Thursday, January 31

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Isaiah 45:11–48:11

Ephesians 4:1–16

Psalm 68:19–35

Proverbs 24:3,4

 

 

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head – that is, Christ.  From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:15,16)

 

 

In this chapter, Paul urges the Ephesian church, for which we have no evidence of internal strife in the context of this letter, to seek unity. 

 

In His great priestly prayer in the hours before His death, Jesus requested the Father’s power to bring unity among all believers:  “My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.  Then, the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20–23)  It appears clear from these verses that God had staked His reputation of goodness on Christian unity:  that the unity in the Body of Christ would point back to the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

From Jesus’s prayer, we also gather that God bears chief responsibility for bringing unity, given our fallibility as people.  Yet, as with most interactions between God’s sovereign grace and human free will, we may partake and support God’s mission for unity among believers.  This chapter provides some beautiful insights into that goal.  For Paul, unity stands as part of living “a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1)

 

Paul starts by explaining that humility, gentleness, and patience – “bearing with one another in love” – will allow us to “keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2,3)  This goal will indeed involve the believers’ active participation.

 

Yet, we also understand God’s action on man’s behalf:  the Oneness of God and the unifying character of faith and baptism; His appointment of leaders; and joint growth to maturity and unity.  The Bible and human experience demonstrates that, while sin separates and divides us, love gathers and unites us.  These characteristics of God’s path toward unity highlight the love of God for His people.

 

In faith, all believers are seeking after the same Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.  Our submission to Christ’s Headship therefore puts on an equal playing field with other Christ-followers.  Realizing that we all have fallen short of God’s standards also highlights our unity in needing a great Savior.  Paul summarizes these two aspects by mentioning our baptism, in which the believer becomes identified with the Lord Jesus:  buried with Him in His death and raised to new life through His resurrection.

 

Then, God equips us actively for unity through bringing prophets, evangelists, and teachers to build up the Body.  Importantly, these servants will “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  Crucially, the church will become unified and mature through service to God, and God will bring forward the right trainers for His service.

 

We find that God anticipates unity through the activity and action of growth.  On an individual level, we commit to consistent spiritual and emotional growth to prevent stagnation and atrophy.  Together, we may promote others’ growth and thereby support the maturation and growing up of the entire body into Christlikeness, with “each part” doing “its work.”  Paul explains that a growing, diversely talented church is a healthy church.  Such a church couches the “truth” in “love,” modeling both “grace” and “truth” that were so characteristic of the Lord Jesus (John 1:14).

 

Practically speaking, we may all promote unity by seeking God wholeheartedly and pointing others to Him.  Reading the Word and praying in faith allow us to know Him better, and we may then encourage others to likewise seek Him.  We may consider:  “How may I build up my brother or sister?  What would be beneficial for their continued growth?”  At Grace Church, may we look to others’ best interests and maturation in Christ and support the strength for the whole Body.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for bringing forth the elements for unity in Your Body, the church.  Grant us Your wisdom so that we may understand how best to promote unity at Grace Church and beyond.  Help us to seek You wholeheartedly and to exercise discretion in building others up in the faith.  Bring to mind pictures of our collective need for a great Savior.  Help us to see how we need one another in Your family and how we may best support one another.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

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