Give Me The Bible, Part Three: "That they may be one...."

Jesus knows He is about to be arrested, tried, and that the people will demand His life. He knows that the testimony used to condemn Him would be from false witnesses whose stories won't even agree. He knows that He will be mocked, beaten, and spat upon, that He will have a crown of thorns put on His head, nails driven into His wrists and feet, that He will die on the cross.

He knows all of this as He goes to God in prayer. It would be an understatement to say that He was "worried." We cannot begin to imagine the anguish and anxiety. Despite all these things weighing upon Him, He prays for us.

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 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 loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17.20-23.

That is how much He loves us. Though facing the worse death man has devised, He prayed for us, His future followers. What did He pray for, though? That we would be united so that the world would believe that God had sent Him.

Paul by inspiration of the Holy Ghost expressed the need for unity. "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 4.4-6. We have one Lord and He purchased one body. God desires that we be one. Christ prayed for it. Paul wrote about it. Are we working towards it?

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" I Corinthians 1.10-13. When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he told them that they should speak the same thing and have no divisions. The religious world today certainly does not follow this teaching. "Followers of Christ" proclaim numerous doctrines, a majority of which are contradictory to the teachings of another group down the street. Congregations are founded upon the teachings of men. Is this not exactly what the Corinthians were reproved for?

With so many diverse people in the world, how can we possibly achieve the unity Paul called for? Isn't it impossible? It is very achievable, if all of us who want to follow Christ would "deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16.24. If we would set aside everything but our desire to serve our Lord and Savior, we could achieve harmony. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to unto the Father, but by me." John 14.6. We can only find salvation in Christ. So, let's use His word and His word only!

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge to him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." II Peter 1.3-4. Everything we need to know for life and godliness, He has given to us. He's warned us not to add to or subtract from it (Revelation 22.18-19). If we would follow the commands given to us in the New Testament, the covenant Christ died to bring to us, without taking away from them or adding traditions of men (Matthew 15.7-9), we would be united and sure that Heaven would be our home.

Reject manmade doctrines, creeds, traditions, and rules! Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him and Him alone. Be able to say without a doubt that Heaven will be your home because you are doing things God's way.

Give me the Bible.