The more pluralism comes into the church, the greater the level of toleration and the greater

the possibility of visible unity, organizational and structural unity.

However, there's always a price tag for that, and historically, the price tag has been

doctrine.

There are many Christian denominations.

From the outside, looking in, the people of God, the bride of Christ, could appear fractured.

How are we to think about that, especially in light of Jesus' prayer

in John 17, that his people would be one? This is the Monday edition of renewing her mind.

I'm your host, Nathan W. Bingham. The New Testament describes the church as the bride of Christ.

Until Thursday, R.C. Sprawl will be helping

us think about the church from a biblical perspective. And to help you do that further, you can

request this week's 10-part series, along with Sinclair Ferguson's book, In the Year of Our Lord,

which provides reflections on each century of church history when you give a donation of any

amount at renewing your mind.org. To begin this week's study, here's Dr. Sprole on the unity of the

church and the challenges of pluralism. In the 17th chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus gives the most extensive prayer that is recorded

for us in the New Testament.

And it is a prayer of intercession in which he prays for his disciples and for all who believe through the

testimony of the disciples. And consequently, that prayer is called Jesus' high priestly prayer.

Now, one of the central themes of that prayer was that Christ prayed to the Father

that His people might be one. It was a prayer for Christian unity. And he went on to say that he prayed that we might be one even as he

is one with the Father, so that the unity of the people of God, the unity of the church,

is to reflect and mirror the same kind of unity that exists between the Father and the Son.

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