A Walk That’s Worthy
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)
This passage begins the ‘practical’ part of a letter written to be circulated among the churches in Asia Minor. It is typical of the way that Paul would have constructed letters like this. The first part of the letter described the principles of the issues in question, followed by comments on the application of those principles to specific situations. Paul knew that these new believers were at odds with the surrounding population, especially the one in Ephesus, and would attract attention. He was concerned that they stick together and be beyond reproach in their behavior.
The call for unity is a familiar one through the Bible. In John 17:21 Jesus prays for his believers, “…that all of them may be one … so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” The world would be changed by the example of Christians following God in together.
Today’s world is characterized by disunity in almost every sphere of life. The clear application of this principle for us is that the church must be a counter example if we are to be believed. Unity in the church isn’t so much about us being happy with each other and free of conflict. It’s about spreading the good news of what God has done for people who desperately need to hear it. In this regard, perhaps unity among God’s family is even more important than precise alignment on doctrine and church polity.
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