For the past several weeks we have been in the second half of Ephesians in which Paul focuses on the practical implications of the first half. Paul devoted much of the first three chapters to praying that the Ephesians would know God intimately and understand the grace that has brought them into union with God and each other.
He continued with that same theme in chapter four calling them to personally adopt a sacrificial commitment to their calling (1) and eagerly guard the peace of the Church (2-3). Now he begins to answer an implied question: How can we experience unity when we have so many differences?
Pray and Read Ephesians 4:4-7.
The sevenfold use of “one” is probably not an accident. With so much oneness, how can we not experience unity?
There was a problem of communication among Jews and proselytes dwelling in Jerusalem “from every nation under heaven,” (Acts 2:5). While they practiced the same religion, they could not understand each other.
Bradford Littlejohn makes a good point regarding what took place on the day of Pentecost.
“Crucially, in Acts 2, when the curse of Babel’s division is undone in the gift of the Spirit, it is not reversed—rather, the Spirit pours out the gift of tongues so that those of different languages may understand one another, but while remaining each distinct.”
The nations did not all merge into one mixed entity, but the confusion of their communication was overcome by the work of the Spirit. Most nations function with many tribes cooperating for the good of the whole. The Church experiences unity not by eliminating diversity, but only as the Spirit harmonizes our differences and unites our purpose.
Paul is confident that unity can be achieved because it belongs to the nature of our God and it is baked into the doctrine and practice of our faith. In other words, because we worship and are united to one God in three persons, we can enjoy oneness within a diverse community of saints.
We experience division when we put our own preferences above others and pursue our own purposes rather than God’s.
The Holy Spirit unites us into one body and establishes her with one hope.
I. One Body
While the immediate goal is unity in Ephesus, Paul’s language is cosmic and universal. He expects every local church to enjoy this unity because they’ve been gathered by the same Spirit. But he also anticipates a display of unity that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. Our common possession of the Holy Spirit is what makes us one body.
If this is true, why is there so much conflict and division within the Church? Why do so many churches split?
The Visible/Invisible Church Distinction:
• The problem of division is within the Visible Church. We must base this upon professions of faith, and those professions are not always genuine. Even when they are, we face challenges within the community due to our remaining sin.
• The Invisible Church contains a set number that is preserved by God. However, the perfect unity of the Invisible Church is imperfectly displayed by saints in the Visible Church—those who profess faith in Jesus, together with their children.
We did not have the benefit of hearing our choir today, they take the month of July off, but imagine if I called them up to sing without practicing. And let’s say I randomly assigned their parts. Our basses and tenors would sing the parts of the altos and sopranos, and vice versa. You would quickly ask Marsha to sort everyone out.
If you’re not able to use your voice in the range that suits you, the whole church suffers from the discordant sound. On the other hand, when you find the right position, members with various ranges and sounds harmonize beautifully.
We have the same goal in the body of Christ. When you serve according to your gifting and capacity—the whole church benefits. Each member has an important part in making a complete body.
We can expand that outward even further. Ephesian believers belonged to the same Church as believers in Jerusalem. The longer these churches existed, they more differences they showed.
But if they preserved the apostolic teaching they had received and continued to preach Christ—they continued to fulfill the Great Commission.
We should take care to recognize the many other gathered assemblies that belong to the body of Christ. It is all too easy to make disparaging remarks about other churches because they hold to different convictions about particular doctrines or practices.
I do not believe that every Christian Church should merge, nor should they minimize their distinctiveness. Just as we are committed to the Westminster Standards, other churches are committed to their confessions. We can maintain our distinct core values without disowning brothers and sisters in Christ who hold differing convictions. Let us sharpen one another with biblical arguments, then enjoy fellowship even if we cannot all worship under the same roof.
Richard Hooker was a priest in the Church of England during the Reformation. He entered debate with Puritans over the form of church government and practices. Now, let me be clear, I side with the Puritans on the matter. However, Hooker is worth reading for his calm and logical approach to maintaining the peace of the church. In his book, Radicalism, Hooker writes:
“What was it that led righteous and well-meaning Christians to become convinced that there was no other path to truth but theirs, no true church but theirs, and that any who opposed them were godless and corrupt?”
Notice, he calls them “righteous and well-meaning Christians” who have condemned all other views—except their own—as godless and corrupt. In such a contentious environment like that, it would be difficult to guard the peace in the body of Christ.
› The one body is gathered together and made alive by the…
II. One Spirit
The Holy Spirit dwells in all believers. Therefore, he is the grounds of our unity. If we are divided we can be certain that is not due to God’s design, but our carnal interests.
1. One Body, Spirit, and Hope
2. One Lord, Faith, and Baptism
3. One God and Father
Christian unity is grounded in the Trinity wherein each person of the godhead contributes. The Holy Spirit gathers the body and establishes its hope (4). The Lord Jesus Christ is the object of our faith —the one to whom we are united, which is reflected in our baptism (5). And God the Father is sovereign over all, through all, and in all believers (6).
We are only considering the first triad this morning (4). We are not ultimately united by personality, skin color, intellect, ethnicity, musical or architectural preferences. Think about all of the attributes that define your closest friends. Almost none of those characteristics apply to the unity that defines the Church, according to Paul.
Richard Gaffin’s book, Perspectives on Pentecost, is helpful for understanding how the Holy Spirit operates in the Church during and after the events recorded in Acts 2.
“Viewed from the angle of Christ’s person and work, Pentecost means that the Spirit is now present and active in the covenant community on the basis, and as the climax, of the finished redemptive accomplishment of Christ.”
It is the work of the Spirit that unites us to Jesus Christ. Jesus accomplished our redemption in his work on the cross, while the Spirit applies our redemption by enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ. And as we will see in v.7, the grace of Christ is applied to believers in varying degrees.
We can expect to have people in the church with different levels of maturity. That is by God’s design. It isn’t meant to frustrate us, but to allow all of us to mature together. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the Spirit to use us to equip the saints for the work of ministry (Eph 4:12). It’s an opportunity for us to train up the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The Church is meant to be a safe environment for all of us to grow in our love for God and one another, from the nursery to the grave.
If you are a member here, you have already acknowledged this purpose in your vows—and every time you respond to the baptism of another covenant child. (Do you as a congregation undertake the responsibility of assisting the parents in the Christian nurture of this child?)
It is the work of the Holy Spirit who enables us to mature, which serves to maintain the unity.
If that is true, then anyone prioritizing their own preferences and purposes is sinning against the Holy Spirit and stunting the maturity of the body!
In our attempt to live at peace with all men, many of us have separated the pursuit of peace from our pursuit of Christ—who is the very personification of peace. If we have been united to Christ by faith, then the task of peacemaking is not to encourage enemies to find an illusive sense of peace. Rather, it is to convince them that we’re all resting in Christ together.
We can grieve the Spirit if we interact with others in a contentious manner. But we can also grieve the Spirit by sweeping things under the rug and assuming they will just go away. We have been equipped by the Spirit to guard the peace of the Church. Therefore, we can and should pursue reconciliation with confidence!
› The Holy Spirit doesn’t just gather us together in one body, but he establishes us with…
III. One Hope
We have been called to a hope—a glorious inheritance. I love how Peter expresses it: God “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…” (1 Pt 1:3-4).
The way we typically speak of “hope”—as wishful thinking—is unfamiliar in Scripture. “I hope I get good grades…I hope I get a million dollars.” We say “hope” when we’re talking about things we have very little confidence will actually come true. It’s as if we’ve all adopted the pessimism of a John Steinbeck novel.
For instance, in one of his best novels—Of Mice and Men—George and Lennie pursue the unattainable hope of owning a farm. The dream was hopeful and motivating at the beginning, but it leads to painful disillusionment shortly after. Steinbeck combined the harsh environment of the Great Depression with the limitations of Lennie’s mental handicap.
The tragic ending feels inevitable throughout the novel. We could just as easily have used the themes of the Grapes of Wrath. Most of Steinbeck’s novels portray this sense of hopelessness. Life is filled with injustice and dreadful circumstances.
If we find ourselves in despair it is likely because we have a misplaced hope. We have set our desires on something that is unachievable.
The inheritance of the Israelites was earthly, continually defiled by their idolatry, and lost in the exile and later by Roman occupation. The new covenant inheritance is far superior.
Peter wants to convince his readers that their inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading—why? Because it is based upon a “living hope” grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Imagine that first moment when you enter the NH & NE. Awed and overwhelmed by the beauty and the glory of God. Everywhere you look will cause joy to well up in your glorified heart. Your mind will be blown as you try to make sense of what you’re beholding. Do you sense the majesty? It’s hard to fathom that moment.
Bart Millard, of MercyMe, says it well in his song, “I Can Only Imagine”:
“Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus? Or in awe will I be still? Will I stand in your presence? Or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine.”
That’s the hope Peter and Paul call us to reflect upon. Now hear this. In glory…that initial moment and overwhelming experience…is unfading! We will no longer know sin, fear, anxiety—basking in the glory of God. And joy that results will never ever fade!
You might be going through the worst trial you’ve ever experienced in your life. In comparison to the “eternal weight of glory” your affliction is “light” and “momentary” (2 Cor 4:17). That is our unfading hope!
The Holy Spirit unites us into one body and establishes her with one hope.