Ephesians 4:1-10 -- The Meaning of Unity

Verse by Verse Commentary of the Letter to the Ephesians

Paul’s stress on oneness troubles many.  There have always been differences within the church…And yet we hear Paul say the church is one. If we are one, why does division mark us instead of unity? A number of answers have been suggested:

• Unity is only spiritual (the invisible church is one, but the visible church will always fall short of unity).
• Unity as an “Organism” not as an “Organization” (A true bond exists between believers that cannot be expressed in any kind of organization).
• Unity is local (Unity can only be expressed on earth in local congregations, and the oneness of local bodies is all that was ever intended).
• Unity is within the “true” church (all others outside our group who are unlike us, yet claim to be Christians are deceived). (from Bob Damon’s Ephesians Commentary, pg 17).

Each of these explanations have their shortcomings, and don’t acknowledge the reality that the early church also had its divisions.  Jesus wrote letters to seven specific congregations, with the intent that they be circulated among all the churches (note it is plural).  Five of the congregations were weighed in the balance and found wanting – yet even those admonished for doctrinal error were still symbolized as lampstands that Jesus walked among.

Revelation 1:12-13, 16, 20 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band….He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength….The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

Ephesians 4

¹I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 

²with all humility and gentleness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, 

³endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

• How do we keep unity?  By working together, individually supplanting our will with God’s; to be humble, gentle, patient, “bearing with” or getting along with, to be peaceful. 
  • In the Greek culture, humility was a vice, a weakness.  It is the opposite of pride.  Pride is possibly the sin God hates the most.
  • Meekness means power under control.  The Greek is praoteôs, which translates as a soothing medicine, a soft wind -- a gentleness.
  • Longsuffering - patience or fortitude. We need endurance in the race of the Christian life.
  • Forbearance - put up with: bear with endure, forbear, suffer – yes we are to suffer one another’s disagreeable natures. This is a fruit of the spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22, Colossians 1:11 and 2 Timothy 4:2.
  • Unity is something to be “endeavored”, spoudazoô to make effort, be prompt or earnest:—to be diligent, labor. Yes, unity is work!
• Does your eye conflict with your hand? If we truly saw ourselves as one body, would strife persist? 
• Unity is not conformity – unity comes from within, a common purpose and a common master.  Like a baseball team working seamlessly together, each a unique function, communicating with each other, supporting, backing up, encouraging, hustle and effort, etc.

⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 

⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 

⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

• Unity is not to be subordinated to good doctrine, but rather, the church should agree on the key doctrinal questions – hence “one faith”, and “one baptism” is important. Paul does later mention in Ephesians 4:15 that we are to speak the truth, but in love.
• The key point is doctrinal purity does not necessarily produce spiritual purity.  It is necessary, but not sufficient. Unity, as well, cannot grow without spiritual purity 
• Psalm 119:63 I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

• If there truly is just one body, and one believer tells another believer that they are not a part of the same body, one of them must be wrong.
• I do think baptism is singled out here specifically and distinct from the baptism of the Spirit because Spirit was already mentioned and means washed.
• 1 Corinthians 6:11 But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

⁷But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 

⁸Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive,  And gave gifts to men.”

• Our unity is complemented by different members of the body having differing skills, callings and needs. We are all given spiritual gifts and opportunities to use these gifts – tools to use to build up the body of Christ.
• Psalms 68:18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there. 

• The gifts are given via the Holy Spirit, He alone decides when and how they are distributed.

• Led captivity captive can be interpreted as taking the redeemed of history to that point who abided in paradise (Abraham’s bosom) to the very presence of God. Now, believers skip that step and go directly to be with Christ; see II Cor 5:8, Phil 1:23 that describe that once absent from the body believers are with Christ.

⁹(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 

¹⁰He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

• This is also mentioned by the writer of Hebrews
• Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

• Christ descended into Sheol to claim His own and take them to throne of God.

Application Questions

• What are the three virtues that foster unity among Christians? 
• What are seven elements of Christian unity described in Ephesians 4:4-6?
• How does God enable us to live with each other? (Ephesians 4:7)  
• With what kind of people does God fill His church?
• What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? 
•  What results from gifted believers who use these gifts to edify the church?

The Challenge of Unity

Is there a specific litmus test that can be applied that distinguishes between the “true, invisible, holy, and unified church” and the false, visible, disunited and worldly church? What about the references Paul makes to one body, on hope, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism in Ephesians 4:4,5? Perhaps Paul’s reference is not meant to be “exclusive” but rather of “inclusive”. Remember that the true church is part of Christ’s body. Therefore, members of the true church must share in the life of Christ. 

There is, in fact, a litmus test, and it is that the body of worshippers meeting together are believers; regenerated through the Holy Spirit and resurrected into a new life; born again and a living stone in God’s holy temple.  By that basis, many may be immature, unlearned, doctrinally challenged, but the true test of the unity of the church is that we all share the common bond of family, brothers and sisters in Christ, sons of the Father by adoption, and righteous in the eyes of the Lord. That is a difficult concept for many “mature” Christians to accept.

Is a church is modeled after a country club, a large university, or as a storm shelter?   A country club focuses on exclusivity, whereas a large university adds the administrative layer. Shouldn’t a church be more like a red cross shelter after a storm?   Aren’t Christians and those we evangelize the sick, wounded, battered and homeless of this world? 

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Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.