In Unity - Ephesians 4:1-16

In this passage, Paul claims he is a prisoner for the Lord. Ephesians was most likely written somewhere between 60-62 AD. His last letter, 2 Timothy, is thought to have been written between 64-66 AD, and in that letter his is still a prisoner (or a prisoner again). In 2 Timothy, Paul doesn't complain about his treatment, accommodations or food. His biggest discouragement seems to come from the separation from fellow believers.

He wrote:

You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ... Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. 

The Christian life was not meant to be lived alone. When we were placed in Christ, we were placed in unity. Jesus prayed for us, "That they may 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"

Unfortunately, sin brings division. In the Garden, God walked with Adam, until Adam sinned. Then he hid from God. Pride in Jacobs family caused Joseph to be separated from them, until God brought them back together. That's what He does.

God brings unity. Jesus reconciled - makes friends out of enemies - us with God. We the rebels became family, and in that family we have unity.

The blood of Christ purchased that unity, but our sin still tries to destroy it, and so Paul urges the readers to walk (live) in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. He tells us to live with humility, gentleness, patience and love.

Why?

So we maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body of Christ and one Spirit that dwells there, but our sin tries to destroy that. Our arrogance says we have the truth, and you don't. Instead of one body working through doctrines, arrogance fought to win the arguments. And so, we have dissected that one body into over 33,000 different denominations. The lost world now says, "Why should we believe the Bible, you all can't even agree with each other?"

Don't get me wrong, I do believe we are to defend truth, but we are also to deal with our brothers and sisters in humility, gentleness, patience and love - even if we don't agree on every doctrinal point.

To help with this, God gave the church shepherd-teachers and evangelists to equip the body for ministry. Why? For building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the UNITY of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God - to maturity - the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. God predestined us to be conformed to the image of Christ, all of us, together.

You cannot have spiritual maturity by yourself. You cannot be like Christ all alone. You cannot be a Christian without being part of the body of Christ, because He died to save his church (Ephesians 5:25-27).

The sin in our lives tells us we are not worthy of true unity, or they are not worthy of unity with us. Love tells us none of us is worthy, but by the grace of our merciful Father, we are forgiven and placed in Christ. In him is unity, be eager to maintain it.

Who, in the body of Christ, are you truly unified with? Who are you discipling? Who is discipling you? 

Reach out. Open up. Love.