THE ONE-NESS OF IN-NESS

Jesus asks the Father that we, as His followers, be one in Him. He asks not only for the disciples but also for those who believe through their message (John 17:20). His heart cry for us is our unity in Him. He prays "that they all (παντες) might be one, just as you, Father, (are) in me and I in you, that they, themselves, might also be in us, in order that the world might believe that you, yourself, sent me" (John 17:21).

There are three clauses introduced by "that" (ινα) in this verse. The first two ινα clauses express the content of the request while the third ινα clause introduces the purpose for the oneness (Rienecker, Linguistic Key, p. 256). It is possible that the second of the two content ινα clauses is actually in apposition to the first (Dana & Mantey, Grammar, p. 249) reinforcing and expanding the content of the request.

Our oneness is God's oneness. We are one as God is one. The expression "just as"(καθως) indicates essential oneness, a oneness of nature and purpose. Jesus is not asking for organizational unity, and He is not asking for the uniformity of conformity. The Father and the Son are different yet one. Their oneness controls their differences even as their differences stimulate their love. If God were one but not three, He could not love. If God were three but not one, He could not save. In eternity past, God must be three to have someone to love, and He must be one to be united in the plan of salvation. God's oneness of purpose is grounded in the possession of an inner reality of oneness. It is an ontological unity having to do with the very nature of God's existence. They are different but one, so we, too, are different but one.

The key is the preposition "in" (εν). The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father, and we are in both! (plural pronoun -ημιν) Although impossible to fully grasp, our one-ness depends on our in-ness! We cannot be one with someone who is not in Christ. The preposition must not be understood simply as "belongs to" or "with" God. The theological implications are more profound than mere proximity or association (Turner, Grammar, 3:263). We are only one with each other because we share in the spiritual nature of the triune God. All other unity is not the unity Jesus asks from the Father on our behalf.

The purpose (ινα) is to show the world that the Father sent Jesus. The purpose is not exactly, or merely, evangelistic since people can believe that the Father sent the Son without trusting in the Son for personal salvation. However, our unity should be a visible witness to the world. We show the unity of God as we show unity among ourselves. We must not seek merely organizational unity or structural uniformity. The greater witness is spiritual unity of heart despite our differences in form and structure.

Father, help me to live as one with other followers of Jesus even with our differences - especially in our disagreements - to show the world our oneness of heart and purpose in Christ.