John Stott on Unity: Jesus Prayed for Unity

When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before going to the cross, He lifted His eyes to heaven and asked the Father for something deeply precious: unity. “That they may be one, as we are one,” He said (John 17:11). But what did He mean by that? And how should we live it out today—especially in a world and church so often divided?

Unity in Truth, Not at Any Cost

In many church settings today, we hear calls to unity above all else—“Let’s just get along.” But Jesus didn’t pray for unity at the expense of truth. He prayed for unity in the truth. He asked the Father to sanctify us by the truth, saying clearly, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

This kind of unity isn’t vague togetherness or lowest-common-denominator faith. It’s the deep bond that forms when people are rooted in the apostles’ teaching, anchored in Scripture, and committed to the gospel handed down from generation to generation.

Who Was Jesus Praying For?

John’s gospel shows us something remarkable: Jesus wasn’t just praying for His disciples; He was praying for all who would believe through their message (John 17:20). That means us—today’s believers—are included in that prayer.

Our unity, then, is across time and space. It connects us with the early church, with Christians in every age, through a shared faith in Christ as revealed by the apostles. This is a unity of belief, of mission, and of spiritual inheritance.

Division Isn’t Always the Enemy

Sometimes, standing for truth leads to division. That can feel uncomfortable—especially when the pressure is on to conform, to be accommodating, to stay silent on difficult issues. But if unity becomes agreement without truth, it’s no longer biblical unity.

Jesus prayed for a church so rooted in truth that its witness would cause the world to believe (John 17:21, John 17:23). Evangelism flows from a church united in the truth, not one fragmented by compromise.

What Does This Mean for Us?

• Hold firm to Scripture. The Bible is not just our guide; it’s our anchor in turbulent times.
• Be gracious, but clear. Truth and love must go hand in hand. But clarity is not cruelty—it’s Christlike.
• Pass it on. The faith you received came through the apostles’ teaching. Teach it to others. Don’t dilute it.
• Take heart. Jesus is still interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25). You’re not alone in the stand you take.

Final Word

Unity in Christ is beautiful—but it’s always unity in the truth. That was Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Not a call to paper over differences, but a call to be one in the gospel, for the sake of the world. To read John’s full speech.

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