Unity

"I no longer preach or teach unity for the Body of Christ”

Unity is not the objective - unity is the fruit, oneness the branches and humility the root. To put the emphasis on unity is to short-circuit the process of maturation. The fruit that is produced will not be fruit that will remain - it will not produce after its own kind nor will it offer nourishment to those who partake of it. If we focus on unity we will miss the calling mark of our Lord’s High Priestly Prayer recorded in John 17.

Indeed it is not unity the Savior is praying for in His Church - but oneness. "I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be perfected into one, and that the world may know that Thou didst send me, and didst love them as Thou didst love me." John 17:23 Young’s Literal Translation. "that they may become perfectly one," is the way the English Standard Version has it.

John 17, Jesus' prayer when authentically applied, God blesses "the church" community, and entire city in a substantial manner. These verses are the entreaty of the Son to the Father for absolute harmony and are prayed on our behalf. Let this prayer become our entreaty toward one another. This prayer for each other eliminates jealousy, strife, discord, (my church is the "only church" and your church is not attitude)   Instead oneness develops wholeness in His Church, His Body.

I recently asked a city-reaching comrade what Jesus prayed for in these verses.

His reply, "That we would be one." I continued, "You mean He didn’t pray for unity?" "No!" was his answer, "For unity is an attempt to create cooperation from the outside in, while oneness works its way from the inside out." We will never be same in doctrine, theology, belief etc. Diversity is a God idea.

WE ARE ALREADY ONE! Walk in that.

"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6 ESV