Jesus invites us to be soulmates with Him. He desires intimate fellowship with us, not simply a superficial acquaintance. He longs for a bride, not a girlfriend playing the field. In Revelation 3:20 He proclaims, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” This passage implies that Christ desires a relationship with His followers. A deep relationship that goes beyond mere association.
When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He disclosed that He and God were so intertwined that there was no way of telling them apart. There was absolutely nothing separating them. No barriers between them. This is the relationship mankind was created to have with God, however sin has erected barriers that prevent us from this epitome of unity (Isaiah 59:2). These barriers necessitate greater faith.
In John 17:20-23, Jesus prays for this unity for all believers. He is asking that no sin come between the authentic church and Himself and by extension our Father in heaven. The Bible tells us in James 4:8 that when we draw near to God, He draws near to us. “Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.”
This requires effort and intent on our part. If the Christian experience is to be the spiritual connection that brings forth the abundant life that Jesus references in John 10:10, it is incumbent upon believers to live by the Spirit as Paul instructs in Galatians 5:16-17. Repentance is the mechanism compelling us to seek God and forsake sin. In doing so, the barriers between us and our Creator can be dismantled and “oneness” can be approached.
COMPLETE UNITY WITH GOD
Jesus had no sin separating Him from the Father, therefore, He enjoyed complete unity with God. He set an example that true followers are called to imitate. This is not a suggestion but a command. 1 Peter 1:13-16 teaches, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
This is in sharp contrast to the message the contemporary church propagates today, that emphasizes grace and acceptance at the expense of repentant conviction. When biblical truth conflicts with modern practices and cultural influences, a generation that proclaims “don’t judge me” denies the sovereignty of God and attempts to rewrite and reinterpret scripture to reflect human values and a moral inversion to God’s standards. Unity with God becomes impossible when the walls that separate us from Him are left in place.
James 4:4 declares, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James is telling us that there is a distinct incompatibility between worldly values and devotion to God. “No one can serve two masters.” (Matthew 6:24). It is impossible to walk the narrow road that leads to life while remaining on the broad road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).
PERPETUAL ADOLESENCE IN FAITH
Many modern Christians desire the Christian “label”, the “brand” or the “lifestyle” on Sunday but are unwilling to live the Christian “life” the rest of the time. They become captive to perpetual adolescence in their faith that never goes deeper than the superficial, outward illusions of a shallow theology that is rooted in worldly values.
The apostle Paul admonished the church at Corinth for this very practice. “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3a). And in 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul writes, “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with the inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
“Progressive” pastors today are simply enabling sinners to remain in their sins and effectively shut the door to the kingdom of heaven. They themselves will not enter, nor will they let those enter who are trying to. The methodologies may differ from the Pharisees but the results are the same (Matthew 23:13). 1 John 3:6 is ignored more often than not. “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.” Genuine followers of Christ do not willfully sin. Authentic believers do not intentionally lead sinful lifestyles.
These pseudo-Christians live by a parallel theology that suspends the truth of the gospel. Repentance is unnecessary; worldliness is acceptable; salvation is free – so there’s no need for obedience; indulgence is preferred to discipline; dying to yourself is unnecessary because Jesus already died for you. Others claim that even flawed theology is acceptable if it points people to Jesus, however the Jesus they call attention to is a false Jesus.
Many modern Christians want to be saved but not from their sins. They desire free passage into heaven but they reject what it requires of them. They want title – not transformation. They want the crown of glory while living lives in opposition to the King. They want peace while remaining in rebellion. They want love without loyalty and dopamine not discipline. They want the rapture without persecution. They want the position of apostleship but refuse to serve like apostles. They want the role without the responsibility and affirmation without accountability. They want Jesus to accept them just as they are but on their own terms. And they confidently disregard the teachings of Christ.
Jesus warned about wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing in Matthew 7:15-23. He said that false teachers would preach deceptive doctrines that sound good on the surface but lack the truth that leads to salvation. In verse 21, He declares, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Don’t fall for an easy Christianity that requires no commitment or sacrifice. Belief in Jesus means complete loyalty to Jesus.
THE HARSH TRUTH
The harsh truth is many modern Christians aren’t true Christians. They are an unfaithful bride, guilty of betrayal and infidelity. An adulterous generation, willing to embrace comforting lies and ignore hard truths. If they reject heavenly principles during their short time on earth, why would they want to spend eternity in heaven? If they won’t make Jesus the focal point of their existence in this life, what makes them believe they will enjoy an eternity with Him? They are lukewarm Christians and Jesus warns in Revelation 3:15-19 that their repentance is in order.
In Matthew 10:37-39, Jesus declares, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Jesus also said, “Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33). These are stern words from our Lord and Savior and they do not simply imply verbal ascent but a life that demonstrates authentic faith and exemplifies commitment to Christ.
Someone recently commented to me that the Bible never speaks of surrendering our lives to Jesus. That we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) and there is nothing we can do to gain salvation. However, Paul teaches, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought to make it captive to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL
We can begin a life of deep spiritual connection to Jesus right now, but it is incumbent upon us to ensure that every barrier to drawing near to Him is removed from our lives. That requires surrendering every room in the house. That means handing over the keys and saying “Not my will but Your will be done.” Are you willing to let your life be a testimony to the truth of Jesus Christ? To be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden?
Paul advises believers to serve others wholeheartedly as if serving the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24) and to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). He also teaches us to serve one another in love (Romans 12:10 and Galatians 5:13). Jesus taught in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” Anyone who has done this can testify how rewarding and fulfilling it is to serve.
In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus teaches that when we serve those less fortunate, we are in essence serving Him. ‘For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me. I was in prison and you came to visit Me.” (Matthew 25:35-36), and in verse 40 Jesus adds, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.”
We are to help the weak (Acts 20:35), with the knowledge that such unselfish acts are pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:16). When we serve like this, not only do we leave little room for sin in our lives but we experience a closeness with the Lord that cannot be obtained when we indulge in worldly pursuits. We can obtain fellowship with Christ that becomes our communion with Him. A common union that aligns our values with His, giving our lives greater purpose and meaning.
When we give our hearts completely to Christ, we experience the depth and fullness of His love for us. We are invited to follow Him daily in a transformative connection that mirrors the relationship Jesus displayed with our heavenly Father. This is the unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17:20-23.
Jesus desires more than a long-distance relationship with His bride. He longs for intimacy and spiritual connection with those betrothed to Him. A strong, innate bond signified by an alignment in values, core beliefs and life paths. He wants His bride to be His soulmate because He is the Redeemer of souls.
