If you have your Bibles please turn with me to Ephesians chapter 4. We’re going to be looking at verses 4-6 during this time in God’s Word.
Max Lucado, in his book In the Grip of Grace tells the story of the family of God in the form of a parable. He writes, “God has enlisted us in His navy and placed us on His ship. The boat has one purpose—to carry us safely to the other shore.
This is no cruise ship…We aren’t called to a life of leisure, we are called to a life of service. Each of us has a different task. Some, concerned with those who are drowning, are snatching people from the water.
Others are occupied with the enemy, so they man the cannons of prayer. Still others devote themselves to the crew, feeding and training the crew members. Though different, we are the same.
Each can tell of a personal encounter with the Captain…We each followed Him across the gangplank of His grace onto the same boat.
There is one Captain and one destination. Though the battle is fierce, the boat is safe, for our captain is God. The ship will not sink. For that, there is no concern.
There is concern, however, regarding the disharmony of the crew. When we first boarded we assumed the crew was made up of others like us. But as we’ve wandered these decks, we’ve encountered curious converts with…a plethora of opinions.
There is a group, for example, who clusters every morning for serious study. They promote rigid discipline and somber expressions.
‘Serving the captain is serious business,’ they explain. It’s no coincidence that they tend to congregate around the stern.
There is another regiment deeply devoted to prayer. Not only do they believe in prayer, they believe in prayer by kneeling. For that reason you always know where to locate them, they are at the bow of the ship.
And then there are a few who staunchly believe real wine should be used in the Lord’s Supper. You’ll find them on the port side.
Still another group has positioned themselves near the engine. They spend hours examining the nuts and bolts of the boat. They’ve been known to go below deck and not come up for days.
They occasionally are criticized by those who linger on the top deck, feeling the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. ‘It’s not what you learn,’ those topside argue. ‘It’s what you feel that matters.’ And, oh, how we tend to cluster.
Some think once you’re on the boat, you can’t get off. Others say you’d be foolish to go overboard, but the choice is yours. Some believe you volunteer for service, others believe you were destined for the service before the ship was even built.
Some predict a storm of great tribulation will strike before we dock, others say it won’t hit until we are safely ashore.
There are those who think the officers should wear robes, there are those who think there should be no officers at all, and there are those who think we are all officers and should all wear robes. And oh, how we tend to cluster.
And then there is the issue of the weekly meeting at which the captain is thanked and His words are read. All agree on its importance, but few agree on its nature. Some want it loud, others quiet. Some want ritual, others spontaneity.
Some want to celebrate so they can meditate, others meditate so they can celebrate. And, oh, how we tend to cluster.
The consequence is a rocky boat. There is trouble on deck. Fights have broken out. Sailors have refused to speak to each other. There have even been times when one group refused to acknowledge the presence of others on the ship.
But most tragically, some adrift at sea have chosen not to board the boat because of the quarreling of the sailors.”
Our enemy, the devil, is a divider and a destroyer of unity in the Church. The division in the Body reminds us of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.
God wants the truth of His Word, and what He is doing today under grace, to bind us together in Christ so we are a strong and bright witness for Christ in this world.
But the devil attacks the Church incessantly, desiring to drive God’s people apart, and to cause confusion and disorder and disunity through error and bad doctrine, to keep the Church from being an effective witness to the world.
We should be careful to never sweep error under the rug in the name of trying to get together under a banner of love at the expense of the truth.
We must follow the truth of God’s Word and stand faithfully for it. We must allow God and His truth and the sound teaching of His Word be what unites us.
The doctrines of the unity of the Spirit as found here in Ephesians 4:4-6 is the foundation for the oneness in the Body of Christ that God desires for His Church.
Ephesians 4:4 reads, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.”
There are seven “ones” here that are true of all believers today under grace.
There is “one body.” The one true church today is the Body of Christ, a living, spiritual organism, made up of blood-bought, born again believers, who belong to Christ.
It is made up of Jews and Gentiles without distinction. As Eph. 2:15,16 says, “for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
The analogy of believers as a body is unique to the epistles of Paul. No other writer of Scripture mentions the Church, the Body of Christ.
The reason this is so is because of this dispensation we are living in, the dispensation of Grace is a dispensation that had been hid in the mind of God from eternity past, and which was first revealed to the Apostle Paul (Eph. 3:1-5).
Paul tells the Ephesians: “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery…Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men.”
Paul was given a new and unique revelation from Christ, and this is why only Paul speaks of the Church the Body of Christ as it was a truth unknown before him.
And within this dispensation, only believers from this present age of grace are made a part of this spiritual organism, this “one NEW man” as Paul calls it in Eph. 2:15.
The Body has many members and we are all members of one another, and are all one in Christ. Gal. 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
National, religious, cultural, racial, and social distinctions are all removed in Christ. Barriers which separate men in this world are not present in Christ and differences among men in this world have no meaning in Him. We’re all one in Him.
And we all need each other in the one Body.
Many years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton.
When he received his honor, Overton insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak. They had first met one another in school when the armless Kaspryzak had guided the blind Overton down a flight of stairs.
This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books as the armless man led him.
And Overton, the blind young man, held the books as the armless man Kaspryzak read aloud in their studies. The deficiency of each individual was compensated for by the other’s ability.
All of us have deficiencies. None of us are perfect or gifted in all areas. And this is why we need each other, so that the ability of others in the Body can compensate for our deficiencies and weaknesses. And it’s why we should honor each other as well.
There is “one Spirit,” which indwells each believer in the Church. Ephesians has much to say about the ministry of the Holy Spirit under grace.
Believers are individual temples of the Holy Spirit, who are also collectively being “fitly framed together [and] groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit,” Eph. 2:21,22 says.
After we believed, we “were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (1:13) who has “sealed us unto the day of redemption” (4:32).
“By one Spirit” we have access unto our one God and Father (2:18). And we are “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man” (3:16).
The one Spirit enlightens us to God’s truth in His Word (1:17,18). We are to be filled with the “one Spirit,” controlled and ruled by His mind, His will, and His Word (5:18).
As we yield to Him He produces His fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth in our lives (5:9). We are to take up the Sword of the one Spirit in the spiritual battle, and to also pray in the one Spirit (6:17,18).
1 Cor. 12:13 speaks of the baptizing work of the Spirit at salvation, placing us in and making us members of the “one Body.”
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
And we “are called in one hope of our calling.” We are one in Christ, in one Body, sharing in and indwelt by the one Holy Spirit, and we also share in a common hope, as the unique hope and calling of the Body of Christ is heaven.
Israel has an earthly hope and calling, they have a promised land, a glorious kingdom of heaven on earth to look forward to with Christ their King ruling over them.
Paul tells us that for the Body “our citizenship is in heaven” Phil. 3:20 says. Colossians 1:5 says, “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven.” Paul says in Eph. 1:3 that “we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (1:3).
Eph. 2:6 says that God has, “raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Eph. 1:10,11 says, “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance…”
The distinction remains in eternity between those in heaven and those on earth, as Paul speaks of those who are reigning in heaven, which is the Body of Christ, and those reigning on the new earth, which is Israel and the prophetic saints.
In light of the fullness of times, the eternal state, Paul says that in Christ we, the Body, have obtained an inheritance, a heavenly inheritance.
Paul in Eph. 1:18 prayed for the Body of Christ, saying, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling.” There are many who think our hope and calling is the kingdom on the earth.
This prayer is still very applicable as it is still needed for the Spirit to enlighten people in the Church to the truth of the unique hope and calling of the Body of Christ that we will live and reign and dwell eternally in the heavenlies above.
Ephesians 4:5 says, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
There is “one Lord.” Christ is Lord. He is Master and Ruler over us.
The “one Lord,” Jesus Christ, is God and is our risen and living Head. He is “Head over all things to the church” Eph. 1:22 says.
He has sovereign authority over the Church of today. He rules and reigns supreme.
Christ is preeminent over the Church. It is His Body. The Church had its origin in Him. And the Body’s operation is through Him and His power.
Christ alone has authority over it. He rules, directs, guides, controls, and governs it. Christ supplies it with life; He gives gifts to its members and places them in the Body where He wills.
Ron Carlson once related the following story: “My freshman year in college I lived with a fellow from Thailand who had been a Buddhist until he was 18 years old.
“He became a Christian while studying in the United States and he happened to become my roommate not long after his conversion.
“And I asked him one day: ‘Lou, explain to me why you became a Christian. Tell me, what is the difference between Buddhism and Christianity.’
“And he put it this way, ‘Ron, when I was a Buddhist, it was like I was drowning in a big lake and I didn’t know how to swim.’
“He continued, ‘I kept going under over and over again and then Buddha walked up to the edge of the lake and Buddha began to teach me how to swim.
“Buddha yelled to me, ‘Start moving your arms and legs!’ But Buddha said, ‘You must make it to shore yourself.’
“Then Jesus Christ walked up to the edge of the water. But He did not stop there. Jesus Christ dove into the lake and swam out and He rescued me!
“And He brought me safely to shore. And after He brought me to shore, then He taught me how to swim so I could go back and rescue others.”
Ephesians 5:23 states that “Christ is the Head of the church: and He is the Savior of the Body.” Unable in any way to save ourselves, our Savior rescued us. He saved us from eternal death and torment in hell by His Cross and perfect payment for our sins.
He is our Savior, our life, our all. He is highly exalted and “far above all,” “all things are under His feet” (1:21,22).
No authority or power, whether in the spirit world, or in the physical realm on earth; no one is greater or equal to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is superior to all. He has absolute, universal authority.
He is above Satan. He is above Satan’s world system. He is above the holy angels; He is above the fallen angels; He is above the saved; He is above the unsaved.
He is above all names, titles, ranks, levels, powers, and jurisdictions in the universe for time and for all eternity.
Today, Christ is carrying on a heavenly ministry in His exaltation at God’s right hand (1:20), giving all men an opportunity to be saved.
Our “one Lord” nourishes and cherishes us His Church, Eph. 5:29 says. He desires for us to know Him more and grow in His love for us and to be filled with His fullness.
In Christ, our “one Lord” we are saved, complete, blessed, exalted, heirs, redeemed, forgiven, and accepted. As members of His Body, we are joined to Him, and we derive our life from Him (1:23). “One Lord” died for us, lives for us, and is coming for us.
“One faith,” speaks of one way of salvation, one gospel of salvation, one way to God, one way to become members of the “one body,” one way by which we receive the “one Spirit,” one way that saves us and gives us “one hope of your calling.”
One way that makes Christ our “one Lord,” one way that gives us our “one baptism,” one way that makes the “one God” our Father and for Him dwell in us.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast” (2:8,9).
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (1:13). This gospel of salvation is believing that Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose again, and we are saved by God’s grace through faith.
“One baptism,” one spiritual baptism which saves us. Again, I Cor. 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Having trusted Christ, we are all baptized or identified with, united perfectly, joined eternally with Christ and placed into the one body by the one Spirit. This is a divine, spiritual baptism that unites us with Christ, with each other, & with His finished work.
Romans 6:3,4 says, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?…”
The moment we believe the gospel, we are baptized spiritually by the Spirit, and united with Christ in His death, burial, & resurrection, and we’re given newness of life in Christ.
In this identification with Christ we are raised with Christ and we are raised high and seated and highly exalted in Him. Eph. 2:6 again says that God has, “raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Baptism is ALL God’s work under grace. Col. 2:12 says that baptism is exclusively “the operation of God” under grace. Man has no authority for baptism today.
What is real, and what means something to God, is the one baptism by the Spirit that takes place the moment we trust Christ, that He died for my sins and rose again.
In that moment, this one spiritual baptism by the Spirit saves us, unites us with Christ, places us into the Body of Christ and seals us there forever, and identifies us with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and makes us “complete in Him.”
This one spiritual baptism exalts the glory and accomplishments of the Cross. We should rejoice in it by faith.
Ephesians is packed full of the glorious preposition: “in Christ” (1:1,3,4,10; 2:6,10,13; 3:6). How did we get “in Christ”? It’s through our “one baptism,” our one spiritual baptism which joins us to our Savior and places us in Him eternally.
By the one faith, believing the gospel, that our one Lord died for our sins and rose again, the one Spirit, by the one spiritual baptism, places us into the one Body and in our one Lord, giving us our one heavenly hope and making us accepted by our one Father.
Ephesians 4:6 says, “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Paul has said there is “one Spirit” and there is “one Lord.” Completing the Trinity in the Unity of the Spirit, Paul says “One God and Father of all” the Body of Christ, “who is above all” the Body, “and through all” the Body, “and in…all” the Body.
As John MacArthur says, “That comprehensive statement points to the glorious, divine, eternal unity that the Father gives believers by His Spirit and through the Son.
“We are God-created, God-loved, God-saved, God-Fathered, God-sustained, God-filled, and God-blessed. We are one people under one sovereign.”
This God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ, chose before the foundation of the world that the Body in Christ should be holy and without blame before Him in love, and predestinated us to the adoption of sons, making us full heirs in Him.
God the Father has made us accepted in His Beloved Son, so that we are accepted in His presence and welcome there! We have full access to our one Father, we enjoy a bold and confident approach to Him, we pray, He hears, and He cares for each of us deeply.
We are all part of one body, the one and the same Spirit dwells in every member of the one Body, every member of the one body has a common heavenly hope, and has a common Lord. We all became Christ’s through one common faith & one common baptism.
And we all bow in worship and praise to the one and same God and Father, who is above us all, and through us all and in all the Body. May we “keep” and diligently guard this unity! And may we walk worthy of His gracious calling for us His Church.
As we looked at all these “ones” for the Body of Christ, next time we’ll be looking at God’s “one” apostle for this dispensation of grace. Hope you’ll join us next time.