Meditation

Hi there,

A good subtitle that would sum up the book of Ephesians is, “Our Life in Christ”. I

It's worth dwelling on for a moment;

In Christ, you have a complete new identity: past, present and future.

The way of life of every believer should be evidence of their new identity. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul spends the first three chapters explaining the believer’s spiritual wealth.

In chapters four and five, the chapters we'll copy out in this series, he emphasizes the believer’s spiritual walk, and in chapter six, how to counter spiritual warfare.

Today's verses are rich in repetition and evocative phrases :

“a walk worthy”, “the unity of the Spirit”, “bond of peace” and the seven climactic repetitions of, “one”.

Today's verses are Ephesians 4:1-6 (and are marked in black. Subsequent verses are added in grey for context.)

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”^[

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Encouragement

What is God saying to you right now?

The spiritual walk of the believer is a both worthy walk and high calling ( Verse 1) – and a call to oneness, unity, and peace (2-6).

Steve

God's word in your hand

I've attached this explanation of Obadiah from The Bible Project to accompany this season's copy work.

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