John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John stated in the epistle of 1 John that God is love. Eternal life is knowing God and experiencing His love through His Son Jesus Christ.
John 17:11 "Now I am no longer in the world; but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are." Most ministers have said that we should be one with another in unity. That is a good thing, but not what Jesus meant. He is praying that we would be one with the Father, just as Jesus is one with the Father. He will say it again later in the chapter.
John 17:14-23 "I have given them Your word (the gospel or word of grace and truth); and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word (the gospel or word of grace) is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
The gospel or word of grace and truth is what causes us to be born again. The Holy Spirit comes to live within us. The word of grace cleanses our conscience of sin so that we can begin to see that we are one with Him. This is how we are sanctified or set apart by the word of grace and truth. As God sent Jesus into the world to preach the gospel and have miracles, He sends us into the world to preach the gospel so that God can confirm His Word with miracles. This will take place when we recognize that we have been made one with God just as Jesus and the Father are One. When this comes to pass, the world will know that God sent Jesus and loved us with the same love that God loves Jesus. That is what Jesus was praying for us. Unity with other believers is important, but it will not bring this result to pass. We are not God; that is obvious. But we are the temple of the Holy Spirit when we are born again. As our hearts are cleansed by His word of grace, Jesus can be revealed in us through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
Keith Oliver
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