Walk In Unity Ephesians 4:1-3 Which matters – Unity in religious world, or unity in local congregation? Paul provides the keys to maintaining unity within the local congregation. Following these keys, local congregation will be internally united in Christ. From post by Edwin Crozier

Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. we should view ourselves this way. Won’t separate ourselves from our brethren thinking we are better.

Humility Thayer includes the definition “A deep sense of one’s (moral) littleness.” Sadly, too many Christians are like the Pharisee instead of the tax collector. Lk 18:9-14 With that mindset, we are just pushing division. We push others away with our arrogance and pride. Many Christians don’t even realize how puffed up they are. Simply think they are being spiritual while others aren’t quite making it. We need to recognize our own moral littleness. Ephesians 3:8

Ephesians 3:8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, we should view ourselves this way. Won’t separate ourselves from our brethren thinking we are better.

Gentleness This meekness or gentleness is not weakness. Not submitting because we have to rather, this is strength under control. This term was used of a tamed horse, who clearly had the power to throw off its rider and then trample him into the ground. However, the horse did not. The horse submitted to the direction of the rider. In the same way, instead of throwing off our brethren and trampling them in the ground, we submit to their needs. We humble ourselves before them and gently submit. Philippians 2:3-4

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. This is especially important when we need to correct others. Galatians 6:1

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. We do not correct them to put them in their place, to show our superiority, or to vent our wrath. We do so to help them because they are more important than we are.

Patience The term for patience here specifically means having great restraint when it comes to responding to being wronged. For congregational unity, we must deal properly with the wrongs others do. No, this doesn’t mean sweeping them under the rug. However, it does mean not blowing up and taking vengeance. If someone wrongs us, we approach them with gentleness. Our goal should not be to see them grovel, but to help them grow. Easier as humility reminds of our own wrongs & desire for patience.

Forbearance We must learn to bear with one another. 1Corinthians 13:7

1Corinthians 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. This means to hold up, to strengthen and stand firm. Galatians 6:2

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. We hold each other up. Sadly, too often we keep asking the question, “When should I leave the congregation?” Perhaps this is the wrong question. Paul seems to suggest our question should really be, “How can I stay and help lift up those who are struggling?” Who knows how much unity we might maintain if we worked from this standpoint thus leaving division only for the extreme cases when others simply won’t submit to God.

Love This encompasses all the other keys and then stretches them. This is the “agape” love we’ve heard about in so many sermons. We know what it means - unconditional love. In other words, we don’t walk in any of these things as long as someone else does. We strive to walk in them regardless. No matter how we have been treated, no matter what has been done to us or what can be done for us, no matter how others are walking, we walk in these principles.

Peace We must be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Peace must bind us together. Paul deals with the relationship between the Jews and Gentiles in Ephesus. Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:11-13 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands--remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Jesus Christ is the peace between Jews and Gentiles. Through Jesus, each group had peace with God and therefore should have peace with one another. They should work together and love one another. They should follow all these principles with each other. Jew/Gentile division is not such a problem now, but what about race, class. Sad tragedy that churches continue to be divided along such boundaries. We should be ashamed. Each congregation should be for all. Should not market to one group but learn how to meld cultures together. Paul would have thought the idea of having two congregations in town, one marketing to Jews and one to Gentiles was anathema. Do we have the unity God wants us to have? Walking in peace means learning how to work together with people from a different culture and background.

Christ and His Word The Unity Must Be Based In Christ And His word–Ephesians 4:15 No matter what else we do, if the unity is not based on growing up into Christ, who is our head, then our unity is pointless. We may all be united, but if we are all united in going the wrong direction, it won’t help us. Colossians 3:16

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. That is the basis and foundation for positive unity, thus individually, we must make sure the Word of Christ is our standard. Ephesians 4:14

Ephesians 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Working Together We Must Each Work And Provide What We Can–Ephesians 4:16 Sadly, for many, unity merely means getting along. For Paul, unity meant working, growing, and progressing together. Unity does us no good if we are not going somewhere with it. This only happens when we are working, when each member is providing what he or she can. We can’t all do the same things. We don’t all have the same skill levels. However, we can all do something. To have positive, progressing unity, we must all be using our strengths to further the growth of the congregation.

Ephesians 4:16 from whom 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.

1Corinthians 11:18-19 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. No doubt, divisions will come

1John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. Clearly there will be people who will leave us because they are not of us.

1Corinthians 5:7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. No doubt, there will be times when we must discipline the impenitent, removing the leaven from among the congregation. However, these ought to be the exceptions, not the rule.

Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Further, we should live by the principle of Romans 12:18.

Unity Depends On Our Walk Humility Gentleness Patience Forbearance Love Peace Christ Working Together Let us make sure we are living by these principles. When the divisions come, let them be in spite of us and not because. Let them be laid at the feet of others.