THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

Much has been said recently about Christian unity. Almost everyone agrees that it is desirable. It has become popular to favor unity of some sort in most so-called "Christian" circles.
There are a number of totally different concepts regarding the sort of unity that should be desired or effected. One idea is that everyone should CONFORM in order to have unity (Roman Catholic). Another is that all should COMPROMISE to find it (Ecumenical mergers, Councils of Churches). Still another is that men should simply learn to COEXIST (old-line Protestantism).

The New Testament gives the answer to this problem, as with all religious and spiritual ones. The need is for men of all persuasions to approach the Scriptures reverently, with an open mind and heart, to see what God has to say on the subject. Perhaps no one should suppose in advance that he can learn nothing further on the matter.

This lesson will cover Ephesians 4:1-6, one of the greatest and most complete discussions of Christian unity in the New Testament.

Body

I. THE REQUEST ITSELF.

   A. With reference to God: Walk worthy of calling (KJV "vocation") wherewith ye are called (4:1).

        1. Request is from Paul, the Lord's prisoner.

        2. "Walk" means the way of life.

        3. "Worthy" implies two things: what is balanced, or measured; what is becoming, or fitting. The Christian's way of life is to be in balance with his noble calling, and it is to be becoming to it.

        4. "Calling" is the invitation of God through the gospel to be a part of His purpose.

   B. With reference to each other: Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (4:2, 3).

        1. "Endeavoring" means giving diligence, putting forth effort .

        2. "Keep" is to guard, or preserve, and implies something already existing. Paul does not say "attain to" the unity of the Spirit, or "create" the unity of the Spirit. Rather he has "be diligent to preserve" the unity of the Spirit . . .

        3. It is not simply "keep the unity of the Spirit," but "keep (preserve) the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Or, "keep in the bond of peace that unity which the Spirit gives, or has created."

        4. Christians have a certain unity simply because they are in Christ and are God's children. They are to be diligent to guard that unity in peace.

II. WHAT THE UNITY CONSISTS OF: WHAT UNITY EXISTS AMONG ALL CHRISTIANS AND IS TO BE GUARDED IN PEACE.

   A. One body and one Spirit (4:4).

        1. The body and spirit are both necessary for life (see James 2:26).

        2. In Christ, there is also a body and a spirit.

        3. One body is the church, the body of Christ. All who come to God through Christ in obedient faith are a part of that one body (1:23; 2:15; 3:6).

        4. One Spirit is the Holy Spirit, which incorporates into the one body (1 Cor. 12:13). All Christians share the one, same Spirit (1:13, 14; 2:18, 22).

   B. One hope of your calling (4:4).

        1. We have already encountered the "calling" or "vocation" of the Christian (4:1). This calling has a hope.

        2. The hope of the calling is the forward-looking trust of desire and expectation which works patience or endurance. Every Christian shares this one hope because he is a Christian. (1:12, 18).

   C. One Lord-One Faith-One Baptism (4:5).

        1. Here is how one comes (by the one Spirit) into the one body where he enjoys the one hope.

        2. In the original Greek these three terms go together in a poetic form. In a special way, these three unities are connected to each other.

        3. The one Lord is objective. Christ is the one Lord, and He is Lord whether we recognize it or not. It does not depend on any man. Paul has mentioned the Lord many times already in Ephesians.

        4. The one faith is subjective. It depends on us. Until we "trust" or "believe," the one faith is not ours, although it will exist in others. Every Christian has this one faith in Jesus Christ, otherwise he is not a Christian (see 1:13, 15, 19; 2:8; 3:12, 17). Some commentators take the one faith here to be the "body of doctrine." In some passages it means that, but the whole context here suggests rather that it is the one faith in Christ as Lord, the life-principle of the Christian, that Paul has in mind at this point.

        5. One baptism unites the Lord and the faith. In obedience to the one Lord, prompted by the one faith in Him, one is baptized. It is by the one Spirit that we are baptized into the one body. The power of baptism is the power of God who raised the Lord from the dead. And baptism is effective only because it is an act of faith. Every Christian has shared in the one baptism.

        6. The order Lord-Faith-Baptism is important, because each leads to the other. The Lord leads to faith, and faith leads to baptism. Going the other direction, each depends on the other. The baptism depends on faith, and faith depends on knowledge of the Lord.

   D. One God and Father of all (4:6).

        1. This is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (see 1:2, 3, 17; 2:18; 3:14).

        2. He is blessed as over all, through all, and in all. This emphasizes His sovereignty and majesty. God planned all the scheme of redemption and directs each part of it. In the end, it all depends on Him. Every Christian has God as Father.

III.HOW MAY CHRISTIANS PRESERVE SUCH A UNITY IN PEACE?

   A. Generally, by walking worthy of their calling (4:1).

   B. Specifically, by the traits mentioned in verses two and three.

        1. Lowliness is humble-mindedness, not insisting on one's own way.

        2. Meekness is accepting God's will and not being headstrong.

        3. Longsuffering (lit. "long-tempered") is not being short-tempered, either with persons or circumstances.

        4. Forbearing one another in love is putting up with each other because of love.

        5. Being diligent to preserve it in peace (4:3). They must desire to preserve the unity in peace, and then make an effort to do so.

Conclusion

God has given all Christians a great and many-sided unity in Christ. They all share in the one body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism and God. Now it is their responsibility to preserve this divine unity in peace. This is done by exercising lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and love, and by putting forth effort to preserve the common ground in peace.

Christians are united because they are in Christ. They do not have to attain to or create their unity. They are required by God to preserve it in the bond of peace. Let us seek to understand and appreciate those wonderful truths, and let us seek to be more diligent to preserve our unity in peace.

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