Christ’s church is to be unified! – Ephesians 4:1-6
Christ’s church is to be unified! – Ephesians 4:1-6
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 15, 2020
As a family we had one another’s back so-to-speak. Even though my brother and I would often try to wrestle one another to the death, tease, and bug each other we still stood up for and protected one another above anyone else. It was a matter of family unity. Families protect one another.
There is a false notion that church unity means that if you disagree with one another about something then you are not in the will of God, nothing could be further from the truth. As the body of Christ we are his family, brothers and sisters in the Lord trying our best to do his work and will in a sinful world. Unity does not mean we agree on everything but that we protect, defend, and encourage each other in the Lord! How then is Christ’s church to be unified? I’m glad you asked…
READ: Ephesians 4:1-6
Jesus and his disciples did not agree on everything but they were unified in him, except one who later betrayed him. Paul fully understood what this meant and he related that…
I. A unified church tries to live for the Lord! (Vv. 1-3)
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
1. While as believers in Jesus we are set free from the law and a life of trying to do one more thing to earn God’s love, we become his servants when we trust him with our lives. It is a matter of choice. We choose to submit ourselves to God through Jesus rather than give ourselves to the world and its deceptions. And Paul saw himself “as a prisoner for the Lord”. As God’s servant, his “prisoner”, Paul realized his choice required that he follow through on his personal commitment. Now I realize that Paul was also referencing his imprisonment because of his faith, but for Paul it was a double entendre, meaning, for him and those he wrote as Christians. Paul therefore urged them “to live a life worthy of the calling [they had] received”! Paul was trying to teach them how to walk together in the unity of Jesus! For Paul there was neither male nor female, Jew or Greek, only one people in Jesus! The same should be for us as well as we seek to find a new pastor and as we seek to reach our community for the Lord! But look at how Paul defines the “calling” we have received, he tells them to “Be completely humble and gentle”. Humility and gentleness should be the hallmarks if those who follow Jesus! Interestingly, in Greek culture, humility was thought of as a vice, to be practiced only by slaves! It is the opposite of pride and undercuts disunity! Humility encourages unity. Gentleness is what Peter encouraged when he wrote, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV)” And is why Paul continued by stating that believers are to be “be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Christians are not to create unity but are to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”! Even when we disagree we are to remain faithful to the Lord and one another! A unified church tries to live for the Lord!
EXAMPLE: While we may disagree with one another as to what is most important to each of us for our new pastor, we can be united in praying for and being in agreement with one another to whom we ultimately choose as pastor! Our motivation is not “what’s best for me” but rather “what’s best for Jesus’ church here at GBC.” It is like a family that decides to move; they may not all agree on where to move, when to move, but they all agree to move together! A unified church tries to live for the Lord!
For Paul being unified as a church was extremely important in order to do the work of the Lord until he returned. And so here he reminds his readers that…
II. A unified church comes from one source alone! (Vv. 4-6)
There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
1. “Without a conjunction Paul listed the seven elements of unity centered on the three Persons of the Trinity. These provide the basis for the spirit of unity that should exist in the body of believers.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary) Paul is referencing the body, Jesus’ church, when he writes that there “is one body”. This body of Jesus is unified by “one Spirit” which was promised by Jesus to every person who trusts him with their lives! When we come to Jesus we join a great family of God whereby we are all one in him! So Paul tells them “just as you were called to one hope when you were called” they were too be unified! At GBC we share with one another the one hope we were all called to and that hope is Jesus! We are family! We are untied in him! As his followers we are called to “one Lord” (sola Christos), one faith (sola fide)”! Faith alone in Christ alone! Not works, not feelings, not worldly goods, or societal norms! It includes the fact that when we come to Jesus by faith we are immersed in him in “one baptism” by his presence and power! Paul is showing that every aspect and personality of God is in play within his church! We become his children because he became our “one God and Father of all”! The fourfold use of “all” by Paul refers to “all believers” and not “all mankind.” Not everyone is a child of God, only those who have surrendered themselves by faith to his Son Jesus! Interestingly, the aspect and personalities of the Trinity is an integral part of Paul’s list. The one body of believers is empowered by one Spirit, so all believers have one hope. That body is united to its one Lord (Christ) by each member’s one act of faith, and its identity with Jesus is represented by one baptism. One God, the Father, “who is over all and through all and in all”! All seven components are beautifully united in the Trinity! A unified church comes from one source alone!
EXAMPLE: A church should not suffer from multiple personality disorder. Like the Corinthian Church whereby there rose up differing factions because some said they “followed Paul or Apollos” when in fact they should only have followed Jesus! Paul angrily asks them “are you not mere men?” and then remarks that “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? [They are] only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7 NIV)” A unified church comes from one source alone!
Conclusion:
A unified church tries to live for the Lord! A unified church comes from one source alone!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 15, 2020
As a family we had one another’s back so-to-speak. Even though my brother and I would often try to wrestle one another to the death, tease, and bug each other we still stood up for and protected one another above anyone else. It was a matter of family unity. Families protect one another.
There is a false notion that church unity means that if you disagree with one another about something then you are not in the will of God, nothing could be further from the truth. As the body of Christ we are his family, brothers and sisters in the Lord trying our best to do his work and will in a sinful world. Unity does not mean we agree on everything but that we protect, defend, and encourage each other in the Lord! How then is Christ’s church to be unified? I’m glad you asked…
READ: Ephesians 4:1-6
Jesus and his disciples did not agree on everything but they were unified in him, except one who later betrayed him. Paul fully understood what this meant and he related that…
I. A unified church tries to live for the Lord! (Vv. 1-3)
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
1. While as believers in Jesus we are set free from the law and a life of trying to do one more thing to earn God’s love, we become his servants when we trust him with our lives. It is a matter of choice. We choose to submit ourselves to God through Jesus rather than give ourselves to the world and its deceptions. And Paul saw himself “as a prisoner for the Lord”. As God’s servant, his “prisoner”, Paul realized his choice required that he follow through on his personal commitment. Now I realize that Paul was also referencing his imprisonment because of his faith, but for Paul it was a double entendre, meaning, for him and those he wrote as Christians. Paul therefore urged them “to live a life worthy of the calling [they had] received”! Paul was trying to teach them how to walk together in the unity of Jesus! For Paul there was neither male nor female, Jew or Greek, only one people in Jesus! The same should be for us as well as we seek to find a new pastor and as we seek to reach our community for the Lord! But look at how Paul defines the “calling” we have received, he tells them to “Be completely humble and gentle”. Humility and gentleness should be the hallmarks if those who follow Jesus! Interestingly, in Greek culture, humility was thought of as a vice, to be practiced only by slaves! It is the opposite of pride and undercuts disunity! Humility encourages unity. Gentleness is what Peter encouraged when he wrote, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV)” And is why Paul continued by stating that believers are to be “be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Christians are not to create unity but are to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”! Even when we disagree we are to remain faithful to the Lord and one another! A unified church tries to live for the Lord!
EXAMPLE: While we may disagree with one another as to what is most important to each of us for our new pastor, we can be united in praying for and being in agreement with one another to whom we ultimately choose as pastor! Our motivation is not “what’s best for me” but rather “what’s best for Jesus’ church here at GBC.” It is like a family that decides to move; they may not all agree on where to move, when to move, but they all agree to move together! A unified church tries to live for the Lord!
For Paul being unified as a church was extremely important in order to do the work of the Lord until he returned. And so here he reminds his readers that…
II. A unified church comes from one source alone! (Vv. 4-6)
There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
1. “Without a conjunction Paul listed the seven elements of unity centered on the three Persons of the Trinity. These provide the basis for the spirit of unity that should exist in the body of believers.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary) Paul is referencing the body, Jesus’ church, when he writes that there “is one body”. This body of Jesus is unified by “one Spirit” which was promised by Jesus to every person who trusts him with their lives! When we come to Jesus we join a great family of God whereby we are all one in him! So Paul tells them “just as you were called to one hope when you were called” they were too be unified! At GBC we share with one another the one hope we were all called to and that hope is Jesus! We are family! We are untied in him! As his followers we are called to “one Lord” (sola Christos), one faith (sola fide)”! Faith alone in Christ alone! Not works, not feelings, not worldly goods, or societal norms! It includes the fact that when we come to Jesus by faith we are immersed in him in “one baptism” by his presence and power! Paul is showing that every aspect and personality of God is in play within his church! We become his children because he became our “one God and Father of all”! The fourfold use of “all” by Paul refers to “all believers” and not “all mankind.” Not everyone is a child of God, only those who have surrendered themselves by faith to his Son Jesus! Interestingly, the aspect and personalities of the Trinity is an integral part of Paul’s list. The one body of believers is empowered by one Spirit, so all believers have one hope. That body is united to its one Lord (Christ) by each member’s one act of faith, and its identity with Jesus is represented by one baptism. One God, the Father, “who is over all and through all and in all”! All seven components are beautifully united in the Trinity! A unified church comes from one source alone!
EXAMPLE: A church should not suffer from multiple personality disorder. Like the Corinthian Church whereby there rose up differing factions because some said they “followed Paul or Apollos” when in fact they should only have followed Jesus! Paul angrily asks them “are you not mere men?” and then remarks that “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? [They are] only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7 NIV)” A unified church comes from one source alone!
Conclusion:
A unified church tries to live for the Lord! A unified church comes from one source alone!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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