Paul reminds the Ephesian church to maintain the unity of the Spirit. The unity of the church is not a human effort, but a divine gift of the Holy Spirit. This God-given unity has also become the foundation of all churches. The responsibility of the church is trying her very best to uphold and preserve this unity.
But why do we encounter so many problems related to the lack of unity among the believers? One of the reasons is that we have focused on our differences, instead of our similarities.
Regardless of our backgrounds, genders, races, languages, personalities, Paul reminds the church that:
1) We are all sinners
We were all outsiders of God’s grace. We all made mistakes, and we were all rejected by God. Since we were all sinners, our differences are not a big deal.
2) We are all redeemed by Jesus
We are all in need of God’s saving grace, and are redeemed by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Since we are also saved by grace, what do we have to boast?
3) We are all members of God’s household
Since we are all saved by the blood of God, we become a member of God’s household with the same bloodline. As a result, we can call each other “brothers” and “sisters”.
“Brothers and sisters” is not just a form of address among the Christians. It is a living testimony. Through humbling ourselves, and treating each other with love, we become parts of the body of Christ. We become an expression of this God-given unity to the whole world.
Reflection
- Do you experience a sense of unity among brothers and sisters from your church?
- Have personal differences been hindering your relationship with other brothers and sisters?
- As Christian unity is a compelling witness to the world, how then should we cultivate our relationship with other brothers and sisters?
