Walk in Unity

For their Preparation (v17a); For their Perfection (v17b); For them to know their Purpose (v18a); For their Prosperity (v18b); For the Fulness of His Power in Them (v19)

Concerning the Placement of Christ (v20-22) - At the Right Hand of the Father; Above Everyone and Everything Else; At the Head of the Church

Concerning the Position of the Church (v23)

You Were Dead, but Now Alive (2:1-10)

It’s Personal (v1)

You were Dead; He made you Alive

Our Past (v2-3)

Our Path was Perverted; Our Conversation was Corrupt; Our Nature was Offensive

God’s Passion (v4)

Regardless, God…; The Riches of God - His Mercy, His Love

God’s Power (v5)

To Give Life to the Dead; To Give Fellowship to the Fallen

Our Placement (v6-7)

He has Elevated Us in Christ; He has Provided an Expectation of the Ages

Our Present (v8-9)

Salvation is by Grace through Faith; It’s a Gift to be Redeemed, not a Wage to be Earned, Glory is therefore God’s Not Man’s

Our Purpose (v10

Created In Christ, Unto Good Works; Expected by God to Walk Therein

You were Far Off, but Now Nigh (v11-22)

They’re Called to Remember their Past (v11-12)

They were Pagans, Aliens, Strangers, Hopeless & Alone

They Must Recognize their Present (v13-18)

Christ made us Nigh, Brought us Peace & Given us Access

That they Might Realize their Place (v19-22)

In the Household of God; As an Habitation for God

What was Mystery is Now Known (3:1-13)

Paul the Prisoner (v1)

A Preempted Prayer (v1a); A Prisoner for Purpose (v1b)

Paul the Prophet (v2-7)

The Dispensation (v2); The Revelation (Concerning the Jews & Gentiles - v3-6); The Custodian (v7)

Paul the Preacher (v8-13)

The Riches of Christ (v8); The Revelation (v9-10); The Reasons for Christ (v11); The Resiliency in Christ (v12-13)

Paul’s Second Prayer (v3:14-21)

The Posture

With Humility (v14a); Unto our Authority (v14b)

The Person

He is our Lord (v14c); He is the Christ (v14d); He is our Namesake (v15)

The Petition

For a Strengthening - Powerful, Divine, Inner (v16); For an Indwelling (v17a); For Comprehension (v17b-19a); For a Fulness (v19b)

The Praise

He is Able (v20a); He Has Enabled (v20b); He is Worthy (v21)

Now we begin a new phase in Paul’s letter -

It began with ‘Who we are in Christ’

Now he writes on ‘How we live in Christ’

And the first thing that he addresses is for the church to Walk in Unity.

We see a Plea for Unity

I. A Plea for Unity

When Paul begins to speak about ‘How to live in Christ’ he begins by speaking about unity within the body of Christ.

This is important - for if there’s not unity in the body of Christ, we cannot accomplish the purpose of Christ

Jesus said in Matthew 12:25 “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:”

First we see the Shift

The Shift (v1a)

I therefore…

Because they’ve been blessed with Spiritual Blessings

Because they were Dead, but now Alive

Because they were Far Off, but now Nigh

Because the Mystery has been made known

Because Paul is continually praying for them…

Now this is what I’m calling for you to do.

We see the Shift, but now look at the Standard - what is he calling for?

The Standard (v1b)

He said to ‘Walk Worthy’ of what? Of the vocation (def) calling; occupation

Walk worthy - don’t take it lightly. This calling - this occupation that God is put upon our lives, should not be something that is thought so little of, that we think little of it!

It’s the call of God upon us!

It’s an ‘occupation’ - we should be occupying ourselves with it.

We see the Standard - now look at the Spirit of Unity

The Spirit of Unity (v2-7)

God desires for to be united. Just as a parent hates when his children are at odds with one another, God - our Father - desires unity with His children.

But in order for there to be unity, some things are required.

Humility (v2a)

Four different adjectives to describe Humility:

Lowliness (def) modesty; humbleness of mind

Meekness (def) mildness; humility

Longsuffering (def) longanimity; disposition to endure long under offenses

Forbearing (def) exercising patience and indulgence

Notice that this is a mindset - this is the mind we are to have one toward another. Humble, mild, enduring & patient.

The Spirit of Unity begins with Humility - but it’s born out of love

Love (v2b)

Love of one another

Love of the Saviour

It’s quite true that Love constrains us. If we love, then it will effect the way we act.

(Ill.) If I love my wife, that will constrain me from seeking affection elsewhere.

If we love one another, it will constrain us - and it’s also true that if we love Jesus, that will play a role in our actions as well.

(Ill.) I’m called by God to love my neighbor. However, I may not love my neighbor. There’s one that makes it difficult. However, if I love Jesus - who loves my neighbor, then it will constrain my actions.

Love is required for Unity

Effort (v3)

‘Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit’…

Endeavoring (def) Make effort; be diligent; labour

In other words, if we’re to have unity, it must take effort.

The truth is we’re all different people with different personalities, from different backgrounds with different life experiences - but we have a commonality in Christ. Our differences separate us, and sometimes makes it difficult to like one another let alone love one another.

This is why Paul says to endeavor. We may not always be successful - but if both parties approach one another in humility and love - then you should be - regardless of the aforementioned differences.

We see that Effort is required

Understanding (v4-7)

Lastly, understanding is required. Not necessarily an understanding of one another, but rather an understanding of the situation we are in as Christians.

Understanding the Oneness in Christ

The Oneness in Christ (v4-6)

As Christians, in truth we are not many, but one. We rise together or we fall together - but whatever we do, we do it together.

You are not in a different body than I

You were not called by a different Spirit than I

You do not serve a different LORD

You are not of a different faith

You see in Christ, WE ARE ONE! We must understand that!

The Oneness in Christ

The Inclusion by Grace (v7)

None of us earned our way into the body - we’re all here by the Grace of God!

Therefore, I can’t claim superiority over you, nor you me - we are who we are and where we are by the Grace - UNMERITED FAVOR - OF GOD!

So, Paul pleads for this church to…

Walk Worthy

Endeavoring to keep the Spirit of Unity, by

Humility

Love

Effort

Understand that we’re One in Christ, Included in the body by the Grace of God!

We see a Plea for Unity. Next, A Parenthetical Thought

II. A Parenthetical Thought

The majority of these verses is in parenthesis. In other words, Paul deviated from the main thought to give this nugget of information we find here.

Jesus the Leader & Giver (v8)

It’s mentioned that Jesus ‘led captivity captive’ - which is to say that He ‘led those who were in captivity away captive.’

The idea that is being conveyed in these verses is a victory from battle rescuing the captives and bestowing upon them the spoils of war.

So for us today, Jesus has led us unto Salvation, freed us from the chains of our sin, and blessed us with gifts - which He describes shortly.

However, before that, He goes a little deeper - and we see Jesus as Liberator

Jesus the Liberator (v9-10)

Those that were captives weren’t isolated unto the living, but unto the dead in Christ as well.

Something to understand: The saints of God were saved in the same manner that you and I are today - they were saved by Grace through Faith. If you understand the Abrahamic Covenant, Hebrews 11 and a multitude of other Scripture, you’ll get that.

However, as we look back upon the fulfillment of Christ, they looked forward unto Christ.

The difference being, while they had the promise of Christ, Jesus had not yet atoned for their sins - therefore, they couldn’t go directly to Heaven to be in the presence of God.

Jesus describes the place to where they went in Luk. 16 in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus called it ‘Abraham’s bosom’.

It was a place of comfort, whereas across the divide was a place of torment.

When Jesus died, He went to the ‘heart of the earth’ Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

He liberated those in Abraham’s bosom and brought them into the presence of God!

We see the Parenthetical Thought

A Plea for Unity, A Parenthetical Thought, and lastly - A Plan for Perfection

III. A Plan for Perfection

Lastly, Paul begins speaking about our differences.

We must be united, but we’re different - for a reason!

Placements Established (v11)

Paul lists some gifts that God has / had given unto men - these included a variety of functions.

Paul mentions 4 roles within the early church here:

Apostles - (def) Divinely appointment men, witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, who helped lay the foundation for the church (Eph. 2:20)

These are gone, as the foundation has been laid and of no use anymore

Prophets (def) foreteller / inspired speaker

These are gone as well - as Paul would say in 1Cor. 13:8.

Evangelists (def) preacher of the Gospel

This is more function than office

Pastor and teachers (def) shepherd and instructor

These are pointing to the same office (note the difference)

Now while you may not be placed in any of these roles, but that doesn’t mean you’ve not been given gifts & a role within the church. The Bible lists various other lists of Spiritual gifts in the Bible - for instance: Romans 12:3–8 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

All you need to do is figure out what gift God has given you and do it!

Purposes Stated (v12)

Here, we see three reasons WHY God has given various gifts & abilities to members of the church.

Completeness (v12a; 14-16)

v14-16 fall under this umbrella, so I put it here.

For the ‘perfecting of the saints’ - for their completion. Well rounded - without obvious weakness.

Then it says (Read v14)

If we are complete, we’ll not be swayed by false doctrine. We’ll not be easily moved.

(Ill.) It’s a whole lot easier to move a child than a man!

Then we get to v15 - ‘Truth in Love’

Many misunderstand what this phrase means. (I addressed this a little while ago on Wednesday)

Many believe this to mean that we’re to speak truth, but to do it in a way that will not hurt or offend. However, this is not the case.

Truth (def) that which is true

Love (def) affection or benevolence

The key is the word ‘in’

In (def) denotes a fixed position

So when we examine this, it’s not speaking about Delivery, but Disposition. We’re to speak truth from the disposition of Love - not anger, frustration or hate.

(Ill.) I don’t tell the sodomite that they’re going to Hell because I hate them and their sin disgusts me. I tell them they’re going to Hell because I love them & don’t want them to go there. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with how you say it unto the person.

However, if you do so in love, God will direct the method of delivery unto them. Jude 22–23 “And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

v16 s summarizes the completed picture of the church when all are doing their part.

Completion (v12b)

‘… for the work of the ministry…’

No church can accomplish what Christ wants of them unless all do their job & work together.

Some church try to ‘run the race’ with a broken leg. It doesn’t work too good!

Some try to ‘reach the lost’ with one lame arm. It doesn’t work too good!

Some things can be done, albeit less efficiently - others can’t be done at all.

Walk in Unity for the Completion of the Ministry

Consolation (v12c)

‘…for the edifying of the body of Christ’

So that the needs of the church be ministered unto.

Until the Consummation (v13)

Do so until we get there, or until we leave this earth.

Conclusion

Church, are you doing your part in the body of Christ?

Are you carrying your load?

Are you striving to walk in unity?

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