Read Ephesians 4:1-6.

Introduction⤒🔗

If you were to come upon a church with the name, Battlefield Bible Church, what thoughts might pass through your mind about that congregation? In Maryland, in the area where some of the famous battles of the Civil War took place, there is a little red brick church with that very name: Battlefield Bible Church.

One summer day, a Christian couple who were sightseeing in that part of the country, drove by that little church. The name of the church, printed in large white letters, caught their eye and peaked their curiosity. The couple pulled off to the side of the road, turned around, and drove into the parking lot of that little church. They sought out the pastor’s study and politely inquired as to why the church chose the name, Battlefield Bible Church.

The pastor explained to them that the congregation had chosen this particular name for three reasons: First, the name accurately identified their location. Second, the name reminded them of the fact that as Christians we are engaged in a spiritual warfare. Third, the name was a constant caution to them that they must never allow their church to become a “civil war” battlefield.¹

In Ephesians 4:1-6, we are exhorted to live a life that is in harmony with our divine calling to be members of the household of God. The Apostle Paul writes, “I, the prisoner for the Lord, exhort you to walk [in a way that is] worthy of the calling unto which you were called” (vs. 1). He goes on to define that life as one in which every effort is made “to maintain the unity of the Spirit” (vs. 3).

As members of the household of God, we must be diligent to fulfill our obligation to “maintain the unity of the [Holy] Spirit.”

We Must Maintain the Unity of the Spirit, by Appreciating the Sacred Oneness of God and His Church←⤒🔗

The Apostle Paul informs the Ephesian Christians, and us, that there is “one body and one Spirit.” Although there are many individual congregations and numerous denominations, we must never lose sight of the fact that there is one spiritual body composed of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul writes to the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free man; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Paul also had occasion to remind the Corinthians Christians of the oneness of Christ’s body, the church,

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ²to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints, [together] with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (he is both their Lord and ours)... ⁹God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Cor. 1:1-2,9

It is the one and the same Holy Spirit who has brought each believer into the body of Christ and who personally dwells in each member of Christ’s body: “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether we were Jews or Greeks, whether we were slaves or freemen, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Cor. 12:13).

Paul goes on to write, “the calling to which you were called has one hope” (vs. 4). Everyone whom the Holy Spirit has brought to Christ has come to possess the same sure and blessed hope. It is the sure hope of being God’s treasured possession. Earlier in this epistle, Paul had made known to the church his prayer to God for them, namely, “that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). Paul informed the Ephesians, and us, that the Holy Spirit “is a ‘deposit’ guaranteeing our inheritance, until the redemption of [God’s] possession, to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:14). The presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts is the guarantee, the down payment, insuring us that God will finally come to receive us unto Himself as His cherished possession.

Furthermore, every Christian possesses the sure hope of being a part of God’s living sanctuary; we are being “built together...to become the place where God dwells by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). As these passages indicate, our hope is already in the process of being at least partially realized in this present world, but will only fully be realized in the immediate presence of God.

We are further reminded of the fact that there is “one Lord.” Every true Christian acknowledges that Jesus Christ alone is Lord. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, "there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; just as, indeed, there are many such gods and many such lords; ⁶nevertheless, for us [who have knowledge there is] one God, the Father, from whom all things come and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom all things exist and by whom we live” (1 Cor. 8:5-6).

Every Christian acknowledges that Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives, recognizing that Jesus’ invitation to receive Him as our Savior is also a call to submit to His lordship: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29). Jesus calls us to become His disciples, by taking His yoke upon us and submitting to His divine lordship.

Next Paul informs the Ephesians, and us, that there is “one faith.” Every true Christian acknowledges the Bible as his divine authority for faith and conduct, accepting Paul’s teaching as he instructs Timothy, “All scripture, [being] inspired by God, is, indeed, profitable for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul further instructs Timothy, “What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). Timothy is instructed to preserve the divine truth and not to deviate from it; and to keep it not merely as “sound doctrine,” but in conjunction with faith in Christ Jesus and love for Him. Paul warns the Corinthians, “Do not go beyond what has been written” (1 Cor. 4:6).

The core of “sound doctrine,” centers on the person of Christ (cf. Phil. 2:6-11) and the work of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-4):

...existing in the form of God, [Christ] did not regard his being on an equality with God as a thing to be exploited; ⁷on the contrary, he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. Being found as a man in appearance, ⁸he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on the cross. ⁹Therefore, God exalted him to the highest position and bestowed upon him the name that is above every name; ¹⁰so that before the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:1-11

I delivered to you as of first importance that which I also received, [namely], that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; ⁴and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15:3-4

There is “one baptism.” The Christian Church recognizes one baptism, that baptism signifying the spiritual reality of the Christian’s identification with the Triune God and his fellowship with Him. Just prior to His ascension into heaven, the Lord Jesus commanded His disciples, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).

There is “one God and Father of all.” With regard to the Father, as with the Son, the Christian acknowledges the truth expressed by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8:5-6,

Even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as, indeed, there are many such gods and many such lords; ⁶nevertheless, for us [who have knowledge there is] one God, the Father, from whom all things come and for whom we live, and one Lord—Jesus Christ, by whom all things exist and by whom we live. 1 Cor. 8:5-6

As Christians, we collectively know and confess the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as the only true God and as our God and Father, in accord with our Lord’s own testimony. Following His resurrection, Jesus declared to Mary, “Go to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God” (Jn. 20:17).

We are called to maintain the unity of the Spirit, by appreciating the sacred oneness of God and His church. To be identified as a true brother or sister in Christ, one must adhere to the standard of accepting the Old and New Testament Scriptures as the Word of God and acknowledging Jesus Christ to be the one and only Son of God, equal with the Father, and to be our Savior and Lord, indeed, the only Savior and Lord. All who meet this criterion are to be accepted as true brothers and sisters in Christ.

We Must Maintain the Unity of the Spirit, by Exhibiting the Attitudes that Promote Peace←⤒🔗

We are exhorted to make every effort to “maintain the unity of the Spirit.” We must recognize that there is a sacred spiritual unity, created by the Holy Spirit, a unity of Christians with the Lord Jesus Christ and with each other as members of His body. Note 1 John 1:3, where the Apostle John declares, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” The Apostle John invites us to enter into the fellowship of the apostles, and their fellowship is with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

It is our obligation to do all that we can to preserve this unity and to ensure that it is not disrupted. We must take to heart the Apostle Paul’s admonition concerning the preserving of this sacred unity:

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and clamor and slander, along with all malice. ³²Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God by Christ forgave you. Eph. 4:30-32

We maintain the unity of the Spirit by means of “the bond of peace.” Peace is viewed as a belt or band that holds the body of Christ together in unity:

Let us, therefore, make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Rom. 14:19

Finally, brothers, farewell. Be perfected, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Cor. 13:11

What about those times when sincere Christians take different sides on a particular issue? How can unity be maintained in the midst of diversity of opinion?

First, each should ask himself such questions as these: Is there a biblical principle at stake in this controversy? Is a biblical command clearly being violated or a biblical truth clearly being sacrificed? Or, am I only insisting on my own way in this controversy or seeking to impose my own personal scruples?

Second, they should each humbly look to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment and grace. They should seek the grace to yield to their brother when a biblical principle is not clearly at stake, as opposed to insisting on having their own way. On the other hand, they should seek the grace to speak the truth in love when a biblical principle is at issue, following the counsel of the Apostle Paul given to Timothy: “the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ⁵Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, with the hope that God would grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:24-25).

Proverbs 25:12 says, “As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.” Do you want to see something that is truly precious? Do you want to see something that is far more stunning than the costliest jewel? This is it: “A wise rebuker” speaking to “an obedient ear.” “A wise rebuker” is not only someone who is willing to speak a word of rebuke or warning when such a word is required, but someone who speaks that word with grace; he speaks the truth in love. “An obedient ear” is an ear that receives the word being spoken to it, rather than ignoring it or taking offense at it because of wounded pride or shame. A wise rebuker speaking to an obedient ear; not only is truth and righteousness being promoted, but the very process itself is a thing of beauty and bears the mark of being a work of God. It is precious to the LORD.

If the doctrinal error is so great as to contradict the cardinal tenets of the Christian faith, and the erring brother does not renounce the error, the matter should be brought to the attention of the leaders of the church. When such a situation arose in the church of Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were exhorted to bring the matter to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem:

...certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. ²Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. (Acts 15:1-2)

The same procedure would also pertain to a situation in which a brother is living in blatant and public sin. When such a situation prevailed in the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul instructed the church to enact discipline against the offender, both for the honor of Christ and for the sake of the man’s soul (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1-5).

Third, when a brother has approached both his brother and the church with regard to a serious matter of doctrine or sin, and has found both to be unresponsive, he must be confident that it is Christ’s church, and thus should ask Him to graciously exercise His lordship and then humbly offer himself in Christ’s service, praying in accordance with Paul’s admonition recorded in Philippians 3:15, “All of us who are mature should have this attitude [i.e. the attitude of pressing on towards the goal of our Christian calling, cf. Phil. 3:14], and if you have any different attitude, God will certainly reveal that to you.” We may pray for the Lord to graciously convict and convince our brothers “if [they] have any different attitude,” (i.e. if they are clearly acting or speaking contrary to the Word of God, if they are not walking in line with the truth). At the same time, we must be sure to live lives that measure up to the level of spiritual maturity we have thus far attained in Christ, being sure to examine our own lives and yield ourselves to the Lord.

Fourth, the brother must be careful to avoid a self-righteous and condemning spirit, avoiding the example set by Elijah as recorded in 1 Kings 19:14,18, when he exhibited an attitude of self-pity and self-righteousness, viewing himself alone as being faithful to the LORD:

And [Elijah] replied, I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left; and now they are trying to kill me, too. [In verse 18 we find the LORD’s response to Elijah]: ¹⁸“Yet I will reserve seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Contrary to assuming that he was the only one who was faithful to the LORD, Elijah had to be informed that there were “seven thousand in Israel...whose knees have not bowed down to Baal.”

What attitudes are most conducive to maintaining the unity of the Spirit? One such attitude is “humility and meekness.” As Christians, we are to possess and to practice the character of Christ our Savior; note Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Christian “humility” means assuming the role and the mind of a servant, instead of selfishly demanding our own rights and insisting on having our own way. Christian “meekness” means the willingness to endure injury without resorting to retaliation or harboring resentment, submitting the matter to God, in imitation of our Lord. Referring to the Lord Jesus, Peter writes, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself [the Greek pronoun translated “himself” may also contain the meaning, “it,” i.e. “his cause”] to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:23). If necessary, the offended brother may bring the matter to the attention of the church body, following the instructions given by our Lord in Matthew 18:15-17,

If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ¹⁶But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Matt. 18:15-17

Another attitude that promotes peace is “patience.” This, too, is the character exhibited by our Lord Jesus Christ. Consider the testimony of the Apostle Paul concerning the patience of the Lord Jesus exhibited toward him: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶But for this very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would believe on him” (1 Tim. 1:15b-16a). Patience involves the exercise of understanding and restraint, as opposed to being quick-tempered, impulsive and unsympathetic. The Apostle James exhorts us: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry; ²⁰for the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:19­-20).

Yet another way in which the unity of the Spirit is maintained is by “bearing with each other in love,” (the Greek verb literally means, “to endure, to put up with, to tolerate”). A stimulus to exhibiting such an attitude is to ever bear in mind the fact that God’s Holy Spirit is dwelling in that fellow Christian with whom we may be at odds, and that God has not yet finished His work of grace in that brother; just as God has not yet completed His work of grace in our own lives. This bearing with one another is to be done “in love,” as opposed to a spirit of cold stoicism or superficial courtesy or self-pitying martyrdom. It is to be carried out in a spirit of self-giving, other-oriented, Christ-like love.

Let us maintain the unity of the Spirit, by putting into practice the attitudes that promote peace. Because our Lord Jesus Christ possesses and exhibits all the attributes we need, we can look to Him to see how we should act, considering His conduct as it is recorded in the Scriptures, and we can look to Him to supply us with the grace to act like Him.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

Ephesians 4:1-6 informs us that it is our Christian duty to live a life that is in harmony with our divine calling as members of the household of God; it is our Christian obligation to “maintain the unity of the Spirit.” By the grace of Christ, let us diligently seek to do so in our homes, within our congregation, and wherever we encounter fellow believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What does the Apostle Paul urge the Ephesian Christians to do? See Eph. 4:1. What is our Christian calling? See Eph. 1:13-14; also, 1 Pet. 2:9. As Christians, are we aware of the God-oriented purpose of our salvation; or do we only view our salvation in self-centered terms? Do we realize that our calling is primarily to glorify God, and it is within that context that we enjoy Him, forever?

So then, I, the prisoner for the Lord, exhort you to walk [in a way that is] worthy of the calling unto which you were called... Eph. 4:1

You also [were allotted] to him, having heard the word of truth, [that is], the gospel by which you are saved, and having believed in it, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. ¹⁴He is a 'deposit' guaranteeing our inheritance, until the redemption of [God’s] possession, to the praise of his glory. Eph. 1:13-14

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people appointed to be [God’s] own possession, so that you might display the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Pet. 2:9

2. Why does Paul present this exhortation in his capacity as “the prisoner for the Lord,” rather than in his capacity as “an apostle of Christ Jesus”? Note 1 Cor. 11:1—Does your life present an example that can inspire and direct other believers along the course of faithful discipleship to Christ? Are you living unto the glory of God; are you enjoying Christ and His divine fellowship?

Follow my example, just as I [follow the example] of Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1

Rather than exercise his apostolic authority to command, Paul offers his personal example to inspire the Ephesians to imitate.

3. How does Paul describe the kind of Christian life that is worthy of our calling; how are we to glorify God in our relationship with fellow believers? See Eph. 4:2. How do we exhibit Christian humility? See Phil. 2:3. How do we display meekness? See Rom. 15:2-3a. Do we merely tolerate fellow Christians; or, do we bear with them in love, realizing that they must also bear with us in our own less than perfect spiritual state?

...[walk] with all humility and meekness, and with patience, bearing with each other in love... Eph. 4:2

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but with a humble mind let each one consider others as occupying a higher position than himself. Phil. 2:3

4. What further directive are we given with regard to living in a manner that is worthy of our Christian calling? See Eph. 4:3. How are we instructed to maintain the spiritual unity of Christ’s body, which unity has been created and is governed by His Holy Spirit (cf. vs. 3c)? With what amount of effort are we to do so (cf. vs. 3a)? What is especially injurious to the unity of Christ’s body, and exceedingly displeasing to the Holy Spirit? See Eph. 4:30-32,

...[walk] with all humility and meekness... 'making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit by the bond of peace. Eph. 4:2-3

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and clamor and slander, along with all malice. ³²Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God by Christ forgave you. Eph. 4:30-32

5. As a further incentive to maintain the spiritual unity that exists among fellow believers in Christ, of what does Paul inform us? See Eph. 4:4-6. How many times in these verses does he use the word “one”? In the Ephesian church, what two diverse groups of Christians needed to accept and appreciate one another as fellow members of the body of Christ? Note Eph. 2:11-13. In your present Christian context, what diverse groups of Christians need to likewise appreciate and accept one another in Christ by applying the exhortations found in Ephesians 4:2-3?

[There is] one body and one Spirit, just as the calling to which you were called has one hope, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph. 4:4-6

Therefore, remember that previously you who are Gentiles [by birth], the ones who are called “The Uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “The Circumcised,” [which is only a circumcision] in the flesh done by [human] hands, ¹²[I say, remember] that you were at that time without Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and being without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were “far away” have been brought “near” by the blood of Christ. Eph. 2:11-13

...[walk] with all humility and meekness, and with patience, bearing with each other in love, ³making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit by the bond of peace. Eph. 4:2-3