“Continue in the Son and in the Father” (1 John 2:24).
The oneness of which our blessed Lord spoke to the Father, recorded in John 17:21, is, that all His own might know in present communion oneness in the Father and the Son. In contrast to this, Scripture abundantly shows the utter failure of the efforts of religious-minded men for uniformity. So enamoured does the mind become by ideal uniformity, by some set of principles usually called divine, that it will pursue such in a spirit which is diametrically opposed both to the nature and character of the blessed God, harshness and cruelty often being used to enforce a particular form of uniformity, and faithfulness to God often pleaded to cover what is really a dishonour to His holy Name. Now the way of the Holy Spirit is to lead, to guide, to teach, and make known the positive truth of God, as it is revealed in His beloved Son, who has made the Father’s Name and the Father’s love known; and it is thus that exercised hearts are livingly led into the blessedness of present communion in oneness in the Father and the Son. It is the living communion of persons and not the harsh uniformity of mere religion.