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Oneness With Christ and the Father, June 16
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me.
John 17:21
.
Let these words be oft repeated and let every soul train his ideas and
spirit and action daily that he may fulfill this prayer of Jesus Christ. He does
not request impossible things of His Father. He prays for the very things
which must be in His disciples in relation to their oneness to each other
and their unity and oneness with God and Jesus Christ. Anything short of
this is not attaining to perfection of Christian character. The golden chain
of love, binding the hearts of the believers in unity, in bonds of fellowship
and love, and in oneness with Christ and the Father, makes the connection
perfect, and bears to the world a testimony of the power of Christianity that
cannot be controverted....
Then will selfishness be uprooted and unfaithfulness will not exist.
There will not be strife and divisions. There will not be stubbornness in
anyone who is bound up with Christ. Not one will act out the stubborn
independence of the wayward, impulsive child who drops the hand that is
leading him and chooses to stumble on alone....
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I
have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (
John 13:34, 35
).
Satan understands the power of such a testimony as a witness to the world
of what grace can do in transforming character. He is not pleased that such
a light shall shine forth from those who claim to believe in Jesus Christ,
and he will work every conceivable device to break this golden chain which
links heart to heart of those who believe the truth and binds them up in
close connection with the Father and the Son....
We believe in Jesus Christ. We unite our souls to Christ. He says,
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit.... These things I command you, that ye
love one another.” (
John 15:16, 17
)
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22
Letter 110, 1893
.
177