Riches of Unity

If you were to travel to another country you would be responsible for knowing the customs (in general) as well as the laws of that country wouldn’t you? (Mt16:24; 1Pt3:15; Eph4-6)

Have you ever travelled to another country? Had to get a passport, had to research about the country and the culture you are going into. You come from here and you love a good steak, but the country you are going does not eat meat, so you would need to know that so not to offend them, but to promote unity, right? If you are going to be a missionary you take time to study the culture to be indoctrinated in it prior to going into the mission field so you would be able to impact people.

Now, what about someone who legally immigrates to the USA. Do they have to learn certain things to become a citizen? He has to learn, has to adapt, he has to accept responsibility for the laws of the land, right?

As Christians we have responsibilities to learn, to apply, to share with others the unity of the faith we have in Christ Jesus

As a young Christian, a babe, may only know a little (Mt16:24)

Matthew 16:24 NASB95

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

As a mature Christian we are responsible for more. (1Pt3:15)

1 Peter 3:15 NASB95

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Now, we can teach others what it means to be a disciple of Christ, to share the hope that is in us, but unless the person is willing to take responsibility for being a Christian there could be issues with unity.

Unity of believers promotes unity of the church

Paul has spent 3 chapters teaching us what the believer has “in Christ” the sufficiency of Christ. Now there is a shift from knowing to growing. This starts the application sections, or the practical application section of the book in chapters 4-6 so we can be all the Lord wants us to be “the church.” There is no better place in scripture that focuses on unity than our passage today, and the unity of the church starts with the unity of the believers.

Responsibilities of Christian living

Our daily conduct, living, has it’s footing in the doctrine (teaching) we believe. What we believe, when we put it into action, is what brings unity to the church.

Christ broke down the dividing wall between man and God; and man and man. Now bringing us to our passage today that focuses on some of the necessities, some of the virtues, of Christian living that brings unity. While these virtues can in no way earn favor with God, since it is by grace through faith in which we are saved. They do promote unity for the body of Christ to fulfill our purpose.

I. Source of our virtues

Eph4:1-6 gives a drawing, a road map that helps to promote unity within the church. Verses 1-3 shows us some of the virtues needed to help have the unity we see in verses 4-6.

Ephesians 4:1–2 ESV

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Ephesians 4:3 ESV

3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The transition from who we are in Christ comes now to who we are to be in Christ, in other words, our responsibility. We are to have virtues that display the character of Christ. Because we know who we are in Christ it should lead us to be all He wants us to be in Christ. To seek, to receive, to embrace each of these virtues.

Notice how Paul starts this section. He identifies himself and that he is prisoner of the Lord, not of Rome, but of the Lord. Then he uses the word “urge” in the (ESV) or in NASB it is “implore” it is the Greek word

(insert slide with Greek word parakaleo here; already saved on computer)

As you can notice it says to call along side, to urge, exhort, to implore. It is not a command to do something, but an appeal to join together in doing something..

Paul is urging the church, exhorting to church, imploring with the church to “walk worthy” of the calling. We, in and of ourselves, cannot do it under our power, that would be a system of works and we know that does not work. Our worthiness only comes from the Spirit (paraklete) who comes along side us and is the source of these Christian virtues.

Walk worthy of the calling means to, walk in love (v.2)

Walk worthy of the calling means to, walk as children of light (v.8)

Walk worthy of the calling means to, not walk as fools (Eph5:15)

Our worthiness comes from the Holy Spirit, in accordance to God’s great gift and riches of His grace that brings unity to the church. This worthiness comes with expectations, responsibilities to be transformed into the likeness of Christ and to have and display the virtues the Spirit brings to us.

II. Signs of our virtues

These virtues are visible and they are proof of our calling and our striving to walk worthy.

This calling is more than a calling to be free from sin, it is a calling to a vocation. this is more than a job that can change several times over a lifetime, but a career, a calling, a permanent thing. We are to be committed to the vocation of being a Christian. So here are some of the signs:

Sign 1 - Humility (Eph4:2; Mt5:5; Rom12:3; Mt11:28-30)

Before the days of Christ, being humble was considered a weakness, it was as one commentator put it “ignoble.” Christ set for all a true example of true humility and He spoke often regarding humility.

Matthew 5:5 ISV

5 “How blessed are those who are humble, for it is they who will inherit the earth!

Other versions use meek or gentle, as well as humble.

Humility comes from knowing yourself, knowing your sinfulness outside of Christ and your forgiveness inside of Christ.

It is accepting yourself and not comparing yourself to others knowing God has a place just for you and what you do will bring glory to God.

Humility in this aspect is knowing God accepts you and your gifts, and that you do not think more highly of yourself or less of yourself but just as you out to.

Romans 12:3 NASB95

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

It was in humility that Christ invited people to come to Him.

Matthew 11:28–30 NASB95

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Christ was humble and as Christians we should have the virtue of humility.

Sign 2 - Gentleness (meekness) (Eph4:2; Num12:3; Mt11:28-30)

Meekness is not to be confused with weakness. Meekness is power under control.

Numbers 12:3 ESV

3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.

Moses was a meek man, Jesus was a meek man according to Mt11:28-30. One dictionary illustration is a colt who has been broken. It still has all the same power, but now the power is under control. Jesus was meek when He turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple.

When meekness is coupled with humility it is the Christ that submits to the needs of others as “unto” the Lord. Exampled by Christ washing the Apostles feet including the betrayer Judas.

Commentator Lloyd Ogilvie said it like this:

“Meekness is a willingness to be least, if obedience to God requires it.” - Lloyd Ogilvie

The weak person yields because he cannot do anything else. the meek person yields because he is willing to do it for the benefit of others.

So we have humility, we have meekness and that leads us to

Sign 3 - Patience (Eph4:2; Php3:14; Col3:13 ; Heb1:3; 1Jn1;4-8)

In (v.2) in some versions it says “long-suffering” - this is the one who never gives up, never gives in, and is not detoured by temporary setbacks. This person is not dissuaded, discouraged, or discouraged or disappointed for He is in for the long-run, the end goal!

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In for the long-run, the end goal, does not give up

willing to endure discomfort without fighting back

Patience with others as God is patient with us; bearing with one another

Displaying agape love, wanting the highest good for others

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Philippians 3:14 NASB95

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Another way to look at patience i, long-suffering is also know as “long temper” - the ability to endure discomfort without fighting back.

“It is as he spirit of one who has the power to take revenge, but never does.” - Chrysostrom

or another one that was hard to pass up

“The spirit which refuses to retaliate.” - Lightfoot

So, the Christian who has this virtue never admits defeat, cannot be broken by any misfortune or suffering, as well as any disappointment or discouragement, but will persevere until the end.

Ponder this:

The Christian needs to have the same patience towards others that Go has shown him through Christ. This is bearing with one another.

Colossians 3:13 NASB95

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

This is love personified, it is more than

Eros - erotic, marital love

Philio - Brotherly love, affection

Storge - family love

This is Agape love — unconquerable benevolence; wanting the greatest good for someone no matter the personal cost.

I think of this as Article 134 of the UCMJ, it’s the catch all. For when you have this, you have it all. You have the embodiment of Christ, which is the exact representation of the Father.

Hebrews 1:3 NASB95

3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

And you have God

1 John 4:8 NASB95

8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

And is that not true? To know God is to know love, to love God is to love others. Love is what sustains us in our Christian walk. It helps us endure in all times even the hard times. (insert marriage hard time illustration here).

Now one more virtue to look at before moving on to the unity itself.

And is that not true? To know God is to know love, to love God is to love others. Love is what sustains us in our Christian walk. It helps us endure in all times even the hard times.

This now leads us to one more sign that we see in our passage today

Sign 4 - Peace (Eph4:3)

Ephesians 4:3 NASB95

3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

When we are humble, when we are gentle, when we are patient and we are long-suffering with love we are being diligent, for these qualities, these virtues take effort. But the effort helps to promote the unity of the church and to preserve the unity of the Spirit which empowers the people (the church). The Spirit that the Lord promised, the Lord sent, the Lord poured out, the Lord gives to help bring unity and to have peace. Peace is a part of our vocation!

Diligence put into practice brings peace!

Peace is found when we get out of the way

“Get out of self, get into the unity of others and for others”

We need to get out of the way, we need to get out of ourselves with humility, meekness, longsuffering with love. when we have these things then the Christian community, the Church, will have unity. Community depends on it, the riches of unity starts with YOU!

We have looked at the source of our unity and the signs of our unity, now let’s look at the shape of our unity of our Christian virtues.

III. Shape of our virtues

The source of our calling is Jesus Himself. We have the signs of our vocation, of our calling and our calling has a shape. The shape of our vocation our unity is from the Spirit. the Unity of the Spirit created by the Spirit requires diligence to maintain. So what does the shape look like?

Ephesians 4:4–5 NASB95

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Ephesians 4:6 NASB95

6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

We are one! when we have the virtues mentioned before we are one in Christ.

One Body - In which Christ is the head of the body

The oneness of the body is required to accomplish the work (vocation) God has called us to. We need the head. Oneness within the body happens because of the love of Christ for us and the love for Christ from us.

One Spirit - this is both spirit and breath

Unless there is breath in a body the body is dead, we need the spirit, the breath to live!

One Hope - this is the hope of our calling

Our vocation is to serve the body of Christ, to share Christ with others so we can all obtain the end goal, Heaven! We can do it because.

One Lord, and One Faith (Jn14:6; Act4:12; Rom4:1-3; Rom3:28)

For we have One Lord, who is the way the truth and the life (Jn14:6), because there is no other way, there is only one saving faith and that is in the person Jesus Christ (Act4:12). It is justifying faith like Abraham (Rom4:1-3) that justifies you and me (Rom3:28). Faith in Jesus the One Lord and His promises, faith in His Word that it is true and that because of our obedient faith our sins are forgiven.

One baptism (Mt28:20; Mk16:16; Act2:38 and 1Pt3:21)

This is not the baptism of John, yes that was for forgiveness of sins, but not for transfer into the possession of Jesus . This is the One baptism into the possession of Christ as laid out in the scripture in Mt28:20, Mk15:16; Act2:38 and 1Pt3:21, where our sins are forgiven and we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit that brings life to the one who was once dead. Gives life to the one who was previously separated from God now reconciled to Him through Christ Jesus.

One God and Father over all (Jn3:16; Mt20:28)

One God and Father who were sere separated because of our sins (Isa59:2). the one God and Father that loves us so much He sent only begotten Son (Jn3:16) to come and die so we may have eternal life (Mt20:28)

Matthew 20:28 NASB95

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

He came to give His life so we may have unity.

Our Christian faith, our Christian unity stems from God’s love for us and our accepting it and our love and obedient faith in Him. We live in a God-created, God-controlled, God-sustained, God-filled world where God wants all to come to repentance.