In John 17 Jesus prays for and speaks of the power and purpose of prominent unity projected among his disciples. He notes that this unity was not only in respect to those disciples physically present with him in the flesh that today but also for all his disciples down through the generations even unto now and into the future.
In John 17:21 Jesus establishes that his disciples should promote and reach for unity as unity enhances the world’s acceptance of him as the Messiah whom the Father has sent.
One of the challenges we as Christians face is discerning between what God commands and what God leaves up to humans as a matter of God given righteous human preference. Indeed, any human preference that does not violate biblical principles one should consider to be righteous even if one prefers something else. I like to phrase it like this: I may like blue and you may like red but God likes both for he created both.
When people require more of others than God requires of them we end up with unnecessary and unfruitful disagreements that does not present the faith in a way that folks find acceptance of Jesus as enticing.
Let us be careful to properly discern the Word of the Lord and the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit.
In the name of the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit,
Much Godly Love and Peace!
