Pastor A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) wrote the following: “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”¹

The unity of the Spirit is manifested in the Church when we look to our “one Lord” (Eph. 4:5). God desires, and the Apostle Paul consequently beseeches (Eph. 4:1), that we look to the standard of the unity of the Spirit and those truths to bind our hearts together. In doing so, this unity of truth unites us according to what God is doing today under grace. The unity of the Spirit is God’s foundational truth for the oneness in the Body of Christ.

Guard the Doctrine

“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).

The term, “Endeavouring,” in the original Greek, means to make every effort, to labor, to be earnest and diligent. Thus, the Church is beseeched to make every effort in earnest “to keep the unity of the Spirit.” Paul does not teach the Church to create or make unity amongst its members but to keep the unity of the Spirit which has been graciously given.

The term “keep” means to guard, to preserve, to give careful attention to. The unity of the Spirit is a doctrinal unity. Doctrine, the proper understanding of God’s Word, is what is to unite the Church and bind it together. Paul exhorts the Body of Christ to make every effort to guard and stand fast in the seven foundational doctrines necessary for the unity of the Spirit. Preservation of this unity of the Spirit is to be the diligent and earnest concern of the members of the Church.

It is the unity “of the Spirit” because it is truth from His Word, the Word that the Spirit inspired. It is the Spirit Who enlightens us to these truths and, under them, it is He Who can bring the hearts of believers together.

We are to earnestly labor to guard this unity “in the bond of peace.” The unity of doctrine has its origin in the Holy Spirit; believers who bond by guarding and uniting under the Spirit’s truths do so in the peace of the Spirit and by His enablement (Col. 3:15).

One Body

“There is one body…” (Eph. 4:4a).

To preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, we need to know the truths that are to unite us in the Church, and to understand them according to the mystery revealed to Paul for the current dispensation of grace (3:2). There are seven “ones” in verses 4 through 6 that are true of all believers under grace. The unity of the Spirit is a unit; it is seven, yet one. All seven of its planks dovetail seamlessly with each other.

First, Paul wrote that there is “one body.” The “one body” is defined in Ephesians 1:22-23, “And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, Which is His body.…” There are many different churches and denominations in this world, but there is only one true Church. That one Church is the “one body,” the Church, the Body of Christ.

The Body of Christ is a living, spiritual organism, made up of members who are in Christ and have life eternal in Him. From Paul forward, all who have trusted the gospel of grace, that Christ died for our sins and rose again (1 Cor. 15:3-4) are members of the one Body. The “one body” is made up of believing Jews and believing Gentiles who are one in the one Body (Eph. 2:14-16).

The one Body is unique to the epistles of Paul. No other writer of Scripture mentions the Church, the Body of Christ. It was a truth unknown before Paul. The “one body” is the Church of the present dispensation of grace.

As we read through the seven points of the unity, we find that Satan has attacked it at each point. As for the one Body, we find that many confuse Israel with the one Body, making us “spiritual Israel” and so claiming her promises, rather than recognizing the uniqueness of the Church and our own promises in Christ.

One Spirit

“…and one Spirit…” (Eph. 4:4b).

Second, Paul wrote that there is “one Spirit.” The truth of the “one Spirit” and His current working in the dispensation of grace is to be a unifying doctrine for the Church. The one Spirit, the same Holy Spirit, indwells every member of the Church (1 Cor. 6:19), which is the one body, and that makes us one (Eph. 2:22).

At the moment of salvation, the one Spirit baptizes, or He identifies us as a member of the one body (1 Cor. 12:12-13). The Spirit is also the seal of all who believe the gospel of grace. He is the seal of all in the Church (Eph. 1:13). Thus, He joins us to the Church and makes us members of the one body and members of one another forever (Rom. 12:5).

Along with strengthening our inner man (Eph. 3:16), empowering our service, and producing His fruit in our lives (5:9), the “one Spirit” enlightens us to His Word (1 Cor. 2:9-14) and what it means to our lives. He can illuminate in detail what the unity of the Spirit means in each of its seven elements.

Here too, Satan has attacked the doctrine concerning the one Spirit. Beliefs concerning His working today are the source of much division and disunity. Although His working has changed, many attempt to perform the miraculous sign gifts of the Spirit during the Acts period, signs and miracles that were part of the early Church and Israel’s program.

One Hope

“…even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4c).

Third, Paul wrote that there is “one hope of your calling.”

We are members of the same Church, the one body, and we each are indwelt by the same Spirit, and all of us in the Church have the same hope. Every member of the Body of Christ is called to one sure destiny: heaven.

Under the prophesied program of Scripture, Israel has an earthly hope and calling: a promised land and a glorious kingdom on earth with Christ their King ruling over them. However, for the one body, Ephesians 2:6 informs the Church that God “hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in HEAVENLY places in Christ Jesus” (cf. Col. 1:5). Our one hope and calling is to live and reign in Christ in the glories of heaven forever.

Satan has attacked this part of the unity of the Spirit as well, because many are confused about their future hope. There are many who think our hope and calling is God’s kingdom on the earth. There are others who think we’ll go to heaven for a while and then come back for the Kingdom. Still others believe we will live in the new Jerusalem on the new earth for the eternal state.

However, God wants His Church joined in heart and mind in understanding the “one hope of your calling,” not their calling, the calling that is for post-Tribulation, believing Israel on the earth. God wants “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling” (Eph. 1:18) for the Church, which is an eternal home in heaven.

One Lord

“One Lord…” (Eph. 4:5a).

Fourth, Paul wrote that there is “one Lord.” Our one Lord is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lordship indicates authority. Christ is the truest and highest Authority of all (Phil. 2:9-11; 1 Tim. 6:15). He is our Sovereign Master and Ruler. The same Lord is over all the one body (Eph. 1:20-23).

Ephesians 5:23 states that “Christ is the Head of the Church: and He is the Saviour of the body.” The “one Lord” is our living Head. Today, in His exaltation, He has sovereign authority over the one body, the Church. He rules and reigns supreme over it. As our Head, He leads, guides, and governs it, infusing it with His life, power, and wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30). Regarding our Lord, Paul wrote, “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). Our Lord is our Savior Who redeemed us by His shed blood, and now we are His. He has the right to rule over us as our Lord and Savior (2 Cor. 5:15). Spiritual oneness in the Church results when we put focus and praise upon our one Lord.

The unity of the Spirit as it relates to our “one Lord” is to follow and obey Him according to what He is doing today in the dispensation of grace. Satan has attacked the doctrine of the “one Lord” as He ministers today in that so many attempt to follow the Lord according to His teachings for Israel under the law with the earthly kingdom “at hand” (Matt. 4:17; 10:7). “One Lord” in the unity of the Spirit means the Lord in His current, heavenly ministry under grace. The Church is led by the “one Lord” as we follow and apply His instructions for the Church, under grace, which He has revealed in the pages of Paul’s epistles.

Guard the Doctrine

One Body

One Spirit

One Hope

One Lord

One Faith

Berean Bible Society

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