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“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:1-5.)
Introduction
Every born again believer is made part of the Body of Christ through His blood, but it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us with this life-changing experience … “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12.)
That Same Spirit
All true Christians have the same Holy Spirit, for there is only one Spirit. It is the same Holy Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead … “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11.) It is this same Spirit that enables us to walk worthy … “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4.)
Seven Ones
Paul uses the word ‘one’ seven times in our text:- “One body … one Spirit … one hope … one Lord … one faith … one baptism … one God.” The word ‘one’ expresses the idea of unity, using it seven times is illustrative of the perfection of unity in the Spirit. Therefore, the key to Christian unity is oneness in the areas Paul mentions. This should give us further insight into Jesus’ words found in John 17:21-23, “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.” Our worthy walk depends upon perfect oneness amongst believers in the local church.
Inter-denominational Unity
Everything God does or says is for an eternal and perfect purpose. Everything He prescribes for the church is for our blessing and eternal welfare. If unity is missing from the Body, then we cannot function the way God has purposed.
Though we believe that our text applies itself mainly to the local church, it does have significance regarding inter-denominational unity. Christ does not have two bodies, yet the church is split in many ways! What really matters is that we must agree on the fundamental teachings of God’s word. All true believers are united upon the infallibility and authority of the Holy Bible. It is the same Holy Spirit that binds us together. Unity amongst Bible-believing denominations is not the same as unity in the local church.
The Temple of the Holy Spirit
There is one Holy Spirit dwelling in every follower of Christ … “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19), and “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22.)
Not only does is He binding and building us together as the “Church of the Living God” (1 Timothy 3:15), but the Spirit is preparing us to reign with Christ. This is the “one hope of our calling” – “the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). The Holy Spirit seals, that is, guarantees this Heavenly hope … “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14.)
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is placed in every believer’s life, but we cannot ignore the fact that He is in the Church collectively too. It is He who works for unity amongst us. It is He who is grieved when we disregard His pleas for oneness in Christian fellowship. If we refuse this we are actually hindering the purpose of God and found working against His Holy Spirit. It is better that we work alongside Him (2 Corinthians 6:1.) To walk worthy we must aim for perfect oneness in Christ.