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“One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). All Christians have a common Lord, common beliefs, and a common public testimony. Yesterday we looked at what Christians have in common through the Spirit. Today’s verse teaches us what we share through Christ. Christians have only “one Lord,” the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” Paul says in Romans 10:12, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord...

"These are in accordance with the working of the strength of [God's] might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead" (Eph. 1:19-20). In Christ you have all the power you will ever need. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the great hope of believers. Because He lives, we will live also (John 14:19). Peter said we have been "born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away" (1 Pet. 1:3-4). We and what we...

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). All Christians are part of the same Body, with the same Spirit, who is our pledge of eternal life. Everything God ever designed for the church is based on the unity of believers. Paul emphasizes that by listing seven “ones” in these verses. One is the key; it is the cause of the worthy walk. How many...

"I pray that . . . you may know . . . what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" (Eph. 1:18). How you perceive your spiritual resources dictates how you live. Throughout Ephesians 1 Paul is clearly struck with the magnificence of our inheritance in Christ. Here he prays that we will know the riches of its glory. Some commentators see "His inheritance" as a reference to believers, who are God's inheritance or special possession (v. 14). That view stresses the value God places on us as believers, as demonstrated in Christ's death, the...

“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The key to peace in the church is selfless love. People often delude themselves that there is peace when there is no real peace (Jer. 8:11). However, we can show the world that Jesus is the true peacemaker if we have a community of peaceful, loving, united believers. Others will realize then that Christ must be sent from God, because only God can make true, lasting peace. “The bond of peace” is what holds our unity together. The Greek word translated “bond” refers to...

"I pray that . . . you may know what is the hope of [God's] calling" (Eph. 1:18). The hope of your calling is grounded in God’s promises and in Christ’s accomplishments. In Ephesians 1:3-14 Paul proclaims the blessings of our salvation. In verse 18 he prays that we will comprehend those great truths, which he summarizes in the phrase "the hope of His calling." "Calling" here refers to God's effectual calling—the calling that redeems the soul. Scripture speaks of two kinds of calling: the gospel or general call and the effectual or specific call. The gospel call is given...

“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The unity of the Spirit must be earnestly maintained by humble, gentle, patient, loving Christians. Today’s Scripture spells out the goal of the worthy walk: the unity of the Spirit. Jesus prayed for Christians “that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:21). Our witness to the world depends on our unity as believers. The world is...

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Eph. 1:18). Spiritual enlightenment doesn’t come through self-effort or introspective meditation but through God’s Holy Spirit. Our society has been enamored with the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, especially since the influx of Eastern thought into the West during the 1960s. Now we are drowning in a sea of false religions and New Age philosophies. True enlightenment continues to elude many because they have denied its source and have turned to gurus and teachers who have no light to give. They propagate self-effort and introspective meditation, but spiritual enlightenment doesn’t...

“. . . Showing forbearance to one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). In order to walk worthy, we must forgive our enemies and love them. The term forbearance is not often used today and is therefore unfamiliar to many of us. The Greek word translated “showing forbearance” means “suppressing with silence.” It carries the idea of throwing a blanket over sin. First Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers a multitude of sins,” and Proverbs 10:12 declares, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” A forbearing person doesn’t trumpet other people’s sins but rather forgives them. Forbearance has room for...

"[I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Eph. 1:17). Your inheritance in Christ is so vast and profound that you cannot comprehend it apart from God’s enabling. The late newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst invested a fortune in collecting great works of art. One day he read of an extremely valuable work that he determined to add to his collection. His agent searched the galleries of the world but to no avail. Finally, after many months of effort...

“Walk . . . with patience” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Patience is crucial to our testimony. The virtues of Ephesians 4:2-3 enable the church of Jesus Christ to have a powerful witness. Many think the key to evangelism is following a specific course or method, but according to Jesus, the greatest way to get people to believe the gospel is through our love and unity (John 17:21). Though evangelistic methods are important, often they aren’t as effective as they could be because of the church’s poor reputation among unbelievers. If the church were full of people who had genuine humility, gentleness, and...

"For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Eph. 1:15-16). Your love for other Christians is as much a mark of true faith as your love for God. The Ephesian Christians demonstrated two important characteristics of genuine Christian faith: faith in the Lord Jesus and love for fellow believers. "Faith in the Lord Jesus" implies both an affirmation of Christ's deity and submission to His sovereignty. Because He is...

“Walk . . . with patience” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Jesus is our greatest example of patience in all that He endured to purchase our redemption. Paul tells us here that the worthy walk is one of patience, and once again we see that Jesus modeled it for us. Throughout the Gospels, He repeatedly demonstrated the three aspects of patience we explored in the last lesson. First, He endured negative circumstances. Before He came into the world, He was with the Father in the glory of Heaven, where the angels praised and worshiped Him continually. He left a place of total perfection...

You were sealed with the Holy Spirit "with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:14). Someday God will take full possession of all that is rightfully His. Yesterday we saw that God seals us with the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our eternal inheritance. Here Paul says He does so "with a view to the redemption of [His] own possession." That refers to when God takes full possession of all that is rightfully His. Everything is God's by creation, but Satan has usurped God's rulership to become the "god...

“Walk . . . with patience” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Patient Christians endure negative circumstances, cope with difficult people, and accept God’s plan for everything. In our instant, microwave, drive-through, “I want it now” culture, patience is hard to come by. We get upset if we have to wait too long in the supermarket line or get stuck behind the guy driving ten miles per hour under the speed limit. But today’s Scripture tells us that our lives need to be marked by patience. The Greek word translated “patience” literally means “long-tempered.” A patient person doesn’t have a short fuse or lose...

"You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance" (Eph. 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit is GodÂ’s first installment on your eternal inheritance. The Holy Spirit's ministry in your life is multifaceted and profound. Among other things He brings salvation, conviction, guidance, and strength. He indwells and equips you for spiritual service and gives assurance of your salvation. He is your Helper and Advocate. He is the Spirit of promise, who seals you until the day when your redemption is fully realized (Eph. 4:30). Sealing speaks of security, authenticity, ownership,...

“Walk . . . with all . . . gentleness” (Ephesians 4:1-2). To become more gentle, begin by looking closely at your attitudes. We’ve determined that gentleness is essential for those who want to walk worthy. How can you tell if you’re gentle? I’ll give you some practical questions so you can evaluate yourself honestly. First of all, are you self-controlled? Do you rule your own spirit (Prov. 16:32), or does your temper often flare up? When someone accuses you of something, do you immediately defend yourself, or are you more inclined to consider whether there’s any truth in what’s...

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed" (Eph. 1:13). The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. After stating salvation from God's perspective in verse 12, Paul here states it from man's perspective. Faith in Christ is your response to God's elective purpose in your life. Those two truths—God's initiative and man's response—co-exist throughout Scripture. Paul rightly called the gospel "the message of truth" because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5); purchased by...

“Walk . . . with all . . . gentleness” (Ephesians 4:1-2). Jesus is the greatest example of gentleness: He became angry when God the Father was dishonored, but not when He, the Son, was. Jesus Christ is our supreme example of gentleness. Paul refers specifically to this in 2 Corinthians 10:1. Jesus Himself said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matt. 11:29). Jesus showed righteous indignation when it was proper. When He found the Temple filled with people selling exorbitantly priced sacrificial animals, He drove them out, pouring out their money and overturning tables (Matt. 21:12). He told...

We were predestined "to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:12). In salvation, as in everything else, God is preeminent. He deserves all the credit. Preeminence implies supreme standing, picturing one who excels over all others in a particular quality or achievement. There is no one more preeminent than God. Ephesians 1:12 underscores that truth. You were redeemed and granted an eternal inheritance that God might be glorified. Certainly you benefit greatly from salvation, but God's glory is the primary issue. Our man-centered culture doesn't...