This blog pertains to the following bible reading plan passages Ephesians 2-6, Psalms 104-5, and Proverbs 21.
As this portion of the daily reading plan covers almost all the book of Ephesians, I thought I would attempt to condense it down to one theme. Pretty ambitious really, especially as the summaries I read (only two in honesty) point to Ephesians being seen as a book of 2 halves, the first (Ch 1-3) being ‘Gospel Doctrine’ and our position in Christ, and the second part ‘Gospel Conduct’ (Ch 4-6), applying that new found identity into the practice of our daily lives, or as someone succinctly put it; Gospel roots to Gospel fruits, Gospel Story to Our Story.
A key word though, in Chapter 4 as well as other parts of Ephesians is the word ‘one’.
3 Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful]. 4 There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.
So, there you are, the one theme I was looking for is… One! This also thankfully, solves the mathematical problem of the book’s apparent duality; like two halves of the same coin, the two ‘stories’ within Ephesians add up to one thing; a template for Kingdom life where we as individuals and collectively become whole by the marrying of faith and action. This faith in who we are through Christ’s redemptive work, being outworked in every aspect of our lives so that we increasingly become a true expression of Jesus.
Something else that adds up from the early chapters is the integration of Jews & Gentiles into a single family under God by the finished work of Jesus. The apostle Paul, writing to non - Jews from a Roman Prison was thankful and eager to reveal God’s intentions; 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, (Ch2 11-22)
This peace is now made possible for believers by the unifying truth seen earlier in Chapter 4v3-6, where Paul urges us to ‘make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace’. It takes effort to keep a church, a team, a group unified as we have different purposes and pursuits that need to be expressed to fully represent the body, not in our own strength, but a strength that come by walking in the Spirit.
It’s interesting to me that the first expression of unity outworked by the Spirit Paul highlights is singing together! (Ch5v19) Often referred to as ‘Worship’ in today’s church, it provides the opportunity to express our unity and be sustained by it, that’s partly why it’s good to make every effort (Spirit) no matter how you feel! (Flesh)
Perhaps singing together is mentioned first as it demonstrates tangibly the power of unity as an act of worship, a unity we all want to see in every aspect of the church as she prepares to become the perfect, spotless bride Jesus will be returning for, where the ultimate marriage Paul refers to as a ‘profound mystery’, our oneness with Christ, will be fully realised!