The Bride is Blessed with Unity

1. Read: Ephesians 4:1-6

2. About the Text:

1) The book of Ephesians is about the church, the bride of Christ.

2) Paul is writing this book to encourage and exhort those at Ephesus to value Christ’s bride.

3) In chapter 4 he turns attention to unity.

4) This gives us the basic outline and pattern for having Christian unity.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Be holy — “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you were called.”

2. 1 Peter 1:13-16 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

3. When one is not holy, disharmony among others will come quickly.

4. Being loving–“with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.”

5. Romans 12:9-18 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

i. When we are not loving toward our fellow man, division will soon occur.

6. Being godly–“endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

i. Living within the authority of Christ; Col.3:17

ii. 2 John 9 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”

iii. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

iv. Those who are not godly will cause problems and bring division.

1. One body — the church.

i. Col.1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

ii. Any other body causes division.

2. One Spirit — the Holy Spirit

i. John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

ii. Any other spirit/creed brings division.

3. One Hope — Heaven

i. 2 Cor.5:1 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

ii. Any other hope causes division.

4. One Lord — Jesus the Christ

i. Heb.1:1-3 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

ii. Any other Lord or confession brings division.

5. One Faith — The system of belief that God left for us to live by.

i. 2 Cor.13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

ii. Any other faith brings disunity.

6. One Baptism — The defining act of salvation.

i. Col.2:12 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

ii. Preaching any other baptism results in dissension.

7. One Father — The physical and spiritual creator of us all and our Father.

i. Gal.4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

ii. Holding to any other father creates division.

8. Paul was not trying to make a definitive list of doctrines here. His point is merely to show that just as foundational truth is revealed in unity, so ought also the church to behave.

1. That Christ should rule from heaven.

i. 1 Peter 3:22 “Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”

ii. “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16).

iii. Any King other than Christ does not unite.

2. Christ gave gifts to men.

i. Some miraculous, some non-miraculous.

ii. The miraculous gifts: apostles, prophets.

iii. Non-miraculous: evangelists, pastors, teachers.

iv. These gifts were for the purpose of organizing the church.

3. Apostles – “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22).

4. Prophets – “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:28).

5. Evangelist – “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5).

6. Pastors/Shepherds – “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

7. Teachers – “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12).

1. Jesus Christ wants His body to grow!

i. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20).

ii. “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

2. We grow by planting the seed, the word of God.

i. “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11).

ii. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

iii. “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23).

1. The bride is blessed with the . . . .

i. Prerequisities for Unity — Having the right attitude.

ii. Principles of Unity — Having the right doctrine.

iii. Plan of Unity — Having the right organization.

iv. Purpose of Unity — Having the right goal.

2. Invitation