The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-03-06
The Oneness foI which Christ
Prayed.


or 1T is not. 1t must be answered at some
time or else Gods will is not accomplish
ed. If the prayer is answered the Church
OF Christ Is one, one in the sense in
which Christ meant it in his PRAYER. This
oneness is either external organic union,
or internal spiritual oneness. There is a
general oneness of Christianity. There
Is but one christianity All Christians
are one. They have the same God, the
same Saviour, the same Holy Spirit, the
same means of grace, the same repentance,
pardon, forgiveness, faith and salvation.
They all are the children Of God by faith,
have all drank Of the same spiritual rock,
which is Christ; they have the same expe-
rience of Joy and sorrow. They are one
family of God.
There may be in the family diversities
OF gifts and graces; children of diverse
and dissimilar habits of thought, and
manners and customs. They may live
apart, may have dissimilar views and
opinions of the Father, of his will and
wishes, of his government Of his love:
yet they are one family, ell children OF
one father. In this sense they are one.
But this does not take into it all that
Christ meant in his wonderful prayer
There is deeper sense that oubtless the
Saviour prayed tor 1t is the will of God
that all Chrsts redeemed ones should
become such In the same way, and have
a oneness OF interest In the common grace
and the common salvation. In this sense
Christ pray er was both the expression of
desire, and a petition, which consist
MT oil IN IT, ID
it ls not only fathers will that all his
children be of the came family, but also
that they agree to recognize each other
as such, 80 that there be harmony and
love in the family. The father may be
the acknowledged head of the family, and
he may be loved and respected by all the
children, but there may be unkindness
and disatfection among the children.
They may not love each other. A kind
father greatly desires love and concord
among his children. But what is neces
sary to this? Is it necessary that all have
the very same views and opinions of the
father, and that they agree in every point
OF doctrine regarding social economy and
social etiquette 1t were well were it
so; but such family has not been found:
neither does a lack of this necessarily de-
stroy the oneness of the family. They
are one in the faith which they have in
their father, one In acknowledge their
own relationship to each other, and one
In conceding to each o,her the right to
private judgment in regard to questions
OF casuistry. They meet and commune
with each other as children of the
same father, and that father recog-
nizes each as his child, notwithstand-
ing some of them come nearer his will
and wishes than others. No earthly
father with common sense and lust
views of right has ever required his
children to have the same views of him.
his law and his service, in the sense that
there should be and must be but one SEN
timent in every point and in every re.
spect. Neither does God; and we cannot
think that the Saviour prayed for this.
But he did pray that all may love the
Father, be obedient to the Father. serve
the Father, and love, respect, recognize
and treat each other as brethren. In
other words, that all may be moved and
animated by the same spirit Of love and
flial obedience that united the Father
and Son. The one great principle, NOV.
ing and controlling Father and Son in
their oneness, was that of love for each
other and for the world. 1t involved all
the great fundamentals of doctrine and
belief, but it was not in the direction OF
faith but of love. The faith was settled
and love alone could enliven and cult.
vate it. This, more than all else, filled
the Saviours heart, as be poured out his
soul to God for the oneness of his chill.
dren.
As He and the Father we're one in all
that constituted the Godhead. and that
oneness was sealed, cemented and unified
by love, so may all the CO. heirs with him.
in the promises and in the inheritance of
JOY, be one in essentials whether in doc.
trine or service, and that oneness be
sealed, and made permanent by love-
the same love that existed between him
and the Father.
1t was not organic union that Christ
prayed for; it was not unanimity of senti-
ment in one and the same sense, in the
understanding Of all the minute Of doc.
tripe and practice; but it was oneness OF
spirit, oneness Of animsting hope, oneness
OF sympathy as children of God.
How then can Christians violate God q
law 80 as to contrsvene and nulllfy
Christs power2 Surely oy want of
love for any of G,d5s faro;1-. -, .L.4