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 us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4: 4-6 (RSV)
Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church up to this point had been focused on peace and unity. He then turned to detail the reason for the unity. This devotion looks at the power of one in our faith and salvation.
Nuggets
- If the body is the church, baptism changed them — and us — all into one body.
- That baptism into one body by the Spirit brings us unity through one Lord.
- All we have to do is put our faith in the Lord.
- We come to one God through Jesus because God has given us the gifts of faith and salvation.
Paul has been making the argument for the unity of the church. Up to this point, he has been focusing more on what we get out of it: peace. In verses four through six of Chapter 4, Paul tells us reasons for the unity. They all have to do with God.
To read
How Does Peace Help Us Tear Down Walls?,
How Does God Build a Community?,
Pray for the Family
and
The Family’s Calling,
click on the button below
One Is an Awesome Number
When we hear the word body, we think of our physical one. Well … it is what we can see and touch. We hear the sounds that come out of it. There are smells associated with it, both good and bad. We use it to taste things.
We aren’t the only ones who inhabit our bodies. The Holy Spirit does, too. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Cor. 3: 16 NKJV).
God doesn’t pick some of us to live in but stay far away from others. Once we admit our sins, believe on Jesus as Redeemer, and confess God as Sovereign Lord, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. “Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Ac. 2: 38 NLT).
But let’s think of it this way. The body is the church. Remember, we have been talking about the disciples at Ephesus being united because there no longer was Jew or Gentile. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3: 28 NASB).
Baptism changed them — and us — all into one body. “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (I Cor. 12: 13 ESV). The same one Spirit that baptized us comes to live in us all.
That baptism into one body by the Spirit brings us unity through one Lord. “In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body” (Rom. 12: 5 GNT).
We know that the Lord is Jesus Christ. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (Jn. 14: 6 NKJV). He said He was the only way, so He is Lord.
All we have to do is put our faith in the Lord. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2: 8 NKJV).
We come to one God through Jesus because God has given us the gifts of faith and salvation. He calls us to accept these gifts through the conviction of the Spirit. “The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God’s justice and the judgment” (Jn. 16: 8 CEV). “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn. 6: 44 ESV).
This faith that came from one God through one Lord brought about by one Spirit gives us hope. “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11: 1 GNT).
But the hope that Paul is talking about is the hope of our calling. We’ve talked before about the job description of our calling.
The Disciple’s Job Description
To read How Should We Give Thanks to God?, click the button below.
Mission Statement
“… If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross and follow me”
(Mt. 16: 24 ESV).
Job Description
Job Duty #1
Be a Living Sacrifice (Romans 12: 1-2)
Job Duty #2
Work Out Our Salvation (Philippians 2: 12)
Job Duty #3
Bring Him Glory (Matthew 5: 16)
Job Duty #4
Proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16: 15)
Job Duty #5
Love People (John 15: 12)
Job Duty #6
Make Disciples (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Job Duty #7
Other Duties as Assigned
(Ecclesiastes 3: 1)
When we admit our sins, believe on Jesus as Redeemer, confess God as Sovereign Lord and demonstrate that commitment by following our job description, we have the hope of eternal life. You see, this heaven and earth is going to pass away (Rev. 21: 1). There will be a judgment (Rev. 20: 12). There will be a separation between the sheep and the goats (Mt. 25: 32).
Those who have ABCDed will be a sheep on the right. Our hope will be fulfilled.
The ABCDs of Salvation
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
Making the Connections
Mankind is called by God. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1: 5 ESV).
We can’t just sit back and think we are entitled to God’s gifts of faith and salvation. We have to choose Him.
Then we have to live that choice. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Pet. 1: 10-11 ESV).
How Do We Apply This?
God chooses us individually when we choose Him. He calls us to salvation. “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Mt. 22: 14 ESV).
Once we accept salvation, we have to accept our calling. “Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (II Tim. 1: 9 ESV).
That calling included — for everyone — to proclaim the gospel. “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mk. 16: 15 ESV).
All of that — from One true God. All that — because He loves us.
God’s grace and His power are matchless.
Heavenly Father. Your grace and power is matchless. Your love is matchless. Lord, You let us search for You to be our Lord and Savior. You let us seek You for direction as to how we are to grow in your grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3: 18). Help us to live for You. Help us to direct others to You. Amen.
What do you think?
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