Truth For Life

Guest (Male): In his high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed that his disciples would all be one, just as he and the Father are one. Today on Truth for Life, we'll examine the purpose and uniqueness of Christian unity and learn why it's based on the truth we know and not the way we feel. Alistair Begg is continuing our study in John 17.

Alistair Begg: We're routinely aware of the statement you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. Usually, that's an expression of the challenges that are represented by the privileges of being part of a family. Not everyone in a family always gets along as they might, and they are still part of the family. Sometimes the head of the family needs to say, "I don't think you're actually behaving like a family at all. I want you to increasingly become like the family that you are."

I suppose if we wanted to cue the music, we could sing "We are family, I got all my sisters with me," and that would sort of set the tone for us, at least for three of us. I want us to ponder these things this morning. The visible church, which is universal, is a church that has come into being because of the gospel. It describes those who throughout the world are the professors of that same gospel. As members of that church, they are the forerunners of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. As the family, they have the privilege and the responsibility of bearing testimony to the one who has adopted them.

We recognize too that there is also an invisible dimension to the church. The invisible aspect of it is such that people throughout the world that we have never met are also included in that family. That has been true ever since the time of the apostles and will continue all the way until the time comes when Jesus Christ returns.

We need to remind ourselves routinely about what happened to us when we trusted in Jesus. When we trusted in Christ, we found that a number of things changed immediately for us. Our status changed. We were once, as we read in Ephesians 2, without God and without hope in the world. Now we've been brought into the realm of hope as we'll see in just a moment, and we have been created as new people.

As a result of being adopted into the family, we've been adopted into a relationship with one another. It's not a relationship that we have to go and try and create; it's a relationship that already exists. That is why when we travel to different parts of the country, indeed to different parts of the world, and come into the context of people that we have never met before, we suddenly discover that we have a union, a compatibility, and a dimension of relationship that is beyond simply the social strata from which we come or our educational background.

Whatever else it might be, including even notions of religion itself, I enjoy a unity with them which is grounded not in a sense of feeling, although emotions are a part of it, but it is grounded in a common understanding of the gospel of the good news of the Lord Jesus. It's very important that we understand that because this notion of unity for which Jesus is praying often goes sideways very quickly when people close their bibles and just decide how they're feeling in their solar plexus.

It is to the Bible we need to constantly go in order that we might understand exactly what it is we're saying. Not on the basis of our feelings, but on the basis of the word of God, the message of God, he says these apostles have taken this message, the message of the gospel out into the world. As a result of that, others will become followers of me. Father, I'm praying for those who enter into that reality.

The testimony of believers down through the ages is that when they have turned to their bibles, they have discovered that the word that Jesus gave to the apostles to take out onto the streets of Jerusalem was then inscripturated, which gives us our New Testament documents. Those New Testament documents, as we read them, read the very word of truth. That which they proclaimed is now before us to read.

The strange thing that happens to us when we read the Bible with eyes of understanding is that it appears that the Bible knows us better than we even know the Bible. When we often pray before reading the Bible, "Show me myself and show me my savior," the self that it shows us is a sinful self that needs a savior. Then it shows us the savior who is the one that we need, and then we become members of that family.

It is very important to understand this: that the faith that we find as the foundation for our unity is the faith, as we recorded it in studying Jude a while ago, once delivered to the saints. Ephesians chapter 4 explains the unity that is ours in the body of Christ. Notice first of all in verse 4, there is one body. He's referring there to the body of Christ. There is only one body of Christ, and he is the head of that body, which is his church.

His church is brought into being as a result of the good news of the gospel going out and being brought home by the work of the Holy Spirit so that the eyes of men and women have their understanding opened and they actually come to believe. The very faith that we know is a gift of God to us. As his word is proclaimed, the Holy Spirit comes and taps people on the shoulder, so to speak, and we are brought into the one body.

Notice, by one spirit. There is one body and one spirit. The Spirit illuminating the scriptures, the Spirit giving to us the reality of faith, the Spirit bringing us into the realm of fellowship with one another. One body, one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope. Where is hope to be found? Right here: one body, one hope, and one Lord. That Lord is the Lord Jesus.

He's the Lord, and what that actually means is that we have no right to believe anything except what he taught. We have no privilege of behaving anyway except the way in which he calls us to behave. We have no freedom to belong anywhere at all other than that which is underneath the lordship of Jesus. One Lord and, obviously, one faith. One faith: salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and one baptism.

When we come to Christ, we're baptized by the Holy Spirit into a relationship with Jesus. Then we're baptized in water and we're bearing testimony to what has taken place, identifying ourselves with the fact that we were once here but now we're here. This is something that God has done. Clearly, there is one God and Father who is over all and through all and in all. How comprehensive does that sound? Pretty comprehensive.

God the creator of the universe who has stepped down into time in Jesus, he is the one God and Father. There is no other God. There is no other Father. There is no one else to whom we can go save the God who has made himself known. He is over all, he's through all, and he's in all. It's an amazing thought. That's why we take the gospel to the whole world, because it is God's world and that's why he's sending us out to do that.

With all that said, the unity to which Jesus refers and for which he prays is not organizational; it is organic. You will notice that if you paid attention to the verses, "that they may all be one," says Jesus. How? "Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you." Whatever else that is, that's close. From all of eternity, the relationship that existed in the Trinity between the Father and the Son, Jesus says, "I'm going to use that as my prayer in order that when these followers of mine get to grips with what it means to be a family, the union they will enjoy will be this kind of union." Clearly ontologically it's not the same as that, but he's using it analogically. Just as we have a union, Father, grant that they too might be united.

The wonderful thing about this, and it's important that we remind ourselves from time to time, as the Holy Spirit applies the truth of the gospel to our hearts and as we come to faith in the Lord Jesus, as we're accepted into his family, we're united with this entire company that extends around the world and through all the ages.

This, of course, is not a call to sentimentality; it is a call to theology. It's not a call to take your brain out and think funny thoughts; it is a call to think deeply about these issues because when you hear people speak about unity, they often speak in terms that are very gooey. You know, like all you really need to do is speak lovingly or try and be nice to people, try and be friendly to people. It's usually combined with a statement like, "And after all, who are we to say anything?" What do you mean, who are we to say anything? Didn't you just say that you have the Lord as your king, that he is God over all? What do you mean who are you to say anything? Of course we're supposed to say something. Otherwise, we're liars.

No, just be friendly. Just be nice. Just be a decent person. Don't be like that Alistair Begg fellow. No, don't do that. Well, what are we told? Speak the truth in love. Truth has to come first. I mean, some of you are scientists, some of you are engineers. You're not building bridges on the strength of what's going on in your tummy in the morning, I hope. It is up there as a result of structure, of framework, and the same is true of theology.

The same is true of the scriptures. Truth comes first. That is why it is impossible for us to talk about unity in the body of Christ with people who are not in the body of Christ. If, for example, somebody says they don't believe in the virgin birth, they don't believe in the miracles of Jesus, they don't believe in the fact of his substitutionary atonement, they don't believe in any of the foundational aspects of the gospel, there is no basis for unity with them.

The notion that somehow or another the charge that is given to us here is to create some kind of ecumenical structure that involves all these different denominations—oh, but after all they're nice people and they call themselves Christians. You can call yourself a Christian if you want, but the way in which the Bible defines things helps us to understand what that means.

Very well, then. First of all, this unity is supernatural. It's supernatural in its origin just as the love that has made us a child of God is supernatural in its origin itself. It doesn't start from down here and try and project up; it starts from up there and comes down. Secondly, it is doctrinal in its substance. It is about truth, it is about the gospel, it is about these things. Thirdly, it is evangelical in its focus. We know that because that's what Jesus prays. It is spiritual, it is organic, it's not a product of tradition, it's not a product of organization.

"I'm praying Father for these but not only for these only, for those who believe in me through the word, through the word, through the message, that they all may be one, just as you Father are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us." Here we go. Here's the evangelical in its focus. "So that, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

In other words, this unity for which Jesus prays, although in a sense it is invisible in its vast expressions, it is at the same time visible and it is purposeful. In other words, if I'm united to you in Jesus and the world wants to come and meet with us, they ought to find that the two of us are walking side by side for the cause of the gospel. That we are united not because we come from the same background, not because we have the same intelligence, not because we have the same social strata, but we just both have Jesus. Along the journey of our lives, we've encountered Christ and Christ has grabbed ahold of us and changed us.

The outsider then goes, "Oh, well, that doesn't make sense to me, but I understand what you're saying. What you're saying is you're not there because of a denominational thing, you're not there because of some religious dogma. You're there because of Jesus, is that what you're saying?" That's exactly what I'm saying. "What else are you saying?" Well, not really very much apart from that, at least not for now. We can talk more later. But the reason that she and I, he and I, are united in this is because of Jesus.

And this in order, says Jesus, "so that the world out there might believe that you have sent me." What Jesus is saying is that this kind of unity, the unity of God's people displayed in this way, puts the good news of the gospel on display. Now that contains not only an encouragement but also a peculiar challenge.

When we're tempted to use the invisible reality of this unity as a smokescreen behind which to hide, to try and tolerate our unjustified divisions, our unjustified divisions—we say, "Well of course, yeah, we don't, and we don't, and so on. But of course there is a great invisible unity." People say, "Well, I'd like to see some of the visible if you don't mind."

The progress—and I'm quoting—of the unbeliever toward the Christian faith is obstructed more by the behavior of professed Christians than by the arguments of avowed atheists. In other words, people's consideration of the good news, their move towards the gospel, is prevented more by the nonsense of Christians rather than the pushback from the atheists. Unbelievers actually are fortified in their unbelief by quarrels among Christian people. "What in the world is going on here?" That's a legitimate question, isn't it? Of course it is a legitimate question because they understand it's not supposed to be that way.

Someone has observed that when you go in a local church and you find disagreements, the chances are that you're not going to find disagreements over the Ten Commandments. You will find disagreements over the 11th and 12th commandments, which is what churches come up with on their own. Points of disagreement on these things, issues that are not necessary for salvation, should not be points of disagreement. Yet within the framework of the kind of churches we represent, it is often those very issues which are the cause for disagreement.

When we lose sight of what is central and start focusing on the peripheral, then funnily enough, what is peripheral becomes central and what is central starts to become peripheral. So you start to listen to the people talk. What are they talking about? They're talking about this and that and the next thing. Are they talking about Jesus? Are they talking about the gospel? Are they talking about the nature of salvation? No, probably not.

Now let me end in this way. Here is the danger. One is that in being very clear and solid on the basis of Christian doctrine, we become very clear and solid on things that we don't need to be as clear and solid on. Therefore, we become hard, then we become judgmental, then we use our standard by which to gauge where other people are in relation to the issues of the gospel. That actually comes out in various places in the New Testament, not least of all, I think, at the beginning of 1 Corinthians where Paul says to the people, "I'm concerned for you folks because all you do is you line up behind your favorite personality. One of you says I'm Paul, one of you says I'm Apollos, one of you says I'm Cephas."

Do you know how prevalent that is in our evangelical world? People don't actually read the Bible; they don't think. They just line up behind their hero. Go on social media, find out what Mr. X says, and then if Mr. X is your man, then you just line up right behind him. Let me tell you the only person to line up behind: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus. That's the only person. That's what Paul is saying. I'm the Apostle Paul, but is Christ divided? Danger. Danger. Big danger.

Second big danger: the idea that the independency that marks our nation is baptized into the structure of church life. The structure of church life is not an independent structure; it is an interdependent structure. Hence, Paul in relation to the gifts that have been given to the church, because no one person has the gifts, no one has all that is necessary. Therefore, the church is the body of Christ, is being molded in such a way that we might be able to make an impact on the world.

Lastly, the danger again of petty squabbles. Petty squabbles. I don't know what was going on with Euodia and Syntyche, but it was enough for Paul to say to them, "You know, I beseech you ladies that you will make sure that you get things sorted out here in the Lord. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord." To agree in the Lord. You might not agree about worship style. You might not agree about politics. You might not agree about how to educate your children. You might not agree about a thousand and one different things. But agree in the Lord. It is in Christ that the unity is found. It is for this unity that Jesus prays.

The problem with the ladies is more than matched by the problem of the gentleman in 3 John. Who would ever want to be identified with this character? "I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us." Do you want to be clearer, John? He's the Apostle of love, incidentally, talking wicked nonsense against us and not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and he also stops those who want to and he puts them out of the church.

What Jesus prays for is supernatural in its origin, it is doctrinal in its substance, it is evangelical in its expression, and it is pastoral in its focus. Hopefully, this is not my final sermon, but if it were, I'd be happy to finish with the 27th verse of Philippians 1. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. That's the future of the church at Philippi. That's the future of the church of Jesus Christ. Standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents, because that's a clear sign to them of their destruction.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Truth for Life with Alistair Begg. As many of you know, one author who has greatly influenced Alistair is the 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon. A new book featuring his teaching has just been released. It's called Your Only Comfort: Devotions for Hope in Suffering. This book, Your Only Comfort, points you away from what is temporary to what is eternal. You'll learn how to think biblically about why God allows suffering and how he works in our lives through pain and trials, and how you can navigate hard circumstances with a biblical perspective.

Ask for your copy of the devotional today when you donate to Truth for Life. You can give a gift online at truthforlife.org/donate or call us at 888-588-7884.

Thanks for studying God's word with us today. Are you helping to make the invisible God visible? Tomorrow we'll find out how that's possible. The Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life, where the learning is for living.