Introduction. (Read the reference)

In the first half of his letter Paul deals with all that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are doing for the Ephesian Christians. God saves them, makes them alive in Christ and removes all distinctions between them. God adopts them into his family, his Spirit indwells them and he enriches their lives in every way in Christ. He makes the Ephesians his showcase to the world.

Now Paul appeals to the Ephesians to live up to what God has chosen them for. He is a bit like the manager of a famous football club telling new recruits what they have to live up to or a headmaster lecturing a new intake of pupils to an elite public school about the standards expected of them.

The very first quality Paul stresses - and it might well be the quality that a sergeant-major of a crack regiment emphasises to a fresh intake - is unity. Paul brings up the necessity of unity as a matter of great urgency. We know from his epistles to the Corinthians how important Paul considers unity is for church life. See exposition on 1Cor1v10to17.

Paul lends additional weight to his instruction by appealing to the Ephesians as a prisoner for the Lord. He is one who has shown his commitment to the cause of Christ by hazarding everything for the gospel.

Paul goes on to deal with three aspects of unity:

(A) The Graces of unity.

If unity is to exist within a church it is vital that Christians bear with one another in love. v2. Sadly this is not always evident in Christian fellowships. There is little evidence in some churches that the members are rooted and established in love. Eph3v17. There are troubles galore in the churches of the association to which I belong nearly all of which bear a resemblance to what happened many years ago at the small Baptist cause in Mayfield, Kentucky, U.S.A.. Steve Bond tells the story:

Two deacons in a small Baptist church in Mayfield, Kentucky, didn't get along and always opposed each other over decisions affecting the fellowship. When one deacon put up a small wooden peg on the back wall so the minister could hang up his hat the other deacon was outraged because he had not been consulted. People in the church took sides and eventually there was a spilt. To this day, they say you can find in Mayfield, Kentucky, the Anti-Peg Baptist Church.

Those two deacons had no love for one another and Satan used its absence to damage the reputation of God's people. It happens all the time.

Paul highlights three facets of love that make for unity:

(1) Humility or humbleness.

Paul writes in 1Cor13v5: It (love) is not self-seeking. The key characteristic of humility is that it is not self-regarding. I am afraid that many people are in one way or another self-regarding. I like the illustration I use in my exposition on, Blessed are the poor in spirit. I repeat it here:

In, 'The Innocents Abroad', Mark Twain described what it was like to experience a very rough sea in the Atlantic. By happy good fortune Mark Twain wasn't seasick and was able to sit on deck watching the ship leaping and plunging through the waves. A little old man lurched across the deck. Mark Twain greeted him, "Good morning, Sir. It is a fine day." The only response was, "Oh My!" as the old gentleman reeled away clutching his stomach. For an hour Mark Twain was bombarded with little old gentlemen whose only attempt at conversation was, "Oh My!" He writes: 'I knew what was the matter with them. They were seasick. And I was glad of it. We all like to see people seasick when we are not ourselves.'

A humble man is not self-congratulatory. This is a symptom of pride and was displayed by the Pharisee thanking God in the Temple that he was not as other men.

Another illustration which, perhaps, better illustrates how self-regarding we can be is given by Steve Bond:

Walter Cronkite tells a story about when he was sailing down the Mystic River in Connecticut, going through shallow water, when a boat filled with young people sped past him. The young people were shouting and waving their arms. Cronkite waved back a cheery greeting. His wife asked him, "Do you know what they were shouting?" He replied, "Why it was hello Walter." "No," she said. "They were shouting, "Low water. Low water." Such are the problems when we have too high a view of ourselves.

This may be a mildly amusing story but lack of humility is no joke. Self-regarding Christians want their own way, expect to be deferred to and look for rewards. They are like the Pharisees in the time of Christ who loved to be greeted in the market place and to occupy the chief seats at feasts.

One of the best examples I know of humility I used in my exposition on Blessed are the poor in spirit. I repeat it here:

In, 'War and Peace', Tolstoy describes the modest, little, Russian General Dohturov who was active in the defence of the Motherland during Napoleon's invasion. Dohturov wasn't renowned for making plans of campaign, dashing at the head of regiments, dropping crosses about the batteries or anything else to catch the public eye. He had a reputation for lacking decision and penetration. No one celebrated Dohturov in prose or verse. But throughout the Russian wars with the French the little general was always in command where the position was particularly difficult. Tolstoy shrewdly observes, 'The silence in regard to Dohturov is the plainest testimony to his merits.'

A humble person like Dohturov serves:

(a) Without drawing attention to self.

(b) Without thought of reward.

(c) Even though disregarded, unrecognised and unappreciated.

Tolstoy follows his recommendation of the modest little Dohturov with the observation that a man who is ignorant of the working of a machine might mistake the relative importance of a wood shaving that has fallen into it by accident and a little cogwheel that is in it by design. The wood shaving flaps about, it catches the eye, it seems so important but in reality it plays no part in the smooth running of the machine. The cogwheel, turning noiselessly, almost inconspicuously, is essential to the efficient functioning of the machine. Cogwheels possess much of the credit for the effective operation of the machine. In the same way Christians who are poor in spirit, cogwheels and not wood shavings, are responsible for the unity and well being of the church.

(2) Gentleness or meekness.

Paul says in 1Cor13v5: It (love) is not easily angered.

The word translated 'gentleness' in the N.I.V. was used in the Greek of a horse that had been broken in. A well broken horse possesses three commendable qualities:

(a) It is fit for purpose. However noble and magnificent, a wild stallion is incapable of performing any useful task. (Except impregnate wild mares!) In contrast the old farm horse of years gone by could do a wide variety of jobs around the farm. Only a few days ago my friend Tom and I were coming back from a bird watching trip to North Norfolk when we got stuck behind a funeral cortege. The coffin was being conveyed in a horse drawn carriage. Eventually the cortege pulled off the road to the let the long queue of traffic past. The two black geldings pulling the carriage were absolutely splendid. They were undoubtedly spirited. They tossed their heads as they waited to resume their journey. But they did wait - under control - their nobility not the least diminished by that.

Meekness allows us to react appropriately in a given situation; not to panic, give up or flare up. I like the example shown by Francis Place the famous 19th century London tailor. He used to make expensive suits for gentlemen. Notwithstanding the pride he took in his craft Francis found that at the first fitting of a new suit customers were frequently critical. Francis knew that the complaints were groundless. They were part of the appalling 19th century tendency of, 'letting a man know his place'. The tailor did not lose his temper or argue with his customer in spite of the slur on his workmanship and the unjust nature of the criticism. He quietly agreed to make the necessary adjustments. This was meekness; it was the appropriate response and it needed considerable self-control - much more than I have ever been capable of exercising. Francis Place folded up the offending suit, put it away for a week, made absolutely no alterations for he knew that when the gentleman tried it on for a second time he would be absolutely delighted with the non-existent improvements. The meek little tailor always had the last laugh because he charged for the adjustments he hadn't needed to make.

In the church we need meek Christians with the self-control to act calmly, sensibly and purposefully in times of difficulty. Believers who go to pieces as soon as a problem arises contribute little to church unity.

(b) It is reliable. The well trained cart horse doesn't work one day and think it can rest the next. No, it's available when needed. When there is a job to do it can be relied upon to do it.

The church needs men and women who are disciplined and can be relied upon to give support and make an effort when required. People who are lazy, half-hearted and unreliable undermine the unity of the church.

(c) It is safe and trustworthy. A horse that is thoroughly broken in doesn't bite or kick. Some horses that haven't been completely tamed will kick. They are dangerous. I can remember as a small boy walking past a horse pulling a milk float in Ipswich. It nearly bit my ear off. I can still see those bared yellow teeth! Horses that occasionally kick or bite are not entirely trustworthy!

Gentleness can be observed in an old dog - for many years the family pet. Its gentleness is shown in the way it allows the baby of the house to wrestle it, pull its tail and ears and generally torment it without any thought of retaliation.

People who are not meek are not safe. They will, without a great deal of provocation, fly of the handle, take offence, lash out, sulk, give up or succumb to temptation. I myself am not quite safe!

Moses endured outlandish, frequent provocation from the Israelites he led in the wilderness. Even his brother and sister conspired against him. It is significant that as an aside to what transpired the author of Numbers wrote: Now Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. Numb12v3. AV. The implication being, Moses would have ignored the sniping of Aaron and Miriam. It was safe to criticise Moses - although in this instance it proved unsafe because God took drastic action on Moses' behalf.

The church needs believers like Moses. People you can feel safe with, who won't let you down, slow to take offence, never unfeeling or cruel, completely trustworthy. Christians like this promote unity.

In the words of Paul: Love is patient .... it always protects, always trust, always hopes, always pereseveres. 1Cor13v4and7.

If we are longsuffering we will not give up on anyone. We will never write someone off as no longer worth bothering about. The father of the Prodigal Son was longsuffering!

I suppose some would say I was not a longsuffering teacher because of my short temper and irritability. Such critics would be wrong. I, like most teachers, rarely gave up on a pupil. I might berate a boy - or a girl - but I would nearly always persevere with them.

If we are longsuffering we shall be like God who in his dealings with his ancient people forgave them their sins, bore with their weaknesses, displayed surprisingly high expectations and both encouraged and supported them.

This is a quality we very much need in the church. Some Christians are very impatient. They make few concessions to children. They are very critical of new converts who are bound to be babes in Christ. They scarcely give a new pastor time to settle in before expressing dissatisfaction and moving on. They hear an itinerant preacher once and consign him to the dump. They dismiss old Christians as fuddy-duddies whose interests can be ignored.

Unity will only be achieved in the church when longsuffering is the rule rather than the exception. We all need to bear with folk in the church who are less gifted, competent, mature or knowledgeable than we are.

(B) The Generation of unity.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.

This is a wonderful sounding sentence but unfortunately it is open to a wide variety of interpretations as my commentaries revealed.

Paul writes about something given but which we have to work hard to keep otherwise it will be lost.

So let us look at:

(1) What has been given.

All Christians have been given spiritual unity. (I take the reference to spirit in the text to be the human spirit rather than the Holy Spirit.)

Believers have a common bond - something in common that binds us together. We are all at peace with God. We have been reconciled to God by faith in the saving work of Jesus. This is supremely what unites Christians - our necessary and utter reliance on what Christ has done for us.

Steve Bond illustrates this truth with the following story: One Sunday in the 1920s an invitation was given at Calvary Baptist Church to come forward to demonstrate a commitment to Jesus. From one side of the building a woman came forward to confess Christ. She was a domestic servant, uneducated, simple, nobody even knew her. At the same time, from the other side of the church a man came forward. He was distinguished, tall, well-dressed, and everyone knew his name. He was Charles Evans Hughes, the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. And as these two very different people arrived in front, they each took one of the pastor's hands. The pastor recognized the significance of that moment and he said, "The ground is level at the foot of the cross."

(2) How unity can be lost.

Spiritual unity is imperilled when a common dependency on Christ's saving work becomes less important than other things - such as:

(a) Adherence to a set of doctrines. If truth becomes more important than love then this story told by Steve Bond might be true:

A man was out walking when he saw another man about to throw himself from a bridge into the river. He ran over to save him. "Why do you want to kill yourself?" the man asked.

"I've nothing to live for."

"Don't you believe in God?"

"Yes I do."

"What a coincidence - so do I! Are you a Jew or a Christian?"

"Christian."

"That's good - so am I! Protestant or Catholic?"

"Protestant."

"Great - so am I! Anglican or Baptist?"

"Baptist."

"Wonderful - so am I! Baptist Union Church or Independent Baptist?"

"Baptist Union."

"Terrific" - so am I! Premillenial or amillenial?"

"Premillenial."

"Fantastic - so am I! Pre-tribulation rapture or mid-tribulation rapture?"

"Mid-tribulation rapture."

At that the first man pushed the suicidal man into the river shouting, "Die heretic, die."

(b) Legalistic works. Philip Yancey writes about just how divisive these were among the Southern Baptists with whom he grew up in his book, 'What's so amazing about Grace.'

(c) Personalities. The formation of cliques around strong personalities within a church can have a devastating effect. Paul loathed the cliques that grew up in the church of Corinth owning allegiance to him or Peter or Apollos. It is significant how Paul reacted. He wrote: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?" However influential a man might be, however charming and talented, however eloquent and erudite - he was never, never, never crucified for you! Our allegiance should be to Jesus whose sacrifice on the cross saves us.

(d) Gifts of the spirit. Even these proved divisive in Corinth. Some gifts were considered of more value than others and those who had these gifts - like speaking in tongues - tended to think more highly of themselves than they should. Paul addresses this problem in his wonderful chapter on the body in 1Cor12. See exposition on 1Cor12v12to31

(e) Relationships including family ties and friendships. This can be highly divisive. I can remember my mother feeling very isolated in a church in rural Suffolk in the 1950s because people collected in family groups after the service to talk. She felt excluded. I know that years later people felt excluded because our pastor had a special circle of friends to which they did not belong.

(f) Race or ethnicity. Sadly this is still a divisive issue even among some who attend Grace Baptist churches in rural Suffolk. Racist attitudes just should not exist in churches.

(3) What efforts should be made to preserve unity.

(a) Regular participation in the Lord's Supper. This simple service, more than any other, focuses our minds and hearts on what we owe to Jesus and our common indebtedness to him.

(b) Frequent references in sermons to Christ's saving work. The great Baptist preacher of the 19th century, Charles Spurgeon, scarcely preached a sermon without making reference to Christ's atoning death at Calvary.

(c) Acknowledgement in private and public prayers of continued sin and our ongoing need of forgiveness.

(d) By reminding ourselves daily that we are only sinners saved by grace. In the words of the hymn:

Nothing in my hand I bring;
Simply to Thy cross I cling!
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

By these means Christians are able to re-affirm their common bond - the bond of reconciliation to God through the finished work of Jesus - the bond that should bind us together in love.

(C) The Grounds of unity.

I strongly believe that Christians are united in Christ. We have a common bond: peace with God through the saving work of Jesus. We have new life in Christ through faith. We are in the Vine. We are members of God's household as we believe in Jesus and are filled by his Spirit.

It is Christ who unites us rather than, 'The Truth'. 'The Truth' divides Christians. There are so many, 'The Truths,' all of which are used to justify the thousands of different denominations or groups.

It is significant that Jesus did not leave us with a list of doctrines to believe in. He knew what would happen if he did. Belief in the list - plus clarifications and elaborations of the list - would become more important than belief in him. Jesus tells us to BELIEVE IN HIM.

However we have in verses 4 and 5 the nearest thing in the New Testament to a list of doctrines belief in which does have a unifying effect. It is a short list, a simple list and a Spartan list.

So let's examine what Warren Wiersbe calls the seven basic spiritual realities that unite all true Christians.

(1) One body.

Christians are like the billions of cells that make up the body. They need to be under the control of the head, Jesus, and they must work together for the benefit of the whole body. See exposition on 1Cor12v12to31.

When cells get out of control and start doing their own thing we call this cancer. Christ's body today is riddled with cancer.

There is no doubt that Paul would be appalled at the divisions that exist in the church, the disharmony and the emnity between one part and another. Paul hated the factionalism at Corinth which is nothing compared to spectacular cleavages that exist in the world-wide Church today.

There is absolutely no need for many of these divisions. Very often Christians divide over trifles. In the 16th century what was known as the High Party of the Mennonite movement held views about soberness of dress and shunning conformity to the fashions of the world similar to those afterward associated with the Friends or Quakers. Accordingly, when buttons were invented and introduced, the use of them on a garment was held to be the badge of a carnal mind, it was conformity to the spirit of this world unworthy of a true Christian. This was the ground on which this apparently trivial controversy was fiercely fought for generations; and to this day some of the descendants of the High Party in the United States, fasten their coats with the old-fashioned hooks and eyes and are popularly known as “Hook-and-eye Dutch.”

(2) One Spirit.

If a group of farmers all shared one agricultural adviser you would expect them to adopt common practices. You would see the influence of the adviser in the way that they farmed. The same might be said of a charismatic teacher in the performing arts. The teacher would leave his mark on his pupils.

Now at the very least the Holy Spirit, the Christian's common adviser, should produce the same fruit in all individual, local churches. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal5v22and23.

It is these qualities rather than peculiarities of doctrine, ritual or custom, that make the local expressions of Christ's Church recognisable as such. It doesn't much matter how you fasten your coat but it does matter whether you display the fruit of the Spirit.

(3) One hope.

A common hope is a unifying factor. That has been seen recently in the revolutionary struggle in Libya. Several different factions have been united in the hope of overthrowing a brutal dictator and establishing democracy. Medical students are united by their common hope of qualifying as doctors. Farmers are united by their common annual hope of reaping a harvest.

Christians have a common hope. Paul states it in Philippians3v10and11: .. To attain to the resurrection from the dead; to see Jesus and to be like him. Or as Peter put it: But in keeping with his (Jesus') promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2Pet3v13.

There will be no denominations in glory. There will be no sprawling suburb for the Roman Catholics in the New Jerusalem - and no small secluded corner for the Grace Baptists either. There will be no labels in the new dispensation. We shall just all belong to Jesus there.

If that is going to be the case in God's new creation why isn't it like that now?

(4) One Lord.

Surely nothing can be more uniting than to serve one Lord - one king. A common allegiance to the same Lord and Master should bind Christians together. A king wouldn't want his servants pulling in different directions, squabbling, vying with one another for special favours. Sadly this happens wherever self-interest comes before the Lord's interests.

It is a terrible witness when the servants of the same Lord Jesus are at loggerheads. When Ghandi was asked what was the biggest obstacle to the spread of Christianity in India he replied, "Christians." Nothing weakens the witness of the church as much as disunity.

When we work in the local church we need to remember that we are working for Jesus - not for ourselves, or for others, but for him. This should stop us feeling put upon, aggrieved, resentful, fed up or discontented. I sometimes think that I have too many jobs to do in my local church - but then I remember who I am doing them for and this keeps me from complaining - it even keeps me sweet!

(5) One faith.

It is not obvious what Paul meant by this. William Barclay describes it as the common act of complete surrender to Jesus that binds all Christians together. Warren Wiersbe considers, 'the Faith,' is a body of basic doctrine the early Christians agreed on.

The trouble with Warren Wiersbe's view is that there are considerable differences now on what constitutes the body of basic doctrine all should agree on. We don't know what it was in the early church - unless it was the seven points we are now considering!

I think a passage like Col2v5and6 suggests the Faith is belief in who Jesus is, a total and unconditional dependence upon what Jesus did for sinners on the cross and a commitment to both his teaching and example. Christians are united in their relationship with Jesus as Saviour, Lord, Teacher and Friend. It is an attachment that grows stronger as the years pass.

(6) One baptism.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians there was only one baptism. Everyone who believed in Jesus was baptised by immersion. Converts were baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit by command of Jesus. It was the outward and visible sign of new life in Christ and by it every believer was received into the church.

Today, baptism, far from unifying, divides. Babies are baptised for a variety of reasons depending upon whether you are an Anglican, Presbyterian or Roman Catholic. Some groups like the Salvation Army don't baptise at all. In Baptist churches like my own that practice believer's baptism by immersion there are genuine Christians who for one reason or another stubbornly refuse to be baptised.

So today, sadly, there is no longer one baptism. There is a real and persistent division between those that baptise babies and those that will only baptise believers. Satan has done his worst. It would not take a great adjustment to remedy the situation but there is no sign that this will ever take place. Satan continues to do his worst!

(7) One God and Father of all - who is over all, and through all and in all.

Paul did not write, one God and King or one God and Judge or even one God and Creator BUT one God and Father of all.

If we are God's children then our fellow Christians are our brothers and sisters. If we have a loving heavenly Father, one who cares about each of us - provides, protects and guides - we surely should make every effort to get on together. Disharmony in the family grieves God just as it would any loving earthly father. Disunity in the family is very upsetting to our Father in heaven.

God is not just any old Father! He is above all - the supreme Creator of all things. He is through all - experiencing everything that happens everywhere. There is no event however tiny, even if it be as inconsequential as a sparrow's fall, that God is not aware of. He is in all; he is in all things working his purposes out. God has not lost control!

This is the God in whom we believe and to whom we belong. Our belief in him should bind us together more closely than any human tie. The numerous divisions that exist in the church are mostly the product of pride or folly and remain a shocking testimony to how far short we have fallen from all we should be. Anyone looking at the church today would have to say, "Unity! What unity?"