"There is one
body," not a philosophical or natural entity but a mystical one-- the
church.
The cords of love are not woven in nature's
loom; they are textured only by divine revelation. Thus Paul confidently
exhorts Christians "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace" Ephesians 4:3.
The apostle then
reminds God's people that "there is one body," not a philosophical or
natural entity but a mystical one-- the church-- which consists of many saints (V.
4). If it is not normal for one member of a man's body to battle
another, when they are all preserved in life by their union together, so much
less in the mystical body.
Again, there is
"one Spirit" who quickens all true saints, and He is to the whole
body of Christians as the soul is to the whole man (v. 4). Now it is a strange
violence against nature for members of a man's body to war against one another
and drive out the soul, which gives life to them in their oneness. Surely it
would be even more perverse for Christians to force the Holy Spirit to leave
because of their contention and strife. A wider door cannot easily be opened
for Him to go.
Further, the
apostle persuades Christians to preserve unity because of the "one hope of
your calling"-- the bliss which we all hope for in heaven (v. 4). There is
a day coming-- and it cannot be far away-- when we shall lovingly meet in
heaven and sit at the same feast together, with no envy at what is on our
neighbor's plate. Full fruition of God will be the feast, and peace and love
the sweet music that accompanies it. How senseless it is, then, for us to fight
on earth when we shall feast together in heaven. Now it is the Gospel, which
invites us to this feast and calls us to this unity. Other truths are engraved
on the same holy invitation and command-- "one Lord, one faith, one
baptism" (v. 5)-- but I shall leave these for your
own study.”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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