God is leading out a people to stand in perfect unity upon the platform of eternal truth. Christ gave Himself to the world that He might “purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” This refining process is designed to purge the church from all unrighteousness and the spirit of discord and contention, that they may build up instead of tear down, and concentrate their energies on the great work before them. God designs that His people should all come into the unity of the faith. The prayer of the Christ just prior to His crucifixion was that His disciples might be one, even as He was one with the Father, that the world might believe that the Father had sent Him. This most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down the ages, even to our day; for His words were: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.” {4T 17.1}

Gud fører et folk ud, for at det kan stå fuldkommen forenet på den evige sandheds grund. Kristus gav sig selv til verden, for at han måtte »rense sig et ejendomsfolk, der er ivrigt efter at gøre gode gerninger«. Hensigten med denne lutringsproces er at rense menigheden fra al uretfærdighed og fra splidens og stridens ånd, så at de kan opbygge i stedet for at nedbryde og, samle deres kræfter om den foreliggende store gerning. Gud har til hensigt, at hele hans folk skal komme til troens enhed. Kristi bøn umiddelbart før korsfæstelsen var, at hans disciple måtte blive et, ligesom han var et med Faderen, for at verden kunne tro, at Faderen havde sendt ham. Denne gribende og underfulde bøn rækker ned gennem tiderne helt til vore dage; for han sagde: »Ikke alene for disse beder jeg, men også for dem, som ved deres ord kommer til tro på mig.«