nity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;5one Lord, one faith, one baptism;6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

• Ephisians 4:1-6 NIV

Commentary

A. General Exhortation (4:1-3)

By way of general exhortation, Paul notes that humility and gentleness are characteristic attitudes for believers, as are patience and forbearance. (For a longer list, see Gal 5:22.) Love makes one less apt to judge others (cf. 1Co 13:4-7). Each of these characteristics, when practiced within the community of faith, aids in maintaining harmony, the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

1. Unity of the new community (4:4-6)

Unity is not automatic. It is maintained by diligent effort. Yet the basis for unity is clearly evident because the new community has been established on common ground. The church is vitalized by one Spirit; there is one hope to which all believers are called; there is one Lord and, therefore, only one saving faith and one baptism. There is only one access to the new community, even though God is the Father of all persons. The word "one" serves as a reminder of the equality of the citizens who all are sinners saved by grace.

What do these scripture passages mean to you in terms of how we should be in today's context when on occasion we are upset by that to which we bear witness happening around us, in our communities, in our society, and in our world generally?