Letter To The Editor - Unity

The Editor
The Anguillian

Dear Sir,

Unity

In the bible we read that Jesus prayed for all those who would come to believe in him. As recorded in the gospel of John chapter 17 verses 20 to 26, according to the New Life Version, he asks the following of God: “.... I pray for those who will put their trust in Me through the teaching they have heard. May they all be as one, Father, as You are in Me and I am in You. May they belong to Us. Then the world will believe that You sent Me. I gave them the honor You gave Me that they may be one as We are One. I am in them and You are in Me so they may be one and be made perfect. Then the world may know that You sent Me and that You love them as You love Me.

Father, I want My followers You gave Me to be with Me where I am. Then they may see My shining-greatness which You gave Me because You loved Me before the world was made. Holy Father, the world has not known You. I have known You.These have known You sent Me. I have made Your name known to them and will make it known. So then the love You have for Me may be in them and I may be in them.” We read earlier in the chapter that Jesus prayed this prayer out loud before his disciples for their benefit so that they, and we, could share in Jesus’ joy (or confidence or sure knowledge in God).

I am writing this letter to all who will read it, both to those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, and so have been saved, and to those who have not yet accepted this free gift. I do hope that all will read it. It is good for us all to know what God wants of us and why. God wants all people to believe in him and be saved from the consequences of their sin and he says that whoever believes in him, specifically in Jesus, will be saved. He chooses to work through those that have been saved to reach those who have yet to be saved. This is part of what the first sentence says. Jesus, who is God, wants us who are saved to agree with each other and to be in unity. We need to agree on the essentials. Being human we will have our own traditions and practices and so we may not agree on some non-essential points.This is a great pity but we have not yet reached the obedience that God desires for us.The purpose of the unity that is prayed for is that people who do not yet know God will see our unity and know that God exists and know that he sent Jesus to save us.This is because of God’s love for us. However, you may well ask why if God has all power, does he not ensure that his people are made perfect so that they will set the required example.We will reach this perfection when we are with him in eternity but sadly not on this earth it seems. God does not compel us because he does not want to, not because he can’t. God gives us the ability to choose. So those who are saved can choose closer obedience just as those who are not saved can choose not to accept the gift of salvation. The lack of obedience of God’s people can result in people not being saved, and this is not what God wants. Their blood will be on our hands. It is a very serious matter.

We need to look carefully at the ‘in’ used throughout this prayer. God is in Jesus, Jesus is in God, Jesus is in his people and we are or should be in him.To be in a house for instance you have to want to gain entry and the owner of the house has to want you in. Entry is on the house owner’s terms. Jesus wants us in. We know because he says so, but entry must be on his terms. For salvation we must believe who he is. In the context of this prayer we who are saved must live as he tells us to live, and if we are honest we must admit that we do not.We must agree with God and change our thinking to his.We are back to repentance that I wrote about a few weeks ago. So the message to all of us who claim a personal relationship with Jesus is to start thinking and living his way because it is clear to our shame that at present we do not.The first step is to admit to God that we need to change and then to take it from there under his guidance.

I was tempted to write more but will keep it short and simple. Please do not listen to me but listen to what God says so that people in Anguilla will know that God sent Jesus to save us all from the payment for our sin.

Bill Grandfield
(bill grandfield@yahoo.com)