In the first 3 chapters of his inspired letter to the followers of Christ at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul writes about what God has done for those who believe in Christ, and the blessings that are theirs as a result of following Him. But following Christ means far more than merely assenting to certain theological propositions. Our religion means nothing if it doesn’t affect the way we live. True belief in Christ will always produce action. In the rest of this letter Paul will write about practical applications of faith in Christ which affect how we live our lives from day-to-day. In chapter 4, verses 1 through 6 he writes:
“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.”
Paul urges his readers to be worthy of the calling they have received. What is this calling? To what have they been called? Paul answers this question in verse 4 by reminding them that they have been called to hope. This is a repetition of what he had already written in chapter 1, verse 18, “…that you may know what is the hope of his calling…” In contrast to this, Paul reminds us in chapter 2, verse 12 that those who have not chosen to follow Christ do not have hope. The hope that Christ gives is so powerful that it triumphs over external appearances. Paul was in jail for his faith when he wrote this letter. In the eyes of the world he was a criminal, yet because of the hope he had, he could call himself a prisoner of the Lord.
But what does it mean to be worthy of this calling? Paul answers this when he writes that those who are called should be completely humble, gentle, patient and bear with one another in love. (verse 2) In essence, Paul is saying that we must recognize that we do not deserve the hope that God gives us. This agrees with what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) And James, quoting from Proverbs, reminds us that, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) All of us who follow Christ face a choice. We can be found worthy of God’s call, or we can hang onto our pride. We cannot do both.
Paul writes that we should make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (verse 3) Notice that Paul does not say that the followers of Christ should attempt to become united, but that they should preserve the unity that already exists. Why should we preserve unity? If for no other reason, it is Christ’s desire that all of His followers be united. If we claim to follow Christ shouldn’t we do what He wants? While praying for His disciples Jesus said, “Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you…” (John 17:20-21) Paul not only echoes Christ’s prayer but, in verses 4 through 6, gives specific examples of the unity that there is among Christ’s followers. 1) There is only one body. Earlier, in chapter 1, verses 22 and 23 Paul defined the ‘body’ as the church. So, what he is saying here is that the followers of Christ are united because there is only one church. This requires some explaining because those who claim to be the followers of Christ are split into many, many groups each of which claims to be the church. It is important to understand that it is not what people or organizations say about themselves which makes them part of the body, but whether they have responded to God’s call. The body cannot be identified as any one particular group or organization. It is, instead, composed of those people within the various organizations who are obedient to Christ. We need to ask ourselves whether we are truly part of Christ’s body or merely a member of an organization.
2) There is one Spirit. As Paul has already indicated in this letter, it is the Spirit which reveals God’s Word, guarantees the inheritance of the followers of Christ and grants them access to God. Since there is one Spirit, all of the followers of Christ have the same message, the same assurance regarding the future and the same right to approach God.
3) There is one hope. This means that all of the followers of Christ share the same aspirations and have a common goal.
4) There is one Lord, that is Christ. All followers of Christ, regardless of where they are or what group they are associated with, are under the same authority and answer to the same Master.
5) There is one faith. No one can be a follower of Christ without professing certain core or essential beliefs. For example, as Paul writes in another place, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
6) There is one baptism. Every follower of Christ has become part of the body by being baptized into Christ. There is no other way to become a member of God’s household.
7) There is one God and Father of all. One of the fundamental truths of Christianity is that God is One. Though the Bible teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all manifestations of God, and have different roles, God remains one and indivisible. Just as God cannot be divided but remains One, over all and through all and in all, the followers of Christ should also be indivisible even though each of them is also an individual. There is unity among God’s people in spite of their diversity.
It is worth noting that Paul writes that unity should be maintained through the bond of peace. Some philosophies or religious systems try to impose unity by coercion or force. But peace is one of the distinguishing marks of true Christianity. We should always evaluate whether our actions promote peace or discord.