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.
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
