In the departing words of our Lord Jesus, we find in John 14:18 a particularly moving statement, when the Lord says to His disciples, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

Our Lord is speaking here of three things:

1. Of His approaching death (indirectly).

2. Of His resurrection: He will return.

3. Of the sending of the Holy Spirit, through whom He will always be there for His disciples.

It is really moving to see how the Lord is caring for His disciples here, and wants to encourage them by describing the great blessing of the sending of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7). In verses 8-15, our Lord speaks further of Him, the Holy Spirit. We are going to consider verses 13-14 now from the aspect of Spirit produced unity in particular, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” It is clear that these words are not directly connected with unity. They are about the particular ministry and the working of the Holy Spirit, and this has a lot to do with unity.

The unity from below. Today there is already a “unity,” one that is not produced by the Spirit, however. It is rather a unity produced by “spirits.” This so-called unity is a double one: on the one hand it is about the present political globalization, and on the other it is about a religious globalization, which has been known for many years under the name of the “Ecumenical Movement.” The disastrous activity of this last-named religious globalization is well known to us all. The political globalization is to incorporate the worldly unity, the Ecumenical Movement, the “Christian.” Yet both of these come from the same bitter source: they come from below and are the work of the great opponent of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Political globalization means a world-embracing conglomeration of power, through which ever more powerful instances are created in order to force the world to become one. And the Ecumenical Movement is nothing other than a worldwide religious conglomeration, to represent Christians of all denominations as a united platform. But Bible-believing Christians know that both movements toward unity ultimately serve one person: the Antichrist. He will one day rule over the whole world. The strong man is not yet here, but his perilous net has been spun for many years, from a worldly as well as a religious aspect. Everything will be ready when he appears on the scene. 

In the book of Proverbs, we find a very interesting statement concerning the conglomeration of power. We read here of people who attempt to bind others to themselves with the following words, “We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse” (Proverbs 1:13-14). Here is an obvious attempt to amalgamate, which climaxes in the statement, “Let us all have one purse.” The Bible gives us a very clear warning, however, not to participate in such an amalgamation, “My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood” (verses 15-16). These words are doubtless a clear command to Bible-believing Christians to stay away from the present false unity, from the religious as well as the worldly unity. Political efforts to achieve unity do not really affect us, but the spiritual/religious all the more. These have been creating havoc for decades already by attempting to undermine the Church. Dear friends, we should take a stand where these negative developments are concerned and resist this false teaching.

Biblical unity. Firstly, we must hold fast to the fact that the Bible does not speak anywhere of peace and unity at all costs. This is the fatal thing. Everything is being done, people are prepared to make the most tremendous compromises, just to achieve this false unity. In the Bible we do not find unity at all costs, but Christ at all costs. True unity is a person: Jesus Christ.

As simple as it may sound, the fact is that the Church possesses all the conditions for true unity in the person of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. True unity is personified in Christ. Not only that, however. It is based on the fellowship with the Son and the Father. Think of the high priestly prayer, where our Lord makes the tremendous statement, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:23). Or think of the words of Colossians 3:3, where Paul writes, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” 

“Hid with Christ in God.” Are not these words which describe the foundation of Christian unity? It is this unity which binds and unites us. All of us who are children of God can testify with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). If Christ personifies unity, then it is of immense significance that He lives in us. Basically, He lives in all believers. Nonetheless, it can actually happen that Jesus Christ stands before the door of some of His children! In Revelation 3:20, the Lord had to say to the Christian church at Laodicea, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” This church had defiled herself through sin. That is why Jesus Christ no longer dwelt in her midst but stood before the door. 

When we defile ourselves through some kind of sin, which we have not brought to the cross and received forgiveness for immediately, then there is no more room for our Savior. In such a case, it is useless to talk about unity. See that you can rejoice with Paul every day, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”!

This is true unity: Christ in me! Christ in me and all my fellow-Christians—that is true unity. What a spirit of power and joy can be in the Church when God’s children see to it that Christ really fills them. In Him the true foundation of unity is given to us all.

This indwelling through one Savior in all believers has a tremendous effect, which is described for us in Colossians 3:9-10, “…ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” Unity within the Church is possible because everyone who comes to the Church has put on the nature of the Lord Jesus. He has clothed himself with Christ. Christ lives in me and in many others too. We have all been renewed in the image of our Savior. And the best part is that on the basis of this unity, it will one day be possible for the Church of Jesus Christ to be raptured as a united Church.

Unity produced by the Spirit. “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-14). In this text, much is said to us, but it speaks of Spirit produced unity in a particular way. The indwelling of the holy Son of God in all children of God incorporates the true unity of the Church. What takes place in practical terms, however, when Christ dwells in me? Nothing other than that which the Lord proclaimed about the Holy Spirit, “He shall glorify me” (John 16:14).

Spirit produced unity is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit in the children of God. In order that this unity, the overflowing life of the Savior, can fully develop in me, however, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is necessary. He wants to glorify Christ in all His fullness. The apostle Paul gives examples of this in his letter to the Romans, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13). Things like righteousness, peace, joy and hope are basically given to us in Jesus Christ, as the apostle Peter explains, “His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3). Paul also proclaims the good news to us, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

How does this all come to life in us in practical terms? Through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what John 16:13-14 explains to us. It is the Holy Spirit who wants to proclaim and magnify the victory of Jesus in our daily lives. He wants the abundant life that is in Christ to become a reality in us. Everything that has to do with Jesus, the Holy Spirit wants to realize in us. Our Lord summarizes this wonderful working of the Holy Spirit with the words, “He shall glorify me” (John 16:14).

In John 16:13, our Lord says of the Holy Spirit, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” The truth in person is Jesus Himself (John 14:6). So when our Lord speaks of this here, that the Holy Spirit wants to guide us into all truth, then it is in the first place about the Savior Himself. This statement itself testifies to a Spirit produced unity, for the Holy Spirit guides into all truth, which is in the first place, Christ.

Then it continues in John 16:13-14, “He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” These words also speak of the Spirit produced unity, for the Holy Spirit proclaims only that which concerns the Lord Jesus directly. The Holy Spirit does not proclaim anything new; He does not bring any new doctrine. He only speaks of that which has to do with the Savior. Do you see the clarity of the message here? Do you see the overwhelming witness to Spirit produced unity? It is the work of the Holy Spirit to make everything that is given us in Christ to become abundant. This again is nothing other than the unity that is produced by the Spirit.

Unity, not one opinion. Does unity mean that there are no more differences of opinion? No, we all know that there are subjects which Christians may see differently. Where Christ really is the center, however, where He has complete and unlimited access and right of dwelling, matters of secondary importance can and will not become issues of conflict. There, we must concentrate on the main thing: Christ in me. This does not mean that I alone see things from the right point of view, and the others have to think as I do. No, but that I use all my means to see that my neighbor, who perhaps thinks differently in some secondary matter, sees the Lord in me. This may result in him extending his hand to me in a brotherly handshake, in spite of our differences of opinion. And we will both no longer see what divides us but what unites us.

For many people, Spirit produced unity means that their fellow Christians have to think exactly on the same lines as them. But this is just what produces so much strife. No, Spirit produced unity is nothing other than that Jesus Christ in me becomes greater and greater through the power of the Holy Spirit. The more this takes place, the more I will be in the position to live according to 2 Corinthians 5:16, “Henceforth know we no man after the flesh….” This means in practical terms that I no longer judge my brother on the grounds of his views, but in the first place on the grounds of our mutual Lord. What peace, love and unity such an attitude could produce among Bible-believing children of God, and how many quarrels would not need to start!

In the book of Ecclesiastes, we find a particular verse, “…A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed” (Ecclesiastes 8:1). The NIV puts this even more clearly, “Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance.” Here we see Christ for, according to 1 Corinthians 1:30, Christ Jesus was made unto us wisdom. And so, nothing less is said here than that our Savior is able to make the face of a person so shine that his or her face is transformed. This means, his or her heart is filled with brotherly and sisterly love. If Jesus Christ really can make His dwelling in us always and in every situation, then we will be capable of loving, regardless of unimportant differences of opinion. We all need to heed the words of Philippians 2:3, where Paul writes, “…In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Be honest. Is it not often the case that our pride will not allow us to extend a hand to a brother or sister on account of differences of opinion in matters of secondary importance? As born-again Christians, we should look for the things that unite us and not those which divide us. Of course, we need to be cautious. There is often a fine line between a difference of opinion and a false doctrine. We should examine carefully, therefore, whether it is about insignificant matters or a false doctrine.

The Comforter. The Lord Jesus speaks in John’s Gospel four times of the Holy Spirit as Comforter (John 14:16 & 26, 15:26 and 16:7). 

It really was important for the Lord Jesus not to leave the disciples as orphans. He made arrangements so that they would lack nothing after His departure. He did not leave them to their fate. The Comforter would remind them of Him and His words. The Lord spoke twice in an impressive way about this concern, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). This is understandable, for on the day of ascension a cloud took Him up before the eyes of the disciples, and He disappeared (Acts 1:9). Shortly after this, the disciples were exposed to a mighty wind. It was not long before Peter and John stood before the High Council in Jerusalem like criminals. And this was only the beginning. Afterwards, the disciples were often and violently resisted. In this context, we understand what a wonderful gift the Lord gave to His disciples.

The Lord Jesus Christ not only sent them the Comforter, but also entrusted Him with a special task of reminding the disciples continually of His words. This is a source of joy and encouragement for us. Do we not feel today more than ever a cold wind from below, and how we are coming to our limits? The inner trials have become enormous; sometimes they are frightening. But we do not need to be surprised at this. The more we proclaim the unity in Christ, the more that will motivate the enemy to attack us. But this is where the legacy that the Lord left His disciples comes to our aid.

It is the desire of the Holy Spirit today to continually remind us of the Lord and His words. He wants to lead us into all truth personally (John 16:13). This means, He wants to glorify the Lord in us, so that we can overcome when confronted by the enemy.

When a child of God perseveres in sin, it is unfortunately the case that the working of the Holy Spirit is reduced to a minimum. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit leaves them, for He dwells abidingly in the born-again Christian. But He withdraws when unconfessed and unforgiven sin is present. Paul speaks of this withdrawal of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19, saying, “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God,” and, “Quench not the Spirit.”

Therefore, we should bring every inconsistency to the cross immediately and completely. In this way, the Holy Spirit can continue to do His glorious work in us. He can remind us of Jesus, who said, for example, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). Eternal assurance of salvation—this means having an anchor that holds fast for eternity. What more can a child of God want?

(MR0611/449)