DiggingforTruth

Home Bible Studies Scriptures used in DiggingForTruth Gospel of John John 17: 16 - 19 > Jesus prays for his disciples

John 17: 20 - 23 > Christ Prays for all believers

Christ prays for all believers

John 17: 20 - 23 ( King James Version )

20 > Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 > That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 > And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 > 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: 20 - 23 ( New International Version )

20 > My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

21 > that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 > I have given them the glory that you have gave me, that they be one as we are one

23 > I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know, that you sent me and have loved even them as you have loved me.

Text Quoted in Spirit of Prophecy

". . . Suppose that one brother misjudges another. He might have had opportunity to learn whether his suspicions were well founded; but instead of waiting to do this, he repeats to others his surmisings. Thus evil thoughts are stirred in them, and the evil becomes wide-spread. And all the time the one pronounced guilty is not told of the matter; there is no investigation, no inquiry is made directly of him, so that he may have an opportunity either to acknowledge his fault or to clear himself from unjust suspicion. A serious wrong has been done him because his brethren had not the moral courage to go directly to him and talk with him freely in the spirit of Christian love. From all who have thus neglected their duty, confession is due; and none will shrink from it who deem it of any importance for them to seek to answer the prayer of Christ (quotes John 17: 20-23).

How can this prayer be answered by one who has wronged his brother, and whose heart is not softened by the grace of Christ so that he will make confession? How can his brethren, who know the facts, still have unshaken confidence in him, while he seems to feel no conviction of the Spirit of God? He is doing a wrong to the whole church, and especially if he occupies a position of responsibility; for he is encouraging others to disregard the word of God, to pass along with sins unconfessed. Many a one will say in heart, if not in words, "There is an elder of the church; he does not make confession of his errors, and yet he remains an honored member of the church. If he does not confess, neither will I. If he feels that it is perfectly safe for him not to show any contrition, I, too, will risk it."

Review & Herald, Dec. 16, 1890 paragraph 6, 7

Jesus says: [ John 17: 20-23 ]. How Jesus leads our minds out to take more and more extensive views of the privileges and advantages that have been provided for man in coming in close relationship with Christ! The believer may bear the testimony in his life and character that God loves the human agent who obeys His commands as He loves His Son. How amazing is this statement -- almost beyond the comprehension of the finite mind! Jesus says further, "I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them" [verse 26]. {14MR 85.2}

Verse 20 only

All that Christ was to the disciples, He desires to be to His children today; for in that last prayer, with the little band of disciples gathered about Him, He said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word." John 17:20. Steps to Christ, page 75.1

It is the will of God that union and brotherly love should exist among His people. The prayer of Christ just before His crucifixion was that His disciples might be one as He is one with the Father, that the world might believe that God had sent Him. This most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down the ages, even to our day; for His words were, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word." John 17: 20. While we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth, it should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity. This is the evidence of our discipleship. Said Jesus, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35. The apostle Peter exhorts the church, "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8, 9. {PP 520.3}

Let us seek earnestly to obey the conditions God has laid down, by striving for the unity that should exist among believers. Christ’s true followers will act upon the principles He has laid down. “They are not of the world,” He said, “even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy Word is truth.... The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one; 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.” This is the most wonderful statement that ever came from the lips of Christ. Why do we not show that we understand and appreciate these words? { ST May 2, 1900, par. 5 }

This unity is expressed also in the seventeenth chapter of John, in the prayer of Christ for His disciples: { 8T 269.2}
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: 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 17:20-23. { 8T 269.3}

Christ's life was pure and undefiled. He refused to yield to the temptations of the enemy. Had He yielded on one point, the human family would have been lost. Who can tell the agony that He endures as He sees Satan playing the game of life for the souls of those who claim to be His disciples, and sees them yielding point after point, allowing the soul's defenses to be broken down? We can form no conception of the agony that He endures at this sight. One soul lost, one soul given up to Satan's power, means more to Him than the whole world. . . . What an argument of power in the prayer, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one" (John 17: 21, 22). In Heavenly Places, page 76.4

In His wonderful prayer, Christ said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). This takes in all who believe the gospel. "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (verse 21). Our unity and love for one another are the credentials by which we testify to the world that God has sent His Son to save sinners. {TDG 120.2}

Oh, how deceptive is the human heart! How easy it is to harmonize with that which is evil! There is nothing more detrimental to the soul’s interest, its purity, its true and holy conceptions of God, and of sacred and eternal things, than constantly giving heed to and exalting that which is not from God. It poisons the heart, and degrades the understanding. Pure truth can be traced to its divine Source, by its elevating, refining, sanctifying influence upon the character of the receiver. The Author of all truth prayed to His Father, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” ( John 17:20, 21). Things will be constantly arising to cause disunion, to draw away from the truth. This questioning, criticizing, denouncing, passing judgment on others, is not an evidence of the grace of Christ in the heart. It does not produce unity. Such work has been carried on in the past by persons claiming to have wonderful light, when they were deep in sin. Heresy, dishonesty, and falsehood were all blended in them. { 2SM 78.3}

Related Phrase:

Return to Scriptures used in Diggingfortruth page

diggingfortruth.org