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lowly spirit, if we forbear in love, we should not be divided one from the other, even if
differences of opinion arise.
Paul now sets out the sevenfold unity in verses 4-6, and we give the structure:
A
One Body
B
One Spirit
C
One Hope of the calling
D
ONE LORD
C
One Faith
B
One Baptism
A
One God and Father
If we are to walk worthily and in the unity of the Spirit, there must be a basis on
which we unite. If we disagree on a vital issue, how can we be united? The prophet Amos
said "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (3:3). In the list of seven we have
our foundation of the unity which should hold us together. We can only deal briefly with
the seven owing to the demands of space.
ONE LORD. The central feature in One Lord. Without our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, we would have no salvation. Without the risen and ascended Lord, how can we be
risen with Him? And seated with Him? Not until we realize that Christ is the Head, can
we see our position as members of the One Body. If we did not know Christ as the risen
Son of God, how would we know the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? All our
hope rests on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the centre, or better still we may say "all things
were created by Him and for Him; and He is before all things and by Him all things
consist" (Col. 1:16,17)
ONE BODY. The church of the One Body is a new creation and Christ as its Head; its
hope is to be manifested with Him in glory, far above all. The Mystery which reveals the
distinctive standing of the One Body, a joint body, is vital. It is a doctrine which we must
hold, and truth that we must guard.
ONE SPIRIT. Let us remind ourselves of the references to the Spirit in Ephesians:
"For through Him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. 2:18)
"...ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession" (Eph. 1:13,14)
"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption"
(Eph. 4:30)
ONE HOPE. Our One Hope is bound up with our calling as is obvious from the way is
introduced in verse 4, "There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one
hope of your calling". In chapter 2, Paul says we were raised up together and made to sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might shew the
exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. In