It is God's glory that produces the unity for which Jesus prayed, not outward politics. Not Military might. Not strong leadership. John 17:22. The glory which You gave Me I have given them that they may be one just as We are one. That unity with Christ produces perfection and the winning of souls . It does not produce a super-church. Nor a watering down of truth. John 17:23. I in them, You in Me. That they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me...
Jesus kept His group together based on His Name. Not based on strong-arm power-plays. He asks the Father to do the same. John 17:11-12. Keep through Your name those You gave Me... While I was with them, I kept them in Your name.
When the prayer is answered, we will be united, as Christ is united with the Father. If we try to answer a prayer prayed to the Father, we will be united as men unite with men . Very imperfectly. Only God can make us one. The early disciples were already together physically, in one group. He prays that when the Spirit comes they will be made one. One is a totally different idea from together .
John must give way to Paul to show us how the prayer was answered historically. I Corinthians 12:12. As the (human) body is one... so is Christ. By one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body... Paul is not looking to a future time when all the Corinthian factions will be united into one big humongous group of people that can take over the Empire. He asserts that already the Body is one. Jesus' prayer is already answered! And continues to be whenever the Spirit falls on one new member of Christ.
There is a huge difference between striving for unity and recognizing the unity that already exists. The striving, when taken to the wrong extremes, becomes fleshly activity and creates men of renown ruling over "forces" to be reckoned with, challenges to the world's systems... but on the world's level. The recognizing , when viewed through the Spirit, leads to men and women submerged in a deluge of true Power that confounds God's enemies in God's time.
North Korea may be won to Christianity, Medieval style, by a show of "Christian unity," when the floodgates swing open and let the Light in. But North Koreans will be won to Christ only when the Spirit-filled Church hears from God and does His bidding.
There is absolutely no reason to lay down the precious truths of God's Word in order to unite with those who wear Christ's name but do not know Christ. Beware, Christian ministries! Read afresh the story of Jehoshaphat and be wise.
Our Blog
-- recent blog posts -- 09/01/2024 - Pastors Timothy and Titus? 06/29/2024 - What's In a Name? 06/26/2024 - Did Agabus Make a Mistake? 05/20/2024 - Job notes for 5-20-24, Job 3:16-26 05/18/2024 - Job notes for 5-18-24. 3:1-19 05/17/2024 - Job Notes for 5-17-24. Job 2:9-13 05/16/2024 - Job4. Notes for 5-16-24, Job 2:1-8 05/15/2024 - Questions About His Coming 05/15/2024 - Job notes for 5-15-24, 1:13-22 05/14/2024 - Hearing the Truth from God 05/14/2024 - Job notes for 5-14-24, Job 1:6-12 05/13/2024 - Are you one of those...? 05/12/2024 - Job Notes, 5-13-24, Job 1:1-5 01/09/2024 - What is the "New Song"? 12/31/2023 - Encounter with God or entertainment for... 12/26/2023 - Just suppose I marry a pastor... 12/24/2023 - Stand up and shout it! 11/21/2023 - Do you have the HACKBERRY APP? 08/11/2023 - 3rd edition, "The Scroll of Revelation" 06/02/2023 - New book! 01/25/2023 - In Case You Were Wondering... the... 01/25/2023 - The Hackberry Chronicles, Volumes 11... 01/24/2023 - Number 10. The Hackberry Chronicles 01/21/2023 - Another in the Chronicles series,... 01/19/2023 - Volume VIII of Hackberry Chronicles 01/17/2023 - Volume VII now available 01/15/2023 - The Hackberry Chronicles, Volume VI 01/13/2023 - Chronicles, Volume V 01/11/2023 - Volume IV 01/09/2023 - Volume III now available 01/07/2023 - The Hackberry Chronicles, Volume II 01/05/2023 - The Hackberry Chronicles, Volume I 12/30/2022 - Back to work 10/02/2022 - Imminence. Jesus comes at any minute? 08/26/2022 - Why the Church? 08/08/2022 - New Book 06/16/2022 - There's still a MILLENNIUM! 05/26/2022 - AUDIOS and PDF of The OLIVET DISCOURSE 05/08/2022 - NEW BOOK 03/20/2022 - Not all have faith, conclusion to my... 01/29/2022 - Slain in the Spirit? Really? 01/21/2022 - AUDIO UPDATE for HACKBERRY HOUSE 12/11/2021 - The "Scroll of Revelation" (2003)... 10/19/2021 - NEW BOOK! A Study of HEBREWS available... 10/11/2021 - Scary Truth from a "Diet" book 10/05/2021 - Mega church: How many commandments... 10/04/2021 - And finally: STEP 10 for the building... 10/03/2021 - Step 9 in making that GREAT, BIG... 10/01/2021 - Want a huge assembly? Here's step... 09/30/2021 - Step 7 in the building of a... 09/29/2021 - Step 6 for a successful church: Are you... 09/28/2021 - Step 5 in that successful church plant:... 09/27/2021 - The Lord's day? Or the Lord's hour? How... 09/26/2021 - Finest Church in the City: Here's Step... 09/24/2021 - Finest Church in the City! Step 2 on... 09/23/2021 - Finest Church in the City! 09/17/2021 - NEW STUDY on JUDE has begun! Great time... 08/17/2021 - Jesus and Politics? I don't think so... 08/16/2021 - Of Heroes 08/15/2021 - How the Galatians Broke Paul's Heart 08/13/2021 - When Should You Leave Your Church? 08/12/2021 - Come out of the world, worldly... 08/03/2021 - Me 'n music 07/28/2021 - Is the Lord's Prayer still OK, Pope... 07/27/2021 - Tempted? or Tested? 07/26/2021 - Why question the Humanity of Jesus the... 07/25/2021 - Was Jesus truly man? Or, What is the... 07/23/2021 - About my article collection 07/20/2021 - Just askin'... 2. Does it really matter... 07/19/2021 - Bob's You Tube Channel 07/19/2021 - Just Askin': Nakedness at the beach. 07/15/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Conclusion 07/14/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Following 07/13/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. Death, burial...... 07/12/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad on end-time events 07/09/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: One True Religion 07/08/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: The Reward 07/07/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Anger 07/06/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. The judge? 07/05/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad, regarding sickness 07/02/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad, regarding love. 07/01/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: what about the... 06/30/2021 - Visit Brother Bob at YOUTUBE 06/30/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Response to sin 06/29/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Sin and character 06/28/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. Battle record. 06/25/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: How they... 06/24/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Monument builder... 06/23/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. The Flight. The... 06/22/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. How they maintain... 06/21/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Transfiguration... 06/18/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad, on Heaven and Hell 06/17/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Opposition 06/16/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Their ultimate... 06/15/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Their disciples 06/14/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Miracles 06/11/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. What about worship? 06/10/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad compared: the... 06/09/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: Marriage comparison? 06/08/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad, Identified by God... 06/07/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad, the formative years. 06/04/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. Annunciation and... 06/03/2021 - Temple or Kabah? 06/02/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad: The setting 06/01/2021 - Jesus and Muhammad. The genealogies... 05/31/2021 - Muhammad's genealogy compared to Jesus' 05/28/2021 - TWO NEW BOOKS! 05/28/2021 - Who did the Prophets see? Jesus... not... 05/27/2021 - JESUS, The Eternal One. Muhammad, The... 05/26/2021 - Jesus: First, Best, Last. The book,... 05/24/2021 - Who Is Jesus? Gentle Shepherd... 05/21/2021 - God's true "witnesses" know that Jesus... 05/20/2021 - Who is Jesus? Not who that false... 05/19/2021 - Who is Jesus? Not what the "prophet" of... 05/18/2021 - Who is Jesus? The Savior! 05/17/2021 - Who is Jesus? SON OF MAN 05/14/2021 - Jesus is GOD THE SON. Part 2, John... 05/13/2021 - Jesus is GOD THE SON 05/12/2021 - Jesus is THE SON OF GOD 05/11/2021 - Who is JESUS? 05/10/2021 - So who is the antichrist really? Did... 05/09/2021 - Ezekiel FOUR is now available! 05/07/2021 - Does Paul identify the antichrist? 05/05/2021 - SERIOUS clues in Revelation 17 05/04/2021 - A resurrected ruler. John and Daniel... 05/03/2021 - The antichrist in Revelation 13: the... 04/30/2021 - What? Not just a TYPE? Is he coming... 04/29/2021 - ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES? Why not? 04/28/2021 - Daniel 11 is a KEY to who is the... 04/27/2021 - Daniel 9, Part Two of the "70 sevens"... 04/26/2021 - Daniel 9 and the antichrist 04/22/2021 - Daniel 8 and the antichrist. Part 3.... 04/21/2021 - Daniel 8 and the antichrist, part 2. 04/20/2021 - Antichrist in Daniel 8? 04/19/2021 - Matthew 24 Commentary, conclusion. 04/16/2021 - SPEAK MY LANGUAGE Revisited by a... 04/15/2021 - Matthew 24, Commentary, Part 3 04/14/2021 - Matthew 24 Commentary: part 2. 04/13/2021 - Matthew 24, a commentary, part one 04/12/2021 - NEW BOOK! Ezekiel Part Three! 04/09/2021 - Who is the Antichrist? Introduction... 04/08/2021 - Who is the antichrist? INTRODUCTION 04/06/2021 - The Rapture: A Summary 04/05/2021 - The rapture. Responding to that "wrath"... 04/02/2021 - What happened in John 4:1? (The worst... 04/01/2021 - Didn't God promise "Philadelphia" to... 03/31/2021 - Come Lord Jesus! Proper prayer for a... 03/30/2021 - Even MORE distinctions between rapture... 03/29/2021 - Other "distinctions" between "rapture"... 03/28/2021 - Is the "rapture" really different from... 03/25/2021 - IMMINENCE, PART 2. Let's teach the... 03/25/2021 - NEW BOOK! Ezekiel PART TWO now... 03/24/2021 - Don't we at least know the season of... 03/23/2021 - Matthew 24... part 2 03/22/2021 - Matthew 24. SO CLEAR! "After" is the... 03/19/2021 - Two clear Scriptures about the... 03/18/2021 - In search of: PRETRIB RAPTURE... but... 03/17/2021 - Has the church always believed in a... 03/16/2021 - Rapture, Tribulation.... definitions 03/15/2021 - Yes, rapture study is Important! 03/14/2021 - Caught up! But when? The rapture of the... 03/09/2021 - RESET 4, the GREATEST RESET of ALL:... 03/07/2021 - Ezekiel saw it! The GREATER RESET! 03/07/2021 - NEW study guide available. 03/04/2021 - What will the GREATER RESET look like? 03/03/2021 - Sheep and Goat (Nations) 03/02/2021 - The Beast of Revelation 03/01/2021 - The Union for the Mediterranean: Rome... 02/28/2021 - Dominion Theology and the New World... 02/25/2021 - Prophesying out of their own spirits... 02/24/2021 - Rome and the New World Order 02/23/2021 - The reset IS coming! 02/22/2021 - New World Order. As close as your... 02/21/2021 - Reset and Genesis 02/18/2021 - What do you mean, "reset"? 02/16/2021 - Charles Spurgeon's "Free Grace." 02/15/2021 - The marks of Christ 02/14/2021 - Bearing one another's burdens... 02/11/2021 - Lusts of the flesh vs fruit of the... 02/10/2021 - Paul warns the Galatians. 02/09/2021 - Fallen from grace? Is it possible? 02/08/2021 - Moses vs the Spirit, bond vs free 02/04/2021 - Sons of God! (Galatians 4) 02/02/2021 - Enter the schoolmaster... 02/01/2021 - Christ becomes a CURSE for us. 01/29/2021 - Word Pictures from MY Romania 01/29/2021 - Did you receive the Spirit by keeping... 01/28/2021 - Does Paul agree with James in his... 01/27/2021 - The Jerusalem Council, A.D. 49 01/26/2021 - About church councils 01/25/2021 - Paul and Luther: Only God can change... 01/24/2021 - ZOOM Men's Meeting Saturdays at 7 pm... 01/22/2021 - Paul preaches the Gospel at Antioch of... 01/21/2021 - The Galatians are deserting Christ! 01/20/2021 - The letter to the Galatians 01/19/2021 - Spurgeon: Dead men know nothing. But... 01/18/2021 - Some obvious truths about Bible... 01/15/2021 - A trip through the KJV New Testament,... 01/14/2021 - Let Westcott speak for himself. 01/13/2021 - What part did Catholic priest ERASMUS...
Older
Newer
Top