Maintain the Unity
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:1-6).
Right in the middle of this passage Paul writes, “[Be] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” There are several things to note about this verse. First, he says we should desire unity in the church. This word means, “to use speed, to make effort, be prompt or eager, and to be diligent.” We cannot rest on past accomplishments but must continuously, actively pursue unity. Secondly, he tells us we should maintain unity. This word carries the idea of “guarding from loss.” We are united to Christ and his Body the Church the moment we come to Christ. Our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ is automatic. But we need to maintain it. We must guard it and protect it. It is the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
This also tells us there are things that can destroy the unity of the church. Gossip, slander, jealousy, backbiting, and selfish ambition are a corrosive acid that erodes unity. Satan, the enemy of our souls, would love nothing more than to see the church in a circular firing squad shooting our own. He is the master of stirring up dissention and division. He whispers in our ear to put ourselves first and look out for number one because no one else will.
We also glean from this passage HOW we are to maintain this unity. “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” We do not live in an honor/shame culture so “to walk worthy” does not naturally resonate with us. We bear the name of Christ and when we live for God, we bring honor to our family name! This is done with all humility and gentleness. There is a humbleness of mind that treats others as better than ourselves (cf. Phil 2:3). He says, “With patience, bearing with one another in love.” Let’s be honest, some people are easier to love than others. We all know some EGR people (Extra Grace Required). We only need patience when we are annoyed. We bear with one another IN LOVE. We are longsuffering with people who think differently, act differently, speak differently, or have different priorities than us. We do this to express the love of Christ.
We do this because, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” God desires us to be unified in heart, mind, and purpose. We are here to glorify God, see his kingdom expanded, and build up the body of Christ. Jesus prays “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).
