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Cooperation in Spiritual War, Part 2: Unity

 


In reading different histories of World War II, we can learn how the British won the war, how the Americans won the war, how the tanks, submarines, destroyers, airborne divisions, bombers, etc., each won the war. We were all on the same team, but it was not always evident.

Unity is comprised of two things: primary loyalty to the supreme commander of all units and great love for all those who are under the supreme commander.

Think of this as an equilateral triangle. The two points at the ends of the base of the triangle represent two units: tanks and infantry. The apex represents the supreme commander. If the two units get far away from the supreme commander, the distance between the units themselves also gets greater. Likewise, the closer they are to the supreme commander, the closer they are to each other.

Here is Jesus’ prayer for His army in John 17:20–21:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” 

Jesus was praying for us who are Christians today. He was praying that we would be one with each other in the same way as the Father and the Son are one.

How are they one? Just as you are in me and I am in you. That is not competition, nor is it cooperation. It is much greater—it is interactive unity.

Why does Jesus pray this? So that the world may believe that You have sent Me. The greatest truth in the gospel is the deity of Jesus Christ, and our oneness is the way we communicate the truth of that deity to the world.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:34–35).

We are not to be at war with other members of the body of Christ. We are not to be satisfied with co-belligerence, tolerance, cordiality, friendliness, or mere cooperation. All of these are less than the command to be one and to love one another. Jesus tells us to love other members of the body in the same way that He loved each member of that body. If we have that love for one another, all men will know we are followers of Jesus Christ.

Do not jump to the question, “How do we do it?” That is not a relevant question until you first want to obey, want to love, and want to be one with fellow Christians. The sins of sectarian factionalism must be confessed before you can begin to desire this oneness.


*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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