus did NOT claim to be Deity when proclaimed that He and His Father are ONE -- because we may also be ONE "even as" they are ONE? Why are there so many doctrinal disagreements within the Body of Christ if the Holy Spirit dwells in all genuine believers who possess the Truth?

Jesus could not make the statement He made in John 10:30 if He were not God -- which the gospel of John makes crystal clear from the very first verses:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:1-5)

It is folly to discuss the Bible with unbelievers (unless they are truly seeking for salvation) or even with wayward believers involved in cult-like organizations, because such people have no respect for the Bible's authority (1 Cor.1:18; 2:14-15). Presenting them with the correct meaning of a Bible verse is liking placing a pearl before an angry hog. The word "one" is the numeral in Greek as in English, but as in English what it means has to be determined by the context. In Hebrew, adopted by the New Testament, God being "one" means God being "unique", and does not mean that Jesus and the Father are the same Person. As believers, we have come to "share in the divine essence" (2 Pet.1:4) because of our unity with Christ -- but we are NOT God. So our unity has to be different in quality and scale than that of the Trinity. The Trinity have never had an argument -- because they are perfectly aligned in their will even though God is three in person. Human beings are different and there have never been two human beings who have agreed on absolutely everything. Our unity as believers has to do with us "fighting on the same team", putting each other first before ourselves, and striving to do all we can to see that the whole team is successful "as one" by helping each other out through our spiritual gifts and ministries (cf. Ps. 133:1; Acts 2:44-45; 4:32; Rom. 12:16; 1 Cor. 1:10; 10:16-17; 12:4-11,27; Eph. 2:22; 4:13,16,25; Phil. 1:27; 4:14; Col. 3:15; Heb. 10:24-25)

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith [goal], and of the knowledge (epignosis) of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

[verse 13] "unity" = enotes. Literally, "oneness", here Paul uses this word to refer to the goal as collective growth, a theme near and dear to Paul's heart and returned to in this passage and in many occasions as well at the end where the body of Christ is to "the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love". This is all about spiritual growth if the Body of Christ is functioning properly as it ought to; as Christ Himself being the head as a collective organism whose purpose is to stimulate the growth of all of its parts so that by mutual support in order that all Christians grows up to spiritual maturity, progresses in their walk with Christ, and in turn helps (through the ministries and spiritual gifts and effects given by God) the rest of the Body of Christ to mature as well – ideally (e.g., Rom. 15:5; 1 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:11; Eph. 4:3; Phil. 2:2-4; Col. 3:14; cf. 1 Pet. 3:8-9).

God Bless!