Chapter 4 continues the same exhortation as chapter 3, namely, equipping of believers and building up the body of Christ until we attain to the fullness of Christ.
We will be looking today at Ephesians 4:1-16. There are two interconnected teachings in this section of chapter 4 – our calling and unity. At the beginning, we said that chapter 1, verse 22 is the key to the book of Ephesians, namely, that all things are in subjection to Christ. Obedience to God through faithfully undertaking our calling and seeking unity in the body of Christ are both full of subjection. They both acknowledge the authority of Christ and yield to Christ in subjection.
1. Each of us has been called to a spiritual gift and occupation. We are to use those gifts and skills “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (v. 12). We are also to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.
What is the aim of the kingdom of heaven? If we consider that the kingdom of heaven is a society or community, and we are members in that society or community, our conduct must be consistent with the aim, purpose, and objective of the society. Societies can be a small group of people requiring membership but which together focus their efforts on a common goal. Any time an individual member of the community deviates from the objective of the community, the whole objective is at risk of being driven off course or forward progress impeded.
Walking worthy of our calling means, in part, that we will order our conduct, behavior, and demeanor around the purposes and objectives of the kingdom of heaven. This, obviously, means that we must learn what is the aim of the kingdom of heaven, so that we can conduct ourselves consistently with it. Thankfully, Christ goes to great length to explain the kingdom of heaven throughout the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
In verses 2 and 3, beyond aligning ourselves with the kingdom of heaven, Paul lists the characteristics which are becoming the person who is walking worthy of their calling. These include humility, gentleness, patience, showing forbearance to each other, and preserving unity. The characteristics listed are consistent with the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5) and the teachings of Christ on the kingdom of heaven in the gospels.
Walking worthy of our calling is a means to an end, and the end of our conduct is attaining to the fullness of Christ. In other words, we are not only seeking to align our efforts with the objectives of the kingdom of heaven, but we are also striving for the fullness of Christ in us. Our conduct, therefore, will be consistent with the degree to which we are striving toward the fullness of Christ.
2. In verse 13, Paul highlights that walking worthy of our calling is interconnected with unity, thus, the two topics we are considering are inseparably connected. In verses 3 through 6, Paul explains the basis of our unity. There is one body, which is the body of Christ manifested through the church. There is one Holy Spirit which works in each of us to attain the fruit of the Spirit. There is one hope, which is eternal life through Christ.
There is one Lord, namely, Christ who died on the cross for all of our sins. There is one faith in which we are all partakers to receive salvation from the consequences of sin. There is one baptism, which is our common identity or outward mark as believers in Christ. There is one God who is the Father and is the source of all that is.
Considering that there is one kingdom of heaven, and we are to be striving toward aligning ourselves with the kingdom and attaining the fullness of Christ, we are to also be preserving unity in the church. This is best manifested first within the local church where we usually attend and have our membership.
It is also first manifested in our home community among the various churches which exist and believe in Christ. There are many faces of maintaining unity, so that it is nearly impossible to describe every possible situation here. Suffice to say that any conduct which Christ and the apostles warned against must be avoided. Any conduct which Christ and the apostles called us to embody must be practiced.
The end of unity is “the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (v.12). If any of our conduct does not equip the saints or build up the body of Christ, we should consider whether it is warned against by Christ and the apostles.
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