Home -- English -- Ephesians -- 029 ( Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit despite diversities of gifting. Live Worthy of your calling )
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Part 3 - An Introduction into the ethics of the apostle (Ephesians 4:1 – 6:20)
A - Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit despite diversities of gifting (Ephesians 4:1-16) Live Worthy of your calling (Ephesians 4:1-6)
Ephesians 4:01-06
Paul was no Bible-based theoretician, who discussed the ideas and aspirations of man in some sort of mystical speculation. Much more, he knew and taught that the Word of God had to become flesh, the theory practicable, especially since the law demanded visible deeds as evidence of the veracity of the faith. As a conscientious Christian, one cannot merely speak of Biblical sacrifice. More than that, he himself should bring forth concrete offerings, established on the foundation of Christ´s completed sacrifice of atonement. Thus, a Christian ethic is not merely some type of idealized appendage tacked-on to a Biblical dogmatic; much more, it constitutes an indispensable fruit.
Live Worthy of your calling (Eph. 4:1-6)
4:1 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:1-6).
After praying his own “Lord´s prayer”, believing the Father of glory would grant what he asked, Paul turned again to the saints in Ephesus. He did not command them to change, for he knew that no person can pull himself out of the mire of his own sin and bondage by his own bootstraps. For that he needs a Savior, a helper, someone who stands on firm ground, who extends his hand, pulls him to himself and then cleans him up. Thus the apostle recommended to the believers in Christ that they let themselves be saved and sanctified by their Lord and Savior. He reminded them or their unique calling, that they were the chosen children of God, who were to so live as their Father in heaven and their Savior desired. They were to look to the Lord and to him, the Lord´s patient apostle, sitting in Roman imprisonment. In so doing they were to see the Christian form of life that had become visible in Jesus, and then go on to practice and fulfil it. Paul writes the same thing to us, nearly 2,000 years later: Live in accordance with your spiritual calling! Change your heart and mind and follow Jesus! And if you are not able to, then plead with the Lord of mercy to help, bless and sanctify you, till you reflect the picture of His love and patience. Do not be soon satisfied with your own behaviour, but contemplate it, and then understand what it is the Lord Jesus wants to change in you!
Paul first wrote to the saints in Ephesus that they should learn patience in all humility and meekness. Whoever is familiar with Mathew´s gospel of Christ can recognize a familiar ring when reading these words of Paul! Jesus said to His followers: “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29). In Paul´s recommendation to the church leaders, that they should live and serve in all humility and meekness, he was simply telling them that they should put on Jesus Christ – nothing more – but also nothing less!
Humility means to want to remain lowly, or to recognize that we are insignificant, having earned the wrath of God. Only because of the sacrifice of Jesus do we receive the right to live on and courageously move forward. Jesus said: “Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave” (Matt. 20:27). A four year old girl, when asked what occupation she would later want to take up, answered: “I want to become a monument!” When she was asked why she wanted to become a memorial, she responded: “So that everybody will have to look up to me!” Pride and arrogance are in our blood. Therefore, Paul recommends that we remain lowly and humble, lest we fall into the trap of Satan. In Islam it is not only the Muslims who are proud and domineering, but much more, Allah himself, who identifies himself as the “the proud one!” (Sura al-Hashr 59:23). Humility can also sometimes be described as having a “heart-to-serve”, so that we remain not only lowly, but that we also work inconspicuously and without pride, in the same way that Jesus showed Himself to be the Servant – and not the Boss! (Matt. 20:28)
The Savior of all mankind also mentioned, together with His humility, His meekness, which is the opposite of thick-headedness. Jesus aligned His plan of life with the will of His Father. He did not arbitrarily force through His appointment calendar. Whoever walks in accordance with the will of God will have more success than the person who establishes his work principles according to modern economic planning. Whoever listens to God´s word and lives accordingly will become a happy and a grateful person and can attain the goal of his calling. However, the one who violently forces his plans and dreams upon others, from time-to-time resorting to war and terror, may only find occasional success. In the end, however, he will fall under the power and dominion of Satan and lose any peace-of-heart.
Humility and meekness stabilize the patience of a servant. The two Greek words for patience mean “to remain under his burden” or to have “a long-staying ability”. Paul said: “bear with one another in love!” In every extended family, school or place of employment there are those who get on the nerves of others and who are often avoided. Yet sometimes the Lord Jesus hitches us together with a troublesome person in order that we might learn patience and forgiveness from him. From time-to-time it is precisely on such “pains-in-the–neck” that our behavior grades are calculated along our road to eternity.
Nevertheless, the goal of the spiritual attributes that should be at work in us is not our own well-being, but rather, peace in the church and spiritual agreement that makes for harmony in the fellowship of the saints. Church elders need to be alert and ready to rectify any beginning cracks in their fellowship, through prayer, patience and wise council. Jesus Himself had to sometimes lovingly upbraid his disciples for their unbiblical behaviour. A false tolerance does not maintain the peace in a church. A brotherly discussion, however, often needs preparatory intercession. In the first gospel we find a long chapter in which Jesus practically explains how one is to reciprocally forgive, and how peace is maintained in a fellowship (Matt. 18:1-35).
At Ephesus Paul could do nothing other than to continually smooth over the fundamentally different way of thinking and living between Jewish Christians and believers from a background of Hellenism. He was forced to overcome difficult obstacles, all the while praying for patience. In the first group the Law of Moses played a persistent role, such that it was not just emotions and feelings that had to be overcome. Rather, the law itself and its essence were demanding an answer and response. Therefore, Paul urgently requested that those in responsibility give serious effort to maintaining the peace in their fellowships, for he knew that where strife flares up, and where it is not immediately extinguished, there would quickly rise up suspicions, hatred and division. To that end the apostle was forced to continually refer to our bonding in the Holy Trinity, as a solution to some of the smaller problems that arose. It is here that we find the correct spiritual measure for us and our questions, along with the helpful power and all-necessary healing for our lives.
First Paul reminded those who were divided and squabbling of their collective embodiment in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ. Christ, in fact, had no second body. If they wanted to remain in His spiritual unity they needed to immediately contract peace among themselves. There could be no other way, for an arm cannot separate itself from its body and work independently. In the shortest possible time it would decompose.
The indispensable unity of the spiritual body of Christ goes back to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the individual believer. There are no two separated holy spirits, but one, and He demands rapid peace. Otherwise He grievously withdraws. The Spirit of the Father and of the Son had previously called the quarrelsome personalities together through the gospel, enlightened them with His gifts and sanctified and upheld them in true and correct faith. He is the down-payment for their glorious hope. In the end who would want to be so dumb as to lose all these gifts and promises simply because of some small earthly problems?
Following this third article of evangelical faith, Paul quoted the second foundation of our faith: The Lord Jesus Himself! Our faith has indissolubly bound us to Him. We have testified to this spiritual unification through our baptism. The New Covenant binds together all quarrellers into a single fellowship. Whoever makes no peace shuts himself off from His Redeemer, who forgives everyone everything, providing they, too, forgive others everything (Matt. 6:12, 14, 15). This foundational and basic spiritual law resembles a threatening guillotine for quarrelsome church members.
Lastly, Paul witnessed to the first article of our faith, squarely placing the peace-breakers before God, the Father. The apostle testifies to us that the Creator and Judge of the world is also the Father of all the quarrelsome in a church fellowship. With that comes the reality that every dogmatic difference among brethren in a Christian fellowship represents an insult to the Father in heaven! Why? Because He watches over all His children, works in all, and dwells in all. Every peace violation in a church is a stab in the heart of the heavenly Father. Who then still wants to argue!
Fundamentally the apostle draws all peace-breakers in a church into the Holy Trinity. In this unity there are no arguments, no disruptive tensions and no harmful pride. The Holy Spirit does not glorify Himself, but the Messiah (John 16:14). Jesus does not glorify Himself, but His Father (Matt. 6:9; John 17:4). Therefore, the Father gave His beloved Son all power in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). The Lamb of God gave the Holy Spirit the authority to build His church (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13-14; Rev. 5:6). By saying that He is humble and meek of heart, Jesus, at the same time, described the essence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. This trinity forms their holy love into one, so that peace continually reigns. The one who wants to argue in a church should be immediately delivered to the throne room of God – if only so that he can quickly be restored!
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we thank You and also rejoice, knowing that in Your complete unity with Your Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit there never arise tensions or strife. You want us to learn from You gentleness, humility and patience, so that no quarrel or conflict can come about in our fellowships. You want the bond of Your peace to unify us. Create in us a life filled with Your love, so that we can walk in accordance with our high calling. Amen.
Questions:
- What is the mystery of the Holy Trinity according to the letter to the Ephesians?
- How can we effectively practice humility, meekness and patience?