The Unity of the Spirit

Ephesians 4:3

            “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”

Demonstrating the ‘unity of the Spirit” is one of the most important biblical mandates given to the church (v.3).  True unity is a spiritual issue. It is based on deep scriptural truths and is the work of the Holy Spirit among us, as His Church. The bottom line of our faith is oneness–unity of the Spirit.  “One body, one Spirit, ... one hope,” “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (vs 4-6).  

These spiritual truths are unshakable.  However, our obedience to Him and choosing to act out these truths is our responsibility before Him.  Therefore we must ask ourselves, “Do our lives and relationships within the church demonstrate or deny the exciting reality of spiritual unity before a watching world?  Are we walking “worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called?”  Verse 1, makes the “unity of the Spirit”, our test of faith.  A church without spiritual unity causes the unsaved world to ignore the Church.  It just looks to them like any other organization.  For that matter, some secular organizations seems to get along better than the church appears to do.  Being doctrinally sound and generally agreeable on basic biblical doctrine means little if the church can not demonstrate “unity of the Spirit”.

A reputation of “always fighting” translates to the world that we are a Christian group who cannot be Christian to one another.  That makes us hypocrites, to God and to the world.  The old saying of “going home and letting our hair down” or, in the protection of our home we often live unguarded lives, not careful how we are perceived by others in the house; spouse and children. Which means we are ignoring the fact that our most important context for living godly is in the home. 

So, also, is the  church.  We become comfortable with each other and seem to “let our hair down” in the church as well.  We do not act Christian toward one another.  We become selfish and self-serving and thus present ourselves as in opposition to other church members.  It is no wonder that Christ tells us to leave our offerings at the altar and go resolve an issue with a brother who has “aught” against us and then come and present our offering to the Lord.  To make the application clear, we can not truly worship if we are not in the “unity of the Spirit”.  Self-seeking betrays a heart that is not seeking the will of the Father, nor the leadership of the Holy Spirit.   

 What does the unity of the Spirit look like?  It is when believers are humble, gentile, patient, and loving toward one another (v.2). It is when spiritual gifts and leadership are exercised as God intended them (v.11) . It is when we build one another up toward spiritual maturity (vs12-13).  And it is when we are firmly rooted in the truth and learn to speak it in love (vs 14-15).  That is when the body is working the way it should (v.16), in the “unity of the Spirit”.