The Power of Oneness – blog

In World War 1 the United States Army came up with the slogan;

“I Want You for US Army.”

That slogan remained until the 1950s till it was changed to “Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Go Army!”  And then again in 1971 to “Today’s Army Wants to Join You.”  Then, in 1980 it said; “Be All You Can Be.”  Twenty years later it became “Army of One.”  This failed so after 6 years they went to “Army Strong.”

The reason they dropped theArmy of One” slogan was that it was contrary to the idea of teamwork.  And if there is anything that needs to be done as teamwork it is being in the Army both working and fighting together. When bullets are flying and bombs exploding you need men who are trained to fight as a TEAM.

However, the concept of oneness comes from the lips of Jesus himself.  In John 17 we are listening to the prayer of Jesus to His Father the night He was to be captured, beaten, tried, and crucified.  These are words of critical importance yet are seldom followed by Christians around the world, especially those who live in the shame of sexual brokenness.

Here is part of what Jesus prayed in John 17:9-11;

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.  And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.”

Jesus, as the Son of God and equal in all ways with the Father and the Spirit, was one with the Father.  That oneness existed before time began and will continue forever. Absolute oneness is absolute perfection.

AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS FOLLOWERS.

Oneness means to be connected with one another.  It means to be united with and standing together with one another.  In fact, there are 59 passages in the New Testament that tell us about how we should live with one another.  15 of those contain the words; “Love One Another.”

I believe that the biggest problem in the Church right now is that we are failing in the command for us to be one, to be united.  Those struggling with sexual brokenness live in shame and fear.  We have done things which have the potential to blow up our marriages and deeply wound our children.  Secret sexual sins turn us into cowards because we believe the things that we have done could never be forgiven.

Which is actually the very opposite of what we need to have happened.  When we remain alone, we are an easy target for satan to abuse.  We keep on going back for more sin because it eases our pain for a moment but only doubles it in return.  So, on and one the cycle of addiction goes and instead of living the Christian life we are dying a death to anticipated condemnation.

One of the greatest things that I have experienced in my recovery is the freedom that has come from me telling the truth.  I have confessed my sins to hundreds if not thousands of people.  I am committed and connected to 9 small groups each week.  And it is because of my continuing openness and honesty to those I am accountable to that I have escaped from shame and am being unentangled from the sin that so easily entangles us.

This is what it takes to be experiencing oneness with God and oneness with other people.  When we stand united with one another we are an Army of One.  We find the strength that we do not have in ourselves being received from oneness with others. This battle can never be won alone.

Jesus knew this and that is why He prayed that the Father would help His disciples maintain a community of oneness so that we might have the chance to survive in this world filled with temptations.  He knew that we too easily will rationalize sin and are so easily lured away and enticed by our own sinful desires.

Perhaps that is why the Spirit lead the wisest man in history to write;

“Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil.

If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one.

But woe to the solitary person!

If that one should fall, there is no other to help.

So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm.

How can one alone keep warm?

Where one alone may be overcome, two together can resist.

A three-ply cord is not easily broken.”

 

If you are still trying to live this Christian life in this sin-filled world alone, how long will you live in that bondage?  Get connected to a team of other men who are here to help you.  Sit in on one of our Online Support Teams and discover the power of oneness.

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