"There Is One God And One Mediator Between God And Men, The Man Christ Jesus" 
1 Timothy (2:5)

As We Are One (John 17:22)

 

“We”

 

WRITTEN SOURCE(s): Encarta World English Dictionary

We: is a pronoun used to refer to the speaker or writer and at least one other person

BIBLE SOURCE: The word “we” is found many times in the Bible (over 1800 times)

 

 

So what does the phrase “as we are one” mean?

 

 

As “We” Are One

There were many letters written by the apostles and Jesus can be found using the same familiar manner of speaking in many passages; “That they” (plural – meaning more than one person) “may be one” (singular)…..” (John 17:11, 22)

 

(John 17:11) And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

(John 17:22) And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

 

I always find it interesting how many people can take one part of this particular passage and without arguement correctly understand the context behind it; that the word “one” (“that they may be one”) does not indicate a group of people who were somehow physically morphed together creating the existence of a new physically created man, yet incorrectly conclude that the next word “one“, found in the latter part of the same passage (“as we are one”), now has a different meaning than that which proceeded it. I have yet to hear anyone make the claim that Jesus believed “they” (meaning more than one person) could ever become “one person” literally. Of course not! Nor is there any scripture making such a ludicrous claim. The fact is, every man is held accountable for his (or her) own personal disobedience (or sins) against God come judgment day. This would create a big problem come judgment day, if we were all one person literally.

Furthermore, Jesus does not stop there. Jesus actually elaborated further to reveal the true meaning of the first part of his statement by adding the word “as” (a comparison word); as we (plural – indicates more than one person) are one” (singular).

 

In other words, we (being “Sons” & “Children of God”– Romans 8:14, 17; Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35) are considered one just as the Father and Son are considered one; in unity, not one in person: (See: Are Jesus and God One and the Same Person?)

 

 

 

Many Passages Specifically Refer to Two Separate Persons

(The Plurality of Personages)

 

The word “both” indicates two Separate Persons (the Plurality of personages) and is found in scriptures that clearly distinguish the Father from the Son:

 

(2John 1:9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

(John 15:24) If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

 

 

Jesus taught the following:

“But if I judge, my judging is true, because when I judge I am not aloneThe Father who sent me is with me. 17 Your own law says that when two witnesses say the same thing, you must accept what they say. 18 I am one of the witnesses who speaks about myself. And the Father who sent me is my other witness.” 19 The people asked, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You don’t know me or my Father. But if you knew me, you would know my Father too.” (John 8:16-19 ERV)

 

To make sense out of all of the aforementioned Scriptures “The Father and Son” must be understood as being two separate persons.  The Apostles Peter, John and Paul all believed the Father and Son are two separate persons and wrote that way. This relationship with God as our Father (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:2; Philemon 1:3) makes us ONE as he was with Christ (John 17:21-22; John 20:17)

 

 

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