Ephesians 4: Summary

Paul moves from praying to getting strongly personal. He moves from inspiration in the first three chapters to transformation now in chapter four.

1-3 A Worthy Life

What could makes us more worthy of Christ's call to us? lt is likely the one thing that could do so is unity. Our living "in Christ" should promote harmony in His church.

4-6 A Common Life

There is one.and only one God. Jews were supposed to recite twice a day that belief, called the Shema, which is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Paul teaches that there is one Spirit, one God, one Messiah. The··unity of the-church begins with the unity of its creator, three persons in one Godhead.

We come to Christ in different ways, at different ages, and while we may express our love for Christ in different gifts given us, we all share one faith. We all worship one God, revealed to us in one Spirit and we are all joined in one baptism.

Christians who live worthy of their calling will not foster division but will nurture unity inside the church.

7-16 A Gifted Life

We all serve the church in different ways, according to our ability. The grace that brings us into fellowship with Christ in His church is a gift, but is not His only gift. He has blessed each of us with unique gifts to enable us to better serve. The goal of our use of these gifts is to become more 'spiritually mature, more like Christ.

The result is the building up of the body of Christ "in love". When we work in unity, we learn to love. When we truly love, we will strive for unity.

THE HARDEST QUESTION (VERSES 9-10)