Unity in the Spirit and in the Bond of Love

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all Who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:2-6, NIV) [Read Ephesians 4:1-16]

One glance at the subject of this devotional for today and one might think: Two large subjects—unity and love—both to be treated in a very short writing? And my answer would be yes—too large a subject for the space available. But how the two go together, Unity and Love, and how necessary to the Christian fellowship we call the church. Paul recognized that a local congregation could not be effective in witness unless they were united in the Lord Jesus Christ, had their beliefs firmly planted in His teachings, and operated in love for one another and love for the Lord. Unity and love are necessary for the Christian as he/she relates to others.

The keys to unity in the Spirit and in the bond of love are given in verse two. “Be completely humble and gentle be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Now that is quite an order; humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, love—these are characteristics that have to be worked on. We are not necessarily endowed with them at birth—nor even at the time of the new birth when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. We practice each of these virtues, and pray that we may attain them. If we aim to please Christ and be a representative for Him in the world, we ask Him to endow us with these spiritual qualities. And we practice them diligently.

Even our baptism does not endow us with unity and the bond of love. However, baptism represents our unity in the Lord. If we do not keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace we confessed with our baptism, we are contradicting what we confessed. In our local congregations, we sometimes disagree and split over inconsequential matters, things that do not build up the church and honor Christ. As we come to worship on Sunday, may we examine where we stand in Christian unity and love. Paul gives the result of unity and love in verses 15-16: “…speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together in every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Prayer: God, grant that we may live according to these verses, in unity and love. Amen.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, June 19, 2010