The Unity Of The Church
THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH
EPHESIANS 4:1-6
Unity in the church is important—not just so we can feel good about each other, but because the church’s unity is a picture of God’s purpose for the world.
The primary theme of Ephesians is that all things are moving toward unity, by which Paul means perfection (see 1:9-10). In developing this theme, Paul explained that God is Father over the whole universe (3:14-15) and seeks to reconcile the cosmos to himself (1:19-23; 2:20-22).
A secondary theme clarifies the church’s role in God’s eternal purpose. Paul makes two points. First, the church is to be an expression of the future, a promise of the ultimate and perfect unity which God will achieve. Therefore, it is imperative for there to be oneness within the church (4:1-6). Secondly, the church is the means by which God confronts those hostile powers that stand opposed to unity (3:10,20f.; 6:11f.).
A Christian is a person who has experienced and continues to experience what reconciliation to God means. The church must therefore be a dynamic expression of the reconciling power of Christ’s death and resurrection. It also must be the place where the separation and hostility of the world are broken down. The fact that within the church the walls of partition that separated Jew and Gentile have been removed already (2:14-16) shows that God is accomplishing his sovereign purpose within the church.
In the light of this fulfillment of God’s purpose, Paul pleads with his readers to demonstrate humility, patience and love in their relationships with one another. Unity is the creation of the Spirit of God (see 2:18; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:1), but unity must be recognized and guarded by believers (4:1-3).
Confession belongs at the heart of worship. The confession in the synagogue is summarized in the ancient words of the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). The confession of the church in 4:4-6 forms a parallel to Israel’s acknowledgment and expands the Shema to speak of the one Spirit, the one Lord, the one Father. The repeated emphasis on the word “one” in this confession strengthens the emotional impact of Paul’s plea for unity in the church.