THE SEVEN UNITIES ON EARTH
The first three verses of Chapter 4 are really one in content, although broken down in our Bibles. They must be linked to the last three verses of Chapter 2 which precede the parenthesis as these three verses terminate it.
A Brief Glance at the First Three Verses
Verse 1—In this verse Paul implores the Ephesians to walk worthy of the vocation with which they are called. We know what this calling is because this is "the cause" Paul writes about in 3:1 That the Ephesians "are built together for an habitation of God in the Spirit" 2:22. This link brings us back to the subject of ourselves on earth, that is to Chapter 2 not ourselves in heaven and our heavenly calling 1:4, 5. In plain language then, Paul is imploring the Ephesians to walk worthy of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church on earth. As Paul nears the close of the doctrine of this letter he tends to emphasize the practical side of things on earth.
Verse 2—In this verse Paul tells us how to walk worthy of our vocation. Our vocation is that the Holy Spirit is present in the Church on earth, and since He is God we are to display "all lowliness and meekness" because these qualities alone are suited to man in the presence of God the Holy Spirit. But in the Church we are also in the presence of men, who often offend us, so we are to display "long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.”
Verse 3—In this verse Paul re-establishes the link with the Holy Temple in 2:20, 21. Living stones are continually being added to this Holy Temple as souls are saved. It is not completed yet, but growing, just like the body of Christ is. In Verse 3 Paul tells us how the stones are mortared together in the building. It is by the bond of peace. Note that Paul does not tell us to endeavor to keep the unity of the body but the unity of the Spirit. This is connected with our vocation again the Spirit dwells in the Church. God keeps the unity of the body. It has never been broken and never can be. As for the unity of the Spirit, it was publicly displayed at the beginning Acts 2:1-41And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1‑4) but was broken by division of the Church. We ignored the apostle's fervent plea that we should keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It is from this point this exhortation to keep the unity of the Spirit the mortar of peace which holds together the living stones of the Holy Temple that the Apostle proceeds to the subject of the seven unities on earth.
The Seven Unities—Introductory Considerations
It is an important principle that true unity flows from the knowledge of God. When this is given up division, chaos, disintegration follow. In the Holy City Jerusalem "the street of the City was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." The meaning of this language is that in the glory everybody will walk the same way for there is only one street because it is a city of light where God is perfectly known. This explains why the seven unities are located precisely in this part of Ephesians, because the mind of God has been perfectly revealed in the doctrine preceding the 7 unities. Unity is of God.
The fourth chapter opens with a plea for unity. Then follows a consideration of seven unities which are of God and therefore cannot be broken. These unities are characteristic of Christianity on earth. Thus we have seven unities characterizing our heavenly calling, and seven unities pertaining to earthly things.
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The Seven Unities Characterizing the Profession of Christianity on Earth
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There is ONE body and
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ONE Spirit as ye have been also called in
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ONE hope of your calling
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ONE Lord
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ONE faith
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ONE baptism
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ONE God and Father of all Eph. 4:4:6
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As a help in understanding these unities we will propose an illustration. Suppose you are standing at the rim of a pool of quiet water. You throw a stone in the center of the pool and a series of concentric circles form in it, beginning where the stone hit the water and ending at the pool's edge. Now let us apply the illustration to the seven unities of Eph. 4.
The Three Unities of the Inner Circle—Those Who Are Members of Christ's Body
Church always closest to Christ. Three unities characterize it. The first two one body and one Spirit the indissoluble unity of the body. It is the Holy Spirit who unites Christ the Head of the body to His members on earth. In Chapter 2 Paul told us there is one body 2:16 and one Spirit 2:18 but there the emphasis is on our heavenly calling here it is on the earth. The third thing characterizing us is that we are called in "one hope of your calling." The hope of our calling here is receiving the inheritance with Christ. Christ, the Head of His one body the Church, to whom we are united by one Spirit, will make this one hope good to us through grace, in the Kingdom of God publicly displayed.
The Four Unities of the Next Circle—the Public Profession of Christianity
The first three of these four unities characterize the public profession of Christianity the last is even more wide ranging. First one Lord, one faith, one baptism. A person who publicly embraces Christianity must acknowledge the Lordship of Christ, the Christian faith, and submit to the ordinance of baptism. But at this point we come across an anomaly. There are people who have publicly professed Christianity and been baptized who were never born again and will never be in heaven. Simon Magus was one Acts 8:2424Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. (Acts 8:24) and he has many followers. Attracted by the benefits accruing to man from leading a Christian life, multitudes over the centuries "joined the Church" as the expression goes, without being joined to the Lord in His one body. True Christians and nominal believers met together in an outward public unity the common profession of the Christian faith. With some the profession was real with others feigned. Here then is a unity of profession not like the first unity the inner circle. Yet it was allowed by God, not as the expression of His mind for His people, but as a means of sheltering them from the storms of persecution which so often assailed the true Church. Furthermore it extended creature blessings to man generally as the fruits of Christianity such things as the abolition of slavery, torture; piracy and on the positive side the passing of just laws based often on Scripture precepts, the founding of hospitals, universities, etc. (Remarkable confirmation of this is the way the old evils have returned in the twentieth century as the public profession of Christianity has waned.) The Lord visualized these conditions prevailing in those parts of the world where Christianity was publicly professed in His parable of the mustard tree Matt. 13:31-3231Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31‑32). The mustard seed, like Christianity, started out small in the earth, but as it grew great in outward profession it sheltered the birds of the air.
We will now consider the last unity of the second circle "one God and Father of all." This last of the seven unities has a wide ranging outreach. For this reason we must clearly understand the distinction between God as a Father of all men in creation and as a Father to His adopted sons in redemption our special relationship, which is not shared by any except the blood-redeemed. When I was a young man liberal theologians used to prate about "the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God." They still do, but nobody listens to them. Two world wars and the gathering darkness in the world have shattered delusions of human brotherhood, and as for God they have forgotten Him. Men are only truly brothers who have salvation through the blood of Christ. Only such know God as their Father through that redemption which also makes them His sons. On the other hand God is undeniably a Father to all men in nature which is the correct interpretation of the Scripture here. "Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us?" Mal. 2:1010Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? (Malachi 2:10). Read Paul's speech to the Athenians Acts 17:25-2825Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:25‑28) it is enlightening in this regard. God fills the earth with minerals, oil, water, timber, crops, a variety of life forms, and riches of every conceivable form for our use and enjoyment. He makes no distinction as to His sun shining and His rain falling on just or unjust. This is because man was made in the image and likeness of God, and so has a relationship to God in nature. But as already stressed, to have a relationship to God in sonship we must love God John 8:41-4241Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. (John 8:41‑42).
Before closing off this last of the seven unities we might distill a lesson from the theme of expansion underlying their presentation. Surely the great thought is that the ever-expanding circles are foreshadowings of God's plans for man in the future. The Church, because of its union with Christ, the Heir of all things, will be the center from which blessing will radiate to man. In the coming kingdom the world will be so filled with blessing that "they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying 'know the Lord' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more" Jer. 31:3434And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34). "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" Isa. 11:99They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9). It is the writer's belief that the Scripture "that in all things He might have the preeminence" Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18) is an assurance that more will be saved than lost.*1 The reasons Christians think otherwise is that they narrow their thoughts of salvation down to the Church their own experience level instead of looking at it as only one of the families in heaven and earth. Of those who are saved, however, the Church will always be the crown jewel in the diadem of the King, understanding God's thoughts, loving Him, and being cherished by Christ. This calls to mind Sir E. Denny's lines:
“Hope of our hearts, O Lord, art Thou
The glorious Star of day
Thou wilt shine forth, and chase the night
With all our tears away.
No resting-place we seek on earth
No loveliness we see
Our eye is on the crown above
Prepared for us by Thee.
But blessed Lord however bright
The crown of joy above
What is it to the brighter hope
Of dwelling in Thy love?
There near Thy heart upon the throne
Thy ransomed bride shall see
What grace was in the suffering
Lamb Who died to make us free.”