The unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace is a highly important calling. One we are to make every effort to keep. So if we are going to do so, we need to take to heart everything in this book and all the others and pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for this particular calling in the way we are to live. Help each and every one of us to more closely follow this as we grow in our faith and lean more on You for every minute of every day. Thank You, Lord.
Ephesians 4 – New International Version
Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ
Please read Ephesians 4:1-7
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
Apportioned grace, various gifts, nobody gets the same amount of either or the same kind of either, but we all get what He has chosen for us, and for that we should do as this and as many other of these books tell us, to live a life worthy of the callings we have received. And like Peter tells us in his second letter, 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
What a great God we have. He’s done everything for us and only our faith in Him is what holds us to Him and allows us the possibility of living how He calls us to and never leaves us alone so He’s always there to help us live like He wants us to.
Please read Ephesians 4:9-13
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
He who ascended…far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every name that can be invoked. Oh how I love Ephesians. This is from chapter one verse 21. The NIV has changed some of the wording since I memorized parts of this book. They dropped that word, invoked, and for me, that one holds something more that I can’t really explain, but to me it’s far more powerful than name that is named.
See here, some are meant to hold positions and others other positions, part of the various gifts and variety of what God has gifted all of us with. All for the equipping of His people so that we all can be built up in our knowledge of Him and we are unified in our faith.
Did you know that biblegateway has a verse of the day every day? Well, I found this one last week and it goes so well with this.
1 Corinthians 1:10 (Amplified Bible)
But I urge you, believers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in full agreement in what you say, and that there be no divisions or factions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment [about matters of the faith].
Please read Ephesians 4:14-16
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Using multiple metaphors and sometimes mixed metaphors, we see that growing in faith and keeping the unity of the Spirit in Peace and living worthy of the callings we have received.
Instructions for Christian Living
Please read Ephesians 4:17-24
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Several years ago I watched a Beth Moore Simulcast where she specifically (at least in my memory) talked about not living according to our old self. I remember the illustration was about us carrying around a dead body and we know, Scripture teaches us, that made new and to put off that old self. So if you find you’re still carting around your old self, let it go, drop it, it’s dead. You are alive. And in this new life is where you find all the wonderful things God has for us. This new life of faith.
Please read Ephesians 4:25-32
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God for the day of redemption that is coming. So you can stop all those old self behaviors.
Grow your faith. Join a community of faith and grow unity of the faith, and unity of the Spirit. It really is the only way.
Take me back to the menu for this study, please.
Footnotes
[a] Ephesians 4:8 – This is why it[a] says – Or God
[b] Ephesians 4:8 – “When he ascended on high,
he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”[b] – Psalm 68:18
[c] Ephesians 4:9 -(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]?- Or the depths of the earth
[d] Ephesians 4:26 -“In your anger do not sin”[d]- Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)