One Church (Ephesians 4:1-16)
This is a difficult time for our church. God’s providence can be painful and perplexing. Yet, even in our trials, we can trust God to work all things for the good of his people and the glory of his name. In times like these, we can look to God, who remains faithful to fulfil His plans for us. As Ryan reminded us last week from Ephesians 3:20-21, God will be glorified in His church. We can be sure that He is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”. In our weakness, we can rest in God, who works in His church by His power. Trust God to work through our afflictions in such a way as to show the amazing abundance of His grace towards us in Christ Jesus.
Our church is in a vulnerable place. Trials can be an occasion for the evil one to sow discord among us. Since God intends to display his manifold wisdom through the church’s unity, the devil is especially determined to undermine our oneness. Tough times can expose the distrust and discontentment that lurk in our hearts. These are the dark places where anger, bitterness, strife and unforgiveness fester. If we are not watchful, the church can be torn apart by unkind words, hurtful gossip, false accusations and malicious slander. Beloved, pray for God’s grace and mercy. May He keep our hearts, minds, actions and words from anything that causes division.
It is providential that we’ve come to Ephesians 4 in our sermon series. This chapter marks a turning point in Paul’s letter, as he pivots from doctrine to application. So far, Paul has praised God for blessing us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Once, we were dead in sins, but now we have been made alive together with Christ. We have been saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. Through the gospel, we have been reconciled to God and to one another. Once, we did not belong to God. We had no lasting community. But now, Christ has made us one. He has united diverse peoples in the church. The church is central to God’s plan to display his glory to all of creation. These glorious truths are applied in the second half of Ephesians. In chapters 1-3, there is only one command: We are to “remember” (Eph 2:11) what Jesus has saved us from. In chapters 4-6, there are 39 commands. It is not enough to merely know the truth; we must live it out. What we know in our minds must change our hearts, and transform our thoughts, words, actions, and relationships.
Because Jesus has united us, live and grow as one church.
We know from Ephesians 1-3 that Jesus makes us holy, and He also makes us one. Therefore, to live according to the gospel means to be holy and united. Our text focuses on our unity as God’s people. Ephesians 4:1-16 is a timely word for us in a difficult time. This is the big idea: Because Jesus has united us, live and grow as one church. These verses are organised around two main points: (1) Live as one church; (2) Grow as one church. These are also the two points of the sermon.
Live as one church (Eph 4:1-6)
In Ephesians 4:1, the word “therefore” signals Paul’s pivot from doctrinal truth to life application. Having prayed at the end of Ephesians 3 that Christians might have “strength...to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge”, Paul now urges us to put knowledge into practice. Truth without life is hypocrisy. Therefore, we must “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which (we) have been called”. In other words, live out who Christ has saved us to be — a holy and united people. Follow the new way of life that is grounded in the gospel. This is the overarching command that Paul will expand on in Ephesians 4-6.
In Ephesians 4:1-6, the main application is for us to live in unity. Look at Ephesians 4:3: We are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. To be eager means to make every effort to protect the unity of God’s people. Be diligent and deliberate. Be watchful. Keep at it. Do not take our unity for granted. Jesus has made us one with His own blood. He has reconciled us to God and to one another in one body through the cross. This is the bond of peace that holds us together.
We were once separated from God and estranged from one another. God made us to know and enjoy Him, but we have sinned and cut ourselves off from Him. Our broken relationship with God shows in our broken relationships with others. We sin against them by being unloving and unkind. God is right to judge us. But God, who is rich in grace and mercy, sent His Son, Jesus, to save sinners like us. Jesus died on the cross to bear God’s wrath in our place, if we trust in Him. Through faith in Christ alone, our sins are forgiven. We are made right with God. Jesus Himself is our peace. In Christ, we are brought back to God to be his people.
Despite our diversity and differences, Jesus has made us one. Therefore, it is the unity of the Spirit. We are one because we belong to the Father through the Son, and the same Spirit dwells in us all. Such unity is of the Spirit, not man-made. It is not superficial and external, but deep and inward. For example, when we visit a church overseas, we sense an immediate affinity with other Christians in other places, although we may have just met. This is the unity of the Spirit. We cannot create it, but it is our job to maintain it—to guard and grow it. Jesus has already made us one. So, steward the unity he has graciously given to us.
How should we maintain the unity of the Spirit? Ephesians 4:2 describes the qualities we ought to cultivate. It is “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love”. Humility is essential for unity. Often, pride causes division and disunity. We do not want to admit wrong or weakness. We do not want to look weak or lose face. So, we refuse to back down. We insist on our way. We harden our hearts and entrench our positions. So, we need complete humility. What does it mean to be humble? It begins by realising that all we are and all we have are by God’s grace. Since it is a gift, how can we boast as if we did not receive it? For by grace we have been saved. This is not our own doing; it is the gift of God. No one may boast. To be humble means to make much of God, and to think less of ourselves. It also means to think of others more. Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Sacrificially serve others for their spiritual good. Be willing to die to ourselves, to give up our rights, to lay aside our opinions and preferences, to suffer discomfort and inconvenience, for the sake of others.
Gentleness or meekness is not weakness. Rather, it means strength under control, used for the good of others, not to dominate but to serve. For example, we see meekness in a loving husband and father who tenderly cares for his wife and children, without being harsh. We see meekness in a church leader who does not use his authority to lord it over the flock, but instead pours himself out for the spiritual wellbeing of God’s people. Most of all, we see meekness in our Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He says to us, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29)
Jesus, the Great Physician of souls, is patiently healing us of our flaws and faults.
Humility and gentleness foster patience which, in turn, helps us bear with one another in love. Here, we are reminded that while the church is God’s new creation, it has yet to be fully perfected. On this side of eternity, the church is not a perfect place. It is a hospital for recovering sinners, where Jesus, the Great Physician of souls, is patiently healing us of our flaws and faults. The exhortation to bear with one another assumes we will step on one another’s toes. We will sin against others; others will sin against us. Just this past week, I had to seek forgiveness from a brother I had wronged.
Be long-suffering in how we respond to one another’s weaknesses and failures. This does not mean ignore sin, but patiently encourage one another towards repentance and forgiveness. Point out the speck in our brother’s eye, but not before taking the log out of our own eye. Tell him his fault with the redemptive goal of winning him back to the Lord. We are to do more than merely tolerate or put up with one another. Bear with one another in love, not grudgingly. Biblical love is neither indifferent nor passive. It is an intentional commitment to another’s wellbeing and to the peace of the church. As Ephesians 4:32 says: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Therefore, do not be overly discouraged by the church’s flaws and faults. In God’s providence, our difficulties are also opportunities for God to grow us in humility, gentleness, patience, and love. These qualities reflect the character of Christ, and they are refined in the purifying fire of our life together. Church is not always easy, because it is sanctifying. We become more like Jesus by living as a church.
We have considered what it means to live as one church by maintaining the unity of the Spirit. We have thought about how we are to do so by cultivating Christ-like character. Now, let’s focus on why we should live as one church. It is because of who we are in Christ. As Ephesians 4:1 says, we have been called by God. He has predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ. We are God’s family, the body of Christ, and the temple where the Spirit dwells. We are central to God’s plan to glorify His name in all creation. God has called His church to a high calling. Therefore, we ought to live in a way that is consistent with our calling as one church.
In Ephesians 4:4-6, Paul describes our unity in terms of seven “ones”. The number seven signifies our complete unity in Christ. There is one body. There is one church, for Christ is not divided. We may be different and diverse, but we are members of the same body. The eyes cannot do without the ears, the hands cannot do without the feet. We need one another. If one part of the body is hurt, the whole body suffers. We belong to God together. There is one Spirit. If we are in Christ, we share in the same Spirit. The Spirit who lives in me also lives in you. How will this change the way we treat one another?
We were called to the one hope. We share in the same promises of God. We look forward to the same glorious future. We will spend eternity together. This one hope will be realised when we are raised and glorified together with Christ. So, encourage one another to wait patiently for hope to be fulfilled and for faith to turn to sight.
We have one Lord. Our unity is in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the foundational cornerstone, as well as the Head of the church. We believe in the one faith. There is one gospel. Our unity is based on the truth that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures. God’s truth cannot be sacrificed for the sake of some superficial togetherness. For this reason, we affirm the same statement of faith to be members of this local church. Our common commitment to the one faith brings us together.
Because there is one faith, there is one baptism. Baptism is an outward sign of our union with Christ. We have been united to Christ by believing the same gospel, the one faith. We had the joy of witnessing Adeline and Rachel’s baptisms. Because they have believed in one gospel and trusted in one Lord, they were baptised into one body, the church. Baptism joins one Christian to many others in a local church. It is a sign of our unity in Christ. We belong to the same spiritual family. Therefore, we have one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. God rules over all of creation, and He is our Father. We are united in the Trinity — one Father, one Lord, one Spirit. We have one faith, one baptism, one body, one hope.
This is the calling to which God has called us in Christ. So, live as one church.
Grow as one church (Eph 4:7-16)
The unity spoken of in Ephesians 4:1-6 is not uniformity. In Ephesians 4:7-16, Paul describes how the one church grows through its diversity. How does this happen? It begins with Jesus, the giver of all grace and gifts. Listen to Ephesians 4:7 — But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. “But” indicates a new development in the flow of Paul’s argument. In Ephesians 4:1-6, his emphasis was on maintaining unity. In Ephesians 4:7-16, Paul focuses on how the church’s different members with different gifts build up the one body.
Jesus works through the diversity of our gifts to build His church.
Christ gives grace to every believer, but our grace-gifts differ from one another. Just as the church’s diversity displays God’s manifold wisdom, so Jesus works through the diversity of our gifts to build His church. So, do not be proud of what we have been given. Do not envy others’ gifts, or despise what we have. Jesus has gifted us in different ways, according to His will. The purpose is for us to steward what we’ve been given for the common good of the one body of Christ. So, use our gifts to build up the church.
How do we know what our gifts are? Instead of focusing on ourselves, consider the needs of others in the church. The needs we notice often show how the Lord has gifted us to meet those needs. So, look around. Do we see a brother or sister needing comfort and encouragement? Is someone in need of practical help? Is someone struggling or straying? Is someone hurting? Do we see someone keen to learn God’s word? God has gifted us to meet the needs we see in the church. So, be attentive to what is going on in the life of the church. See and serve.
This is how Jesus builds His church. The crucified and risen Lord gives his church the rewards of his victory. Look at Ephesians 4:8-10. Jesus descended into the lower regions by humbling himself and coming as a man. He came to do his Father’s will, and obeyed even to death on the cross. But that was not the end of the story. He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens. Jesus has ascended by His resurrection and exaltation to the Father’s right hand. King Jesus has defeated sin and death. Psalm 68 speaks of the Lord receiving gifts among men. Paul expands on this by showing how Jesus has fulfilled this psalm. As the victor, Jesus has received gifts in order to give gifts to His people.
Who are the host of captives? From the context, it includes those mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 — the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers. For example, Jesus transformed Paul from a persecutor of the church to a preacher of the gospel. He took Paul captive, so to speak. Likewise, we were once rebels against God. But thanks to Jesus, we now serve a new Master. Once, we were slaves of sin. Now, we are servants of God. The captives are redeemed sinners, transformed by the gospel, and given to the church for its upbuilding.
Here, the gifts refer to various leaders. The apostles are men like Paul, who saw the resurrected Christ. Together with the prophets, they received God’s revelation, taught the truth and passed it on. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20). There are no more of such apostles and prophets today, but we have their testimony and teachings in God’s word. In the New Testament, evangelists refer to men like Phillip and Timothy. They are similar to today’s missionaries, who proclaim the gospel, plant churches and raise up elders and deacons. The shepherds and teachers refer to those who pastor and teach in churches. These are the elders of a church, who lead and shepherd God’s people by teaching God’s word. King Jesus gives different leaders for the church’s health and growth. So, pray for the elders, for we work with you for your good.
These different leaders all carry out the ministry of God’s word. Ephesians 4:12 tells us how this helps the church to grow. Leaders are to teach God’s word to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. The ministry of God’s word is vital for the church’s health and growth. The Bible must be faithfully preached and taught. Two weeks ago, I attended a preaching workshop in Phnom Penh. It was so encouraging to be with more than 30 Cambodian church leaders, learning how to rightly handle God’s word. Pray for God to raise up more labourers, who will be able to teach others also. But faithful shepherds and teachers are only one part of the picture.
The elders do not and should not do all the ministry. Instead of monopolising ministry, we are to multiply it by equipping the saints to serve. Who are the saints? This is not a special class of “more committed Christians”. No, the saints are all believers — all of us who follow Jesus. Back in Ephesians 1:1, Paul addressed his letter “to the saints who are in Ephesus”—to all the members of the Ephesian church. So, as members of this local church, we all share in the work of building up the body of Christ. One application of this is our practice of congregationalism. Attending the Members’ Meetings is a way of putting Ephesians 4:12 into practice. The elders teach God’s word to equip us to exercise our congregational responsibilities in obedience to the Bible. We help build the church by receiving new members and seeing out members when they leave us. We all have a part to play. So, seek to be equipped to build up the body of Christ by being teachable. Commit to regularly hearing and studying God’s word with the church. Make time to be discipled and to disciple others.
Many of us have to deal daily with KPIs, being task-oriented, and producing deliverables. When it comes serving in the church, we may be so focused on getting things done that we lose sight of the people — the souls God has entrusted to the care of this local church. Ephesians 4:13 reminds us of the goal. We are to build up the body until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Our goal has three overlapping parts: unity, maturity, Christ-likeness.
Yes, Christ has already made us one. But we should not take our unity for granted. Continue to grow together in our knowledge of the truth and of Jesus. This is one of the reasons why we gather regularly as a church to hear the word preached. By doing so, we are sinking deeper roots into God’s word and the gospel. These common roots will hold us fast together. As we heard from Ephesians 2, we are one new humanity — one new man — in Christ. Therefore, we are to grow to mature manhood. Grow to maturity together by uniting around the one faith as one church.
What does maturity look like? It is the fullness of Christ. In Ephesians 1:12, it says Christ has filled the church with his fullness. So, we are to display the glory of Christ by becoming more like him. Jesus’ love is our pattern. Listen to Ephesians 5:2: “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” Beloved, build up the church by helping one another to be united in the truth and to be mature in Christ. Are we ourselves committed to grow in God’s word and in Christlikeness? What can we do to also help one another know and follow Jesus?
Growing together is not optional. All healthy organisms grow. If not, they are either dying or dead. Ephesians 4:14 warns us of the dangers of not growing: We remain immature, like children. Children are impressionable and easily swayed. In tough times like these, may we not lose our stability and drift away from Christ. Be aware of the spiritual dangers we face. Do not be tossed about by false teaching, opinions or speculations. Stay in the safety and security of God’s truth, so that we grow in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Christ.
What, then, should we do to grow as one church? Ephesians 4:15 calls us to speak the truth in love, that we might grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. “Speaking the truth” means more than simply communicating honestly. Yes, we should be truthful with our words. But here, the focus is on speaking God’s truth to one another, especially the truth concerning Christ and His gospel. Encourage one another by speaking of Jesus’ love for us and the hope we have in him. Assure one another of our acceptance with God, because Jesus has justified us. Remind one another of how Jesus has given us new life. This is the reason why God gives us gifts. He gives us leaders to teach us God’s word, that we might be equipped to faithfully speak God’s truth. We learn God’s word to help others in the church become more like Christ. Think about where God has placed you: Is there someone you can come alongside to help encourage in the faith? Commit to knowing and being known by others. Open our lives to our brothers and sisters in the church. Meet one another during the week to read the Bible and pray.
And, speak the truth in love. Not harshly or proudly, not with a self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude. The truth without love is hypocrisy. So, be humble, gentle and patient with one another. God has entrusted to us a message of grace and peace. It would be terribly inconsistent to speak the truth in an unkind and insensitive way. It is not just about being right; it is about giving grace to those who hear (Eph 4:29). How would we speak in such a way as to help others receive well what we have to say?
We typically think of spiritual growth individually. But Scripture emphasises God’s people growing together.
We are to grow together as one church. We typically think of spiritual growth individually. But Scripture emphasises God’s people growing together. Do not try to live the Christian life alone. It will not work. The church is God’s way of sanctifying us. We need others to help us grow; they need us to help them grow. So, become a member of a gospel-preaching church where you can meaningfully do this. So, practice meaningful membership by gathering regularly with the rest of the church. Disciple one another. Each one of us is responsible for doing the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ. All of us are called to speak the truth in love. This is what God is equipping us for. The whole body makes the whole body grow. Listen to Ephesians 4:16 — From (Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. God has graciously equipped the church with a diversity of gifts and people. Just as our physical bodies fall sick when one part is not doing well, so the church will not thrive unless we all work together. In order for the church to grow, every member must be working properly. The whole body makes the whole body grow.
This is a difficult and vulnerable time for our church. Do not let the devil gain a foothold to stir up discord and division among us. May we not grieve God’s Spirit. Beloved, remember that Christ has made us one. Be careful not to undermine what He has done. Because Jesus has united us, let us protect and promote the unity of the Spirit. God is calling us to double down on our commitment to Christ and to one another. May God help us to live as one church, and to grow as one church.