Spiritual Unity

Topic: Unity
Passage: Ephesians 4:1–6

March 8, 2019

Commentary

The first three chapters of Ephesians deal with doctrine while the last three chapters explain our responsibilities as Christians. The word “therefore” shows that Paul is basing what he now has to say on the doctrines he has taught in the first three chapters (v. 1). The better we understand Bible doctrine the easier it will be to obey Bible duties.

The key thought in these verses is the unity of the believers in Christ. Unity does not mean uniformity. Unity comes from within while uniformity is the result of pressure from without. Unity does not just happen; we have to work at it. If we are going to have unity we must exhibit humility, meekness and longsuffering (v. 2). We need to try our best to let God’s Spirit keep our hearts united (v. 3). We do this by living at peace with each other.

Many people today attempt to unite Christians in a way that is not Biblical. Paul names seven basic elements of unity (vv. 4-6):

  1. One Body – What each believer is placed into
  2. One Spirit – The Holy Spirit
  3. One Hope – The rapture.
  4. One Lord – Jesus Christ
  5. One Faith – Basic Bible doctrine
  6. One Baptism – Happens at conversion
  7. One God and Father – Creator and sustainer

Purity of doctrine doesn’t necessarily produce spiritual unity. You can be sound in doctrine but unsaved in practice. Our behavior in Christ is to match our profession of Christ. To “walk worthy” means that we are to live in a way that honors and pleases God; we were “created in Christ to do good works” (Eph. 2:10).

Application

It has be said there are two ways of being united. One is by being frozen together, and the other is by being melted together. It is my desire to be united in brotherly love with other Christians, and then I can expect to have God’s power in my life.

Ephesians 4:1– 6 (NET)

1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.