John 17:21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
In John 1:1 we read that in the beginning before the creation of the world; the Word, Jesus, was with God and was God. Jesus existed before he was born as a child of Mary and in that existence, he wasn’t a man or an angel, but he was of the same nature as God, divine. When he came to the earth as baby and grew into a man, the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in him (Col 1:19). He spoke of being one with his Father (John 10:30) and said that if you have seen me, you have seen the Father (John 14:7-11). Jesus spoke clearly that his words were the Father’s words (John 12:49, 17:8) and his works were the Father’s works (John 5:17-20, 14:10). All an example of the unity that they know.
Reference to the Garden of Gethsemane
In the garden of Gethsemane we get a good picture of the Jesus submitting himself to the will of his Father(Mark 14:32-42). Paul helps us to understand that in eternity when everything is subjected to Jesus that Jesus will submit himself to the Father, that the Father may be all in all (1 Cor 15:24-28). The submission of Jesus to his Father in every step of his existence is essential to the oneness or unity that they have.
God uses the natural creation to help us understand the spiritual, the kingdom of God. He gave us an example of oneness in marriage. We read that he formed Adam from the dust and the formed Eve from a rib of Adam. Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Gen 2:24). Unfortunately, we don’t always see this oneness in marriages in the world, but it is what the Lord intended from the beginning. Two individuals being united in love, in purpose, in honesty, in faithfulness, etc. Not that they become one individual. Ephesians 5:22-33 gives us a beautiful picture of the parallels between the natural (husband and wife) and spiritual (Jesus and the church).
So, the unity or oneness isn’t just between the Father and Son, but between the Father, the Son and the church. May God help us to grow in the born-again life, in love and learn submission that we may be one.
The purpose of this www.thefellowshipoftruth.com is to provide information about a non-denominational network of home-based churches that can be found in nearly every country of the world. We are imperfect people trying hard to fulfil the plan that God has laid out for each one of us. We do our best to follow the teachings of the Bible at home, work and in the place of worship. The format and structure are Bible based and very similar to what we read about the early church in Acts and I Corinthians (Acts 1:13 and I Cor 16:19.) Each week we meet in homes for fellowship and worship on Sunday mornings and Bible studies on Wednesday nights. From time to time, we also have larger Gospel services where multiple home-based churches meet together. These meetings serve to strengthen the faith of the believers, and also, help to explain our beliefs to those who are being introduced to our faith for the first time.