The Unity of The Spirit is the basis of our fellowship with God and His People.

Paul devotes Ephesians chapters 4 through 6 to explaining the blessings and applications of the unity of the Spirit. Here, we will explore the first 6 verses of Ephesians 4.

Our Character

“I, therefore, the prisoner of The LORD, urge you to live in a way that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called, demonstrating all expressions of humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another in love.” Ephesians 4:1-2.

Maintain the unity by means of the Bond of Peace

“Do your best to maintain the unity of the Spirit by means of the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3.

The 7 ‘one’ blessings supporting the Unity of The Spirit

“There is one body and one Spirit. Likewise, you were called to the one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in all.” Ephesian 4:4-6.

Now, let’s dig into how we live in accord with what God has made us to be and to do, in our character, in maintain the unity by means of the bond of peace and in the 7 ‘one’ blessings supporting the unity of The Spirit.

Our Character:

As followers of Messiah Jesus we relate with one another in accord with his character. Calling is the divine invitation to embrace salvation of God in the kingdom of God. (Ephesians 4:1, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

“…with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” Ephesians 4:2.

“Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Messiah forgave you, so you also do.” Colossians 3:12-14 (Ephesians 2:11-21; Mark 9:50; Philippians 4:4-7)

Maintain unity by means of the Bond of Peace:

“being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3.

The unity of the Spirit, fashioned and formed by the Spirit of God, is the tie that binds our hearts together in our fellowship with God and one another. We eagerly keep that unity in the bond of peace.

“Rejoice in The LORD always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The LORD is at hand. In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace/shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Messiah Yeshua.” Philippians 4:4-7.

The 7 ‘one’ blessings supporting The Unity of the Spirit

“There is one body and one Spirit. Likewise, you were called to the one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6.

1. One body —

The body of Messiah (Ephesians 4:12).

“… but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Messiah, from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16.

2. One Spirit —

“Messiah Jesus told Nicodemus “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” … Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3, 5-6.

Thus, by the Spirit, we are born again and we see God’s kingdom and enter God’s kingdom.

“For God’s kingdom does not consist of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy produced by the Holy Spirit. For the person who serves the Messiah in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people. Therefore, let’s keep on pursuing those things that bring peace and that lead to building up one another.” Romans 14:17-19 ISV.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Messiah, he is not his. If Messiah is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised up Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:9-11 (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 1:11-14; Romans 8:26-27)

3. One hope —

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Colossians 1:3-4 (Colossians 1:26-27; 1 Peter 1:4; Ephesians 5:5; Matthew 19:28; Titus 1:1-3)

4. One LORD —

“And whatever you do, work heartily, as for The LORD and not for men, knowing that from The LORD you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve The LORD Messiah. But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.” Colossians 3:23-25 (Colossians 3:21-22; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 2 Peter 3:18)

5. One faith —

“You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Messiah — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua; for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10.

6. One baptism —

“For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Messiah. For in one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 12:12-13 (2 Corinthians 12:12-30)

7. One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all —

“That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Yeshua the Messiah. And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yeshua the Messiah his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:1-10.

“Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.” 1 John 2:24-25.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quoted above is from the World Messianic Bible.

 

~ Bill Bremer

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Bill Bremer is Founder and Managing Director at Kingdom Relationships Colorado.

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