Isaiah - Verse By Verse | Walking through Ephesians

Walking through Ephesians - Day 70

versebyverse | January 17, 2008 20:22

Thought: To me, the same unifying force that Paul saw bringing Jew and Gentile together is desperately needed today to bring many peoples together.

Question: Have I found, and am I grateful for, the calling to God's one body, one spirit and one hope?

Scripture: Ephesians 4:4 (NIV): "There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--"

All things come together in oneness under the authority, the headship, of Jesus Christ. All believers enter into Christ and then come under His headship. We are called a body for several reasons, but the reason important here is that we need our head! We need Jesus Christ over us. We are unified in Him into one code, one way of functioning, just as a human body is run by one brain. The Spirit, or invisible presence of God that constantly influences for good, will always influence in one direction, for one purpose only, that being to support all of God's ways. There are not many "bodies" in place under Christ, nor many "spirits" bringing themselves to bear upon us: it is always only one--only God's.

In the same way, we are all given the same hope when we received Christ. What hope did we receive? We received the hope that our sin nature would be destroyed one day, we received the hope of future life in heaven, of renewed bodies in resurrection, of seeing Our Savior face to face, and of participating in everlasting employment with Christ. There are no other hopes opposing these--all is anticipated joyfully and in full union of desire. We were called to these hopes. We could sense God's voice asking us if we wanted these things and "hear" His invitation to receive them all. To be "called" to be a Christian means that we agree with God and want for ourselves what He wants. This is union with God. This is cooperation with God. This is submitting to His way, His authority. He is The Divine Dictator. (Dictatorship is fine when The Dictator is God Almighty!) The whole point of Christianity is becoming willing to submit to this kind Dictator. If we do not want to submit to a good God, we ourselves are evil. There can only be one body and one hope. They are all good and that's what we want, right? So we willingly merge. If we won't merge, then we are left out in the cold, "out" in the broad way to destruction, running away from His "call."

Prayer: Great God, I thank You for the profound and powerful way You have brought all people together into "oneness." Praise Your Name! Amen.