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“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—”

Ephesians 4:4

God wants the Church to unite. But how? On what grounds? Let’s continue our series.

In today’s verse, Paul encourages his readers to stick together, and the first reason is that they belong to one body (soma), which refers to the universal church, without distinction (Galatians 3:28). While Paul emphasizes the oneness of the church, he does not negate the importance of the local church, where believers use their spiritual gifts to serve God and His people.

The term ”one Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Triune God. The Greek term for Spirit is ”pneuma,” which means both “spirit” and “breath.” Paul’s use of the body metaphor for the church perfectly matches the

meaning of this word. The body, even when complete, is lifeless without the breath of life. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit makes the church alive. That’s why Jesus had told the disciples to wait till the Holy Spirit arrived before launching their ministry because they needed the power that comes from Him.

Third, all believers share the same hope (“elpis”). It is the expectation of eternal salvation highlighted by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This hope began when we first believed in Jesus. Regardless of denomination, all believers look forward to a glorious eternal life in heaven where Jesus is King.

Here’s an important reminder for each of us:

Christians are united by their singular commitment to Christ and His teachings.

It’s so saddening that we Christians tend to find more reasons to divide than unite. To me, it seems like we’re forgetting a basic truth: unity is not achieved; it is a God-given reality that already exists. We cannot divide Christ; neither can we separate Him from His Bride. We create a community not because we gather together; we create a community because Christ gathered us together.

Pursue the Savior today!