Ephesians 4:1-16

Eph 4:1

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Vocation - Calling

Paul did not view his imprisonment as being a punishment from Rome, he saw that he was the Lord’s prisoner. He knew he was there by divine calling which resulted in him writing the four prison epistles Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians being the other three. He was encouraging the Ephesian Christians, as well as us, that we are to walk or better yet live our lives worthy of the name Christian. Every Christian has a calling in this life and that calling is to be a representative of the Kingdom of God on this earth. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20) This is why we are to walk circumspectly so as to not bring any shame on the name of the Lord Jesus. Now if we are called as a doctor in this world we need to be the best we can be. If we are a plumber, then we need to be the best we can be. If we are a carpenter, then we need to be the best we can be and in every earthly vocation, we need to be honest in our dealings with both believers and unbelievers.

Paul was in prison because he did not choose to compromise the truths of Scripture. He delivered the truth to both the enemies of Christ and the Elect of Christ. Paul may be hinting to us that the possibility always exists that if you are a Christian and one who does not compromise, you too may possibly face the same problems that he faced. God calls each Christian to a different calling, yet that calling is the same. No matter what our vocation is, we are to conduct ourselves worthy of the name of Christ.

Eph 4:2

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Lowliness - Humility

Meekness - Gentleness

Longsuffering - Patience

Forbearing - Bearing With

Paul now turns to the individual Christian in the matter of the practicality of Christianity. He first states that as we walk in the vocation or calling that we are called, we are to adopt an attitude which is both humble and gentle. These are two of the fruits of the Spirit which is given to Christians upon salvation. It is unfortunate that when we get into the flesh, it is possible to bury the fruits of the spirit. This is one way in which we quench the Holy Spirit. These two first fruits are those which we need to have as part of our personality.

The next two fruits that Paul gives is how we are to act while involved with others. We need to exercise patience, especially with those who are slower or who are not as mature in the faith. We also need to be forbearing with those Christians who seem to test our patience in certain areas. Now Paul tells us to have these characteristics in love. That does not mean we are to allow emotional Jello to rule us. True Christian love is a tough entity and does not include conciliation. You can be gentle with a person while being in a state of non-compromise. Christians must stand their ground. Do you think Paul would have been in prison if he compromised with the Judaizers? Do we think that adopting a false love in compromising is pleasing to the Lord? For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10) We are the bond servants of Christ and we must always be doing the bidding of our master and never usurp His authority because that is what we do when we compromise with the world.

Eph 4:3

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Endeavoring - Be diligent or hasten

Unity - Oneness or unanimity

Bond - That which binds

The Apostle Paul in the previous verse stated that the Christian needs to engage those fruits of the Spirit that we received when we became saved. The reason we are to use those fruits is to maintain a harmony among the body of Christ. In the verse above the result of each Christian engaging those fruits consistently is to be diligent in keeping the oneness of the body of Christ. If there are factions and divisions, then it is easy for Satan and Satan’s people to divide and conquer. We see this everywhere around. Satan is attacking each individual denomination with false teachings and the reason that he gains victory is because one denomination will not help another, simply because their doctrinal differences are overwhelmingly too great. So what we see is an across the board victory by Satan and his minions in the church, both to subdue it with false doctrines and quench the true Gospel. The true Gospel is very hard to find in the modern church.

The Bible here speaks of oneness “of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The Holy Spirit is the one who binds the Christians together in truth. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6) He binds us together in unity by means of our salvation but because of the diversity of the Human race, we can expect people to look at the Scriptures in a different manner. While it seems that Christians are divided on doctrines, yet there is a unity of the true believers on the core beliefs of the Christian Faith. For example, every true Christian believes the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, the crucifixion, the deity of Christ, etc. These are the beliefs that bind true Christianity. If a person does not believe in the virgin birth or the bodily resurrection of Christ, then you will know instantly they are an unbeliever. True Christians will know the core teachings of Scripture of the Bible and it is these that will bind us.

The problem is that too many Christians are caught up in denominationalism where they believe and profess that their denomination has the only doctrinal truth. In other words, those in free will gospels may completely disdain the idea of predestination, and on the other hand those who believe the doctrines of grace may adopt the idea that everyone in a free will gospel who claims salvation is unsaved. Yet both groups will undeniably preach the core teachings. It is these that are the unifying element in Christianity, now I speak of True Christianity and not denominational Christianity. If Christians were thrown into a concentration camp, and those Christians were of different denominations, do you honestly think there would be doctrinal debates or would there be harmony based on the fact of the core doctrines of the faith?

Eph 4:4

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Here the Bible tells us of the unity of the believers. First we are told that we are one body. This means that God has only one people for Himself and there is not one salvation program for the Gentiles and another one for the Jews. All are saved the same way which means all that are saved enter the body of Christ the same way. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: {10} Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Then the Bible teaches us that there is one Spirit. This is speaking of the Holy Spirit who is the one responsible for indwelling the believer and joining them to the body of Christ. This means that there is only way to be a believer and that is for the Holy Spirit to indwell a person. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9) Some call the Holy Spirit a force or an impersonal being. This is cultic and an unbelieving interpretation. The Holy Spirit is eternal God and anyone who holds to another teaching, is not a child of God.

Then the Bible tells us we have one hope of our calling. That great hope is the looking forward to the return of the Lord Jesus. The Scriptures call it the Blessed Hope. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13) The great difference between Christianity and world religions is that we are expecting the Lord Jesus to return and take His Elect to glory with Him for eternity. We have been assured that those who are truly saved will have a place in Heaven and we never have to worry if we did enough works to gain God’s favor, etc. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)

Eph 4:5

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

This passage is significant even though it is a small passage. During the time when the Apostle Paul was on earth, there were many religions in the ancient world and each one had its own lord. Paul is defining that Christianity has only one Lord and He is the Lord Jesus Christ. Even today there are cults and religions who place people as divinely inspired beings who claim the title of lord. This means that the Lord Jesus is Lord of all Christianity and that means every single Christian, no matter what the ethnic or previous religious background of a person was. The Bible is relating to us that there is unity among the brethren when we see the Lord Jesus Christ as the head of Christianity rather than a bunch of little lords in various denominations.

Then there is one faith. This means there can be no amalgamation of any worldly religion and Christianity. Christianity stands on its own because of the salvation program of God. Since the Lord Jesus Christ died for His Elect and God the Father draws those whom He plans to save, there is no way to become a Christian except through God’s appointment. This is why it is spoken of as a faith, since all world religions require works and even some denominations require works of their adherents to gain Heaven. If a person tries to add one work to Calvary, they have adulterated Christianity and have brought it down to man’s level that works will gain merit. The difference between Christianity and the world’s religion is that Christianity is a “Grace Faith” and the world religions are a “works plus faith” which renders them ineffective for salvation.

Then we are told it is one baptism. Many denominations look at this feel it is speaking of water baptism, especially those who feel that water baptism is a requirement for salvation. The baptism that is in view is a synonym for the washing away of our sins, and not water baptism. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 3:21) The Christian is baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ. It symbolizes a uniting of the two. As Christ was crucified so were we and as He was raised from the dead, so were we. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4) And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. (1 Corinthians 6:14)

Eph 4:6

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Paul finalizes this section of Scripture by teaching us that God the Father is one God and Father of us all. Now this verse is not speaking of the universality of the God of creation, it is speaking about Him being the true God and Father of the believers. We know this by the last verse which speaks of Him being in “you all” which is the believers. This is another case of when “all” is not “all.” We must look at this verse carefully that God is the salvation God of all the Elect which makes up only a small part of the world’s population. This verse also puts to death the idea that any mere mortal can be the Father of any Christian. I am speaking of salvation and not physical birth. The Pope in Rome is called “the holy father” which is a blasphemous application. Jesus called His Father “Holy Father” and is used only once in Scripture. “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (John 17:11) To give a religious sinner this title is absolute blasphemy and irreverence. This is why the Bible is telling us specifically that God is the Father of Christians, but He is also the Most High above everything and everyone. God is the sovereign and sustainer of all things and people in the universe. So Paul winds up telling us that God is totally sovereign and that He exists in three equal persons, a great mystery.

Eph 4:7

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Now Paul moves from the church to the individual Christian. This verse is revealing to us that to every true Christian, we are given grace which is according to the measure of the gift of Christ. This means that we are going to always have a superabundance of grace in our life. That large measure of grace we receive will give strength to the Christian to walk worthy of the vocation (calling). We must also realize that the grace we receive is a gift and not something of ourselves. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10) Peter speaks of receiving the gift and that gift is salvation with all the responsibilities that go with it. This means that with grace comes the responsibility to minister to each other and by doing it we are being good stewards of that grace. If a Christian does nothing with the gift, then they are being bad stewards. Paul addresses the issue of spiritual gifts later on in this chapter.

Eph 4:8

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Here Paul teaches us about the resurrection and ascension of Christ. After Christ was ascended into Heaven, ten days later He sent the promise of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and that is when He also gave the individual spiritual gifts to His children. When Christ ascended He led captivity captive. This points to the fact that He came to free His Elect from the prison of Satan. “They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; {17} That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?” (Isaiah 14:16-17) Now the Elect of God are no longer in captivity in Satan’s prison but are now captives of the Lord Jesus Christ. “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26)