Ephesians 4:3-6
The Work of Keeping Unity
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. — Ephesians 4:3
Ephesians 4:3
Observation
Unity does not just happen; it must be guarded. Paul urges you to be diligent and make every effort to maintain the unity the Spirit has already created. This is not a unity you manufacture. It is a gift you protect. He says this unity is held together by peace (Eph 4:3). The list that follows gives the unshakable, objective reality upon which this unity is built: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all (Eph 4:4-6).
Reflection
Your unity with other believers is not based on your personality, your preferences, or even your agreement on every minor issue. It is based on a reality God has established in Christ. John Chrysostom once called peace the “nurse and mother of love.” God is not asking you to create unity from nothing. He is asking you to trust that He has already made you one with His people and to live out that reality with a peaceful heart. Where are you tempted to break a bond of peace today?
Sit With This
In which relationship today can you be an agent of peace, actively maintaining the unity God has already provided?
Prayer
Father, thank You for making me part of Your body. Give me a diligent heart to guard the unity You have given, and fill me with a peace that holds fast to my brothers and sisters. Help me to trust Your work over my feelings. Amen.
Did You Know?
In the Roman world, a “body” (soma) was a powerful political metaphor for a society where every citizen had a distinct and necessary role. Paul uses this familiar idea to describe the church.
Further Reading