What does becoming one with God mean?

Becoming one with God is a profound spiritual concept that spans both the Old and New Testaments. It involves a deep, intimate relationship with God, characterized by unity in spirit, purpose, and will. This unity is not just an abstract idea but is meant to be lived out in practical, everyday life.

Understanding Unity with God

The foundation of becoming one with God begins with the understanding that humans are created in the image of God. This implies an inherent connection and potential for unity with Him.

Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV): “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Being created in God’s image means that humans have the capacity for relationship with God, reflecting His character and attributes.

The unity with God intended at creation was marred by sin. The fall of man brought separation from God, disrupting the intended oneness.

Genesis 3:8-9 (NKJV): “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?'” Despite this separation, God’s desire for unity with humanity remained, leading to His plan for redemption.

The Call to Unity

Throughout the Old Testament, God calls His people to a relationship of unity with Him. This is often expressed through covenant relationships.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NKJV): “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This passage, known as the Shema, underscores the call to love and commit fully to God, indicating a deep, all-encompassing unity.

Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah spoke of a future time when God would restore unity with His people.

Jeremiah 31:33 (NKJV): “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” This new covenant highlights an internal transformation leading to unity with God.

Jesus Christ: The Bridge to Unity

Jesus Christ, God incarnate, is the ultimate revelation of God’s desire for unity with humanity.

John 1:14 (NKJV): “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Through Jesus, God’s nature and character are fully revealed, providing the perfect example of unity with the Father. John 10:30 (NKJV): “I and My Father are one.”

In His high priestly prayer, Jesus prays for His followers to experience the same unity He has with the Father.

John 17:20-23 (NKJV): “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” This prayer emphasizes the profound unity Jesus desires for His followers, reflecting the unity within the Trinity.

Jesus’ death and resurrection are central to restoring unity with God. Through His sacrifice, the barrier of sin is removed, allowing for reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NKJV): “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Ephesians 2:14-16 (NKJV): “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”

Living in Unity with God

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in uniting believers with God. The Spirit indwells believers, guiding, empowering, and transforming them.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV): “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

Romans 8:9-11 (NKJV): “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

The Spirit’s presence assures believers of their unity with God and transforms them into the likeness of Christ.

Jesus teaches that abiding in Him is essential for a fruitful and unified relationship with God.

John 15:4-5 (NKJV): “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Abiding in Christ involves a continuous daily connection through the study of God’s Word and prayer, dependent relationship with Him, drawing life and sustenance from Him.

Walking in the Spirit is crucial for maintaining unity with God. This involves yielding to the Spirit’s guidance and allowing Him to produce His fruit in our lives.

Galatians 5:16-25 (NKJV): “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Unity with God also involves unity with other believers. The Church is described as the Body of Christ, with each member playing a vital role.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NKJV): “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.”

Ultimate Unity: Eternal Life with God

Believers are promised eternal life, where they will experience perfect unity with God.

John 3:16 (NKJV): “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

1 John 5:11-13 (NKJV): “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

The ultimate expression of unity with God will be realized in the new heaven and new earth, where believers will dwell with God forever.

Revelation 21:1-4 (NKJV): “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'”

In eternity, believers will experience unbroken fellowship and perfect unity with God, fulfilling His original design for creation.

Revelation 22:3-5 (NKJV): “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”

Conclusion

Becoming one with God is a multifaceted journey that involves recognizing our creation in His image, understanding the separation caused by sin, and embracing the reconciliation provided through Jesus Christ. It involves living in a continual relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, abiding in Christ, through study of the Word and prayer. This unity is also reflected in our relationships with other believers as part of the Body of Christ. Ultimately, this journey culminates in eternal life, where perfect unity with God will be fully realized.

This concept is central to the Christian faith and is thoroughly supported by Scripture, offering both a profound theological truth and a practical guide for daily living. The journey towards unity with God is both a present reality and a future hope, providing purpose and direction for believers.

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