One Body, One Faith, One Baptism

Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV),  I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Christian believers  cannot thrive, even survive with a cavalier attitude towards the faith or encumbered with all of their old patterns of behaviour.  We have become Christ's body, the church and an integral part of something holy. Therefore, Paul says that we should behave accordingly…worthy of our calling. So, if we are to represent him to the world, must behave with humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance…not just with each other, but also with the community which surrounds us. 

Paul defines what unity of the Spirit actually looks like from a kingdom perspective. Ephesians 4:4-6 (ESV), There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  There is no room here for a denomination to say to another bible based and bible teaching, obedient to Christ body of believers that they are not. In fact, Paul is saying that there are not actually different bodies, but part of the same body…Christ's body.  

Seven times in in these three verses Paul uses the word "one"…one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father.  Then he uses the word "all" four times. God and Father of all, who is over all, through all and in all!  There is no shopping list here; but only one God who gifts humanity with the one true faith through the work of the Holy Spirit…and everything that exists is His…full stop…go no further!  And unless we both understand and assent to that premise first, there will be no authentic Christian faith, no unity and no peace.
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Dead in Sin - Alive in Christ

Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV), And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

There is a trinity of sorts that Paul names as being responsible for the mess that people are in prior to coming to Christ. Three things that are progressively responsible for the condition of fallen humanity. They are: the world, the devil and the flesh.

The first, the world has a value system that stands in direct opposition to the will and purposes of God. People don't just, "fall into sin"...an intent and decision is required. That is, a decision to choose the value system of the world instead of God's.

As I said above, this is progressive. There are two consequences of choosing the world. Firstly, when we reject God's will and purposes, he removes the hand of protection from us. Secondly, by choosing the world and rejecting God, we open ourselves spiritually to Satan and his demons.

Once Satan has been given access and God's protection is removed, once godly values have been replaced by worldly (read satanic) ones, what Paul refers to as the "flesh" takes over. We have become the "sons of disobedience". Our godly inhibitions are dismantled and the unfettered physical desires which deviate so radically from the morals of the kingdom are given free reign.

It is not popular to speak of the non-believing public in this manner. In fact, in many circles it is considered abusive. Many don't ever come to realize there need for redemption, because they are constantly told by the world that their condition is the normal state of humanity, they were born that way and it should be celebrated rather than challenged!

But God...I love it when I hear that! "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love...made us alive in Christ. By grace you have been saved through faith" Eph.2: 4 & 8 (ESV). There is no place we have been that cannot be redeemed by the blood of the lamb. All he asks us to do is to acknowledge his sacrifice and turn to him.
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The Eyes of Your Heart

Ephesians 1:15-17 (ESV) " ...ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people,  I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

What we are actually hearing here, is the result of Jesus working in Paul's life. The Lord has taken this vicious and violent Pharisee who once pursued and persecuted Christians, and transformed him into a wise and spiritually powerful teacher. Paul, in turn, is now praying for the Ephesian believers to be transformed in like manner.

Paul is showing them some of what he speaks about in 1Corinthians as "the most excellent way" or the way of love. Because he has heard about them, he prays for them continually. The other thing that Paul does is give thanks for them. He is not jealous of their success in ministry, but joyful and thankful…and willing to affirm that publically. Let me ask you…how do you think that things would be different for the church in Squamish, in every community, if every pastor and leader publically praised God and gave thanks for the ministry of the other leaders?

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"And the effect of righteousness will be peace...the result if righteousness, quietness and trust forever."(Isaiah 32:17 ESV).  "Do you know that a little leaven, leavened the whole lump" (1Cor.5:6 ESV).  The Isaiah reading can be looked at from two perspectives. For, without the Spirit poured out, the wilderness will stay just that...wilderness. I am, of course, speaking metaphorically about a believer's life which, devoid of Spirit enabled righteousness, will be marked by anxiety instead of peace. Chaos and suspicion will reign in the place of quietness and trust.  Paul's teaching for the Corinthians also applies. A little measure of u righteousness poisons the whole Christian community, especially if it is allowed to continue unchallenged or, heaven forbid, even affirmed.  A small measure of righteousness bears the appropriate fruit...peace, quietness, trust.