5 Powerful Truths About Christian Unity You Need to Know

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. —John 17:20-23 

This passage is part of Jesus’ final prayers before going to the cross, and His focus? Unity. But here’s the challenge: Christians talk about unity, yet the world often sees division rather than loving oneness. So, what are we missing, and what can we learn from Jesus’ prayer for unity?

Let’s explore these five essential truths:

1. Unity Starts with the Gospel (v. 20)

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.”

According to Jesus of Nazareth who is the Word made flesh, the Son of God, the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, and the head of the Church, unity isn’t just about getting along. It starts with faith in Him. Jesus prayed not only for the first-century Christians but also for future believers—for you and me. He had in mind all those who would one day be scattered across the globe, yet united in faith, worshiping Him in Spirit and in truth.

Regardless of our nationality, culture, or desire for unity, if we’re not centered on Christ— as the Way, the Truth, and the Life—any attempt at unity will be shallow and temporary. As D.A. Carson writes, “this is not simply a ‘unity of love.’ It is a unity predicated on adherence to the revelation the Father mediated to the first disciples through His Son, the revelation they accepted (vv. 6, 8) and then passed on (‘those who believe in me through their message,’ v. 20)” (Carson 568). The first disciples received and shared the gospel, and the church today is the result of their faithfulness. The apostles gave up their comfort, freedom, reputation, and even their lives to preserve and proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our unity should reflect that same commitment and continue their mission.

The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the only eternal Son of God, took on a second nature—becoming fully human while remaining fully divine. He lived a sinless life, fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, died on the cross as our substitutionary sacrifice for sin, and rose again on the third day to offer us forgiveness, new life, and reconciliation with God. Salvation is a free gift offered to all, and we are saved by grace through faith in Him—adopted into God’s family, given eternal life, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live for God.

Because the Gospel is central to our identity and witness, we must do everything we can to understand, preserve, live out, and share the truths of Scripture. We should never diminish the weight, consequences, or biblical warnings about false teachings that distort the message of the Bible (2 Peter 2:1–3; Galatians 1:6–9; Matthew 7:15–16; 24:11; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; Acts 20:29–30). While we must remain firm on essential truths and watchful against false teachings, we also need wisdom to distinguish between foundational doctrines and areas where faithful believers may differ.

Our message on the essentials of the Gospel, the character of God, and the call to live according to our Creator’s moral will must be clear, united, and unwavering—reflecting both the truth of salvation and the holiness we are called to. In humility, we must avoid being divided over non-essential doctrines—for unnecessary and unimportant divisions do the opposite of revealing Jesus to the world as the Sent One. Otherwise, people say, “Why should we trust what the church teaches about Jesus if they can’t even love one another, live what they preach, or agree on what they believe?” We must exercise discernment and approach the Word of God in a way that honors its context, intent, and application, while avoiding unnecessary divisiveness. In doing so, we pursue unity in truth and love (Ephesians 4:3, 15).

2. Unity Mirrors God’s Own Nature (v. 21a)

“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you.”

The unity Jesus desires isn’t just about teamwork, it’s a reflection of the perfect relationship within the Trinity. The Triune God is calling His people, His Bride, His Body, and His children to mirror the intimate bond shared among the persons of the Holy Trinity. God is not calling us to sameness but to a deep unity that reflects His own. We are all made in the imago Dei, each with inherent value, dignity, and purpose. Made by one God, individually designed with unique DNA, fingerprints, eye prints, personalities, interests, strengths, weaknesses, cultures, languages, upbringings, and spiritual gifts—yet we are called to be one in Christ. Christ is for all nations, and the people of God in every nation are called to be one under the rule and reign of King Jesus, the Head of the Church.

True Christian unity and loving community isn’t something we need to create from scratch—as if it only depends on our effort, personalities, or perfect behavior. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer beautifully wrote in Life Together:

“Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate. The more clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength and promise of all our fellowship is in Jesus Christ alone, the more serenely shall we think of our fellowship and pray and hope for it.”

Bonhoeffer reminds us that unity isn’t something we manufacture—it’s something we embrace and enter into by grace, grounded in Christ and His Gospel message. Yet Scripture also exhorts us to “be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

In other words, unity is both a gift and a calling. Christ has already made us one through His shed blood, sacrificial death on the cross, and resurrection. However, we are called to live it out—protecting it, cherishing it, cultivating it, and choosing it daily in how we love, forgive, and serve one another in order to have and keep unity.

If our unity doesn’t reflect God’s—self-giving, humble, and full of grace—we’re missing the point. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons in one being, perfectly united in essence, purpose, and love. Our aim must be to be one, just as the Trinity is (John 10:30), united in the purpose of glorifying God through self-giving love and sacrificial living (John 15:13; Philippians 2:6-8), while sharing the Word of God (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15) and demonstrating to the world our inseparable unity in mission and action (John 17:21-23; Acts 1:8).

This is why I love the annual Good Friday services that began many years ago between Coastal Church and First Baptist Church, bringing together two different traditions and congregations to worship the same Christ. This year, for our 2025 Good Friday services, the event has expanded to include more churches in the city of Vancouver. It’s a beautiful reminder of how the body of Christ is united beyond denominations, traditions, and cultures.

3. Unity is One of Our Greatest Evangelistic Tools (v. 21b)

“So that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Our unity isn’t just for our benefit, it’s a witness to the world. It speaks loudly like a megaphone, amplifying our message and speaking volumes about Christ, the sent Savior of the world. Our oneness helps unbelievers come to faith in the truth that we proclaim, that the Father sent the Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. There is strength in numbers, and our unity serves as a powerful picture of a great multitude that has been completely changed by God. Unity transforms the church from a blurry, old black-and-white static image into a vivid, high-definition display of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue—saved and transformed by Jesus, the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah.

The early church in Acts 2:42-47 provides a vivid example of the unity Jesus prayed for. Even though people were joining the church from diverse backgrounds, they were united in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:46-47). Wow! Favor with all the people, yet they still faced tension and opposition from those who hated Christ and, by extension, hated them and their message.

This picture of the early church—living in harmony, sharing life together, supporting each other through persecution, and demonstrating genuine care for one another is what we all want to see. It was so compelling and convincing that it attracted unbelievers to join them and listen to what they had to share about Christ, and great numbers were added to those being saved (Acts 2:47). As we follow the example of the early church in action, we also have the potential to show the world the love of Christ and lead others to receive Him. When the world sees believers united in this way, we become a display of God’s glory, an aroma of life to those being saved, and a fragrance of death to those perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

In Paul’s writings, we are called to put each other first and pursue unity by considering others more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), living in harmony (Romans 12:16), forgiving each other as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32), maintaining the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), encouraging and building one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11), being of the same mind and spirit (Philippians 2:2), serving one another in love (Galatians 5:13), and pursuing peace and mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:19).

If people aren’t seeing Jesus in us, maybe it’s because they see more selfishness, arguments, and disagreement than love, harmony, and like-mindedness. Christian unity is more than just shared truth, but never less. Paul repeatedly emphasizes common-mindedness in Philippians 2:2, “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (see also Philippians 4:2). He also highlights the attitude and love that should follow that unity. Do you want the announcement of the Gospel to have a huge impact on our city, nation, and to the ends of the earth? Then we need to share the same love and be of one mind and accord as God’s people, with hearts and minds filled with His inerrant Word.

4. We Already Have What We Need for Unity (v. 22)

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.”

Jesus has already given us what we need to be unified: His glory. It’s mind-blowing to think that “the glory that the Father gave the Son he has transmitted to his followers… Glory commonly refers to the manifestation of God’s character or person in a revelatory context; Jesus has mediated the glory of God, personally first to his followers and through them to those who believe on account of their message.”(Carson, 569).

True unity isn’t something we achieve through human effort—it’s something we live out because of what Christ has done. Jesus has shared His glory (John 17:22) with His followers, a glory that encompasses His divine power, mission, love, and truth. In response, we are called to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, to have the same mind as Christ, and to clothe ourselves with humility (Colossians 3:12) and love (Colossians 3:14), which bind us together in perfect harmony.

If we keep waiting for the “’perfect moment” to pursue unity, we’re missing what Jesus has already given us. As mentioned earlier Paul urges us to “be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The Greek root word for “eager” in Ephesians 4:3 is spoudazō. It means to make every effort, be diligent, strive earnestly, or be zealous. There must be intentionality, passion, and an active willingness and work to maintain unity with other believers. But we don’t also do this in our own power, but the Holy Spirit is our power and the great giver of unity: “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Walk by the Spirit and let Him empower you to be a faithful and united witness of the Messiah.

5. Unity Makes God’s Love Unmistakable (v. 23)

“I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Our unity isn’t about avoiding conflict or debating doctrinal truths; it’s about making God’s love visible, sharing a commitment to the teachings of the Bible, and letting the Word of Christ dwell richly among us as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). Our oneness in God and embracing His Word, which speaks of the Great Commission and the Great Commandments, will demonstrate that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son.

The people of God, or the living stones who make up the local and universal Church, come from different backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences—often with conflicting views, values, and even past hostilities.

“The church is made up of natural enemies. What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything else of that sort. Christians come together, not because they form a natural collocation, but because they have been saved by Jesus Christ and owe him a common allegiance. In the light of this common allegiance, in light of the fact that they have all been loved by Jesus himself, they commit themselves to doing what he says – and he commands them to love one another.”

—D.A. Carson, Love in Hard Places

When the church is united in Jesus and bears the fruit of the Spirit, God’s love becomes visible. People don’t just hear about it; they see it in action, both inside and outside the church. The church must let its light shine, as Jesus said in John 13:34-35 and Matthew 5:16: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Unity and loving deeds point to God, especially in revealing and confirming Jesus as Lord and Savior.

The Unity We Are Called To

Unity is not about being comfortable, keeping peace, or simply avoiding conflict. Biblical unity is about something much greater: making the historical Jesus of Nazareth known, the one who alone can give us true peace with God and with one another. If we want the world to believe in Christ, we need to start living out the unity He prayed for—a unity that reflects God’s love as seen in the Trinity, is empowered by His Holy Spirit, and showcases the truth of the Gospel. When we truly embrace and fight for this kind of unity, the world will not only hear about God’s love through our preaching and teaching, but will also see it in action through the oneness of believers, just as Jesus prayed in John 17.

So, what’s stopping us?

Father God, we thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, whom you sent to give His life and defeat the devil and the grave on the cross so that sinners may be forgiven and reconciled with you, our holy and magnificent Creator. We need your Holy Spirit to make us one, just as you are one in the Godhead. Bind us together in our differences, and let your agape love flow within and through your Church. May we be united, just as Jesus prayed, that we may be one in you, as He is one with you, so that the world will know that He is the promised Messiah sent for the salvation of all. Guide us in our thoughts, words, and deeds, so that through our unity, we reflect the glory you have given to Jesus, and the world may come to believe in the absolute truth of the gospel —the unchanging, unwavering truth of who Christ is. In Jesus’ name, amen.