Living Out Our Unity in Christ

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:

Read—Ephesians 4:9-16

Jesus knew the importance of unity in the church, and in one of His last recorded prayers, He asked the Father for it three times (John 17:11, 20-23). In Jesus’ prayer, several aspects of our faith unify us as believers:

One Body. God adopts people into His family without regard for race, gender, or denomination. Trust in Jesus Christ is all that matters (Galatians 3:28).

One Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells all Christians. We’re different on the outside, but as believers, we all have the Spirit to empower and guide us.

One Hope. As believers, we share a collective hope—the return of Jesus and life in heaven with Him.

One Lord. Jesus’ lordship extends over all people. We should submit to His authority in every area of life.

One Faith. Believers are united in one faith, which is founded on several fundamental truths: Jesus is God; He lived a sinless life, died for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, where He’s seated at God’s right hand.

By learning to see what we have in common, we can more easily overlook our differences. When others see our unity, they will be ready to hear the good news that God offers a way to have peace with Him and with others.

Let’s Work Together—Ecclesiastes 4:9-12