You are Called to Love and Unity (Ephesians 4:2-3)

Paul exhorts believers in Ephesians 4:2-3 to be marked by love and unity with one another.

If we are called to the high calling of Christ, we must be marked by His love and life—which means the Christian life cannot be lived in a vacuum, rather it must be lived in relationship and community.

In this study, we examine what it means to bear with one another in love and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

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Key Passage: Ephesians 4:1-3

Ephesians 4:1-3 – Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

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A Simple Bible Study Resource

• Bear with One Another in Love
  • Endure/bear (anechomai) – endure, bear with, put up with, be patient with; to endure something unpleasant, difficult, or troublesome without giving in or complaining
    • 1. Hold something up (bear something up)
    •   to hold up, to hold firm, to sustain
    • the love (agape) of God is allowing us to see each other from His perspective, enabling us to wrap our arms around one another and bear each other up
    • we are the stake in the ground (love) that is holding up the tree (each other)
    • Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
      • Bear (different word): carry | Burdens: heaviness/weight/trouble
    • 2. Put up with something (“bear with me”)
      • 2 Thessalonians 1:4 – therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

• Diligent to Keep the Unity 
  • Endeavoring/Diligent: to hasten, to exert oneself, eager, zealous, strive; to have a keen interest and desire
  • Keep: to attend to carefully, to guard, keep watch over, take care of, preserve
  • Unity: unity (only used 2x in Bible and both are in Ephesians)
  • Ephesians 4:13 – … until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
  • Psalm 133:1–3 – Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.
    • unity is as good as the anointing and consecration of Aaron

• In the bond of peace
  • Bond: binding together
    • the ligaments by which the members of the body are united together
  • Peace: tranquility, removal of enemy faction (victory)
  • Ephesians 2:14 – For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

• The Prayer of Jesus
  • John 13:34–35 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
  • John 17:11 – I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.
  • John 17:20–21 – I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

• How will we ever do so?
  • Get wrapped up in our calling (Jesus)
  • Philippians 2:1–5 (LSB) – Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, fulfill my joy, that you think the same way, by maintaining the same love, being united in spirit, thinking on one purpose, doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus …
  • The only way peace will be amongst believers is when the focus is off of ourselves and the focus is upon Jesus and others … when we see with His mind/heart. They become more important than ourselves and it causes strife to stop (peace).

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In Our Next Study Together …

I invite you to join me on this journey from the book of Ephesians to discover God’s eternal purpose, His plan for your life, and learn how to practically live out an abundant and fruitful Christian life. 

• The focus of our next study: Ephesians 4:4-6
• We examine the “singularity of sight” that Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:4-6.
• I encourage you to read through Ephesians a couple of times this week and focus specifically on Ephesians 4.

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About The Deeper Christian Bible Study Series

The Deeper Christian Bible Study Series in Ephesians is a Christ-centered practical in-depth verse-by-verse study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Join NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) as he expositionally preaches from this incredible book – which will help you grow in your faith, gain greater intimacy with Jesus, and understand how to study God’s Word.

Many Christians feel frustrated because they don’t grow spiritually. Deeper Christian equips Christians to understand the Word of God and cultivate a passionate love for Jesus that turns the world upside down.

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About NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson)

NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps Christians discover and experience a passionate love for God and His Word so that they can grow in their faith, live victorious lives, share the Gospel boldly, grow in their intimacy with Jesus, and transform the world through the indwelling life of Christ.
Read more about him here.