Paul unfolds the vocation, and then calls on us to walk worthy of it, in the first part of Eph. 4 The necessary effect of being brought so close to God as we are is lowliness and meekness; how can it be otherwise? The greatness of the grace makes nothing of self. This is not easy. In Christ's life you see it plainly enough, in Philippians also. Then the effect of lowliness and meekness is to manifest the unity of the Spirit. "With lowliness and meekness," that is what we ought to be before God; then the effect towards others will be longsuffering; others may not be lowly and meek. Practically this brings God in and self is gone. The power of love walking with God brings in longsuffering towards others. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; as servants of Christ, and self being gone, we are looking at others. "Yea, and if I be offered [poured as a libation] upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all," says Paul. (Phil. 2:17)
The mere fact of there being Jews and Gentiles in the church, and the constant tendency among the Jews to think little of the Gentiles, made this needed- "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit," not the unity of the body, God keeps that. Then it comes to be jealousy for Christ's glory. What comes from the Spirit is always one; why are we not all agreed? Because our minds work; if we had only what we have learned from scripture, we should be all the same. The body is one that cannot be kept by our endeavors; but all this is the practical realization of what is in the purpose of God. J. N. D.