Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace
A. THE THEME OF THIS PASSAGE IS STATED IN VERSE 3 UNITY.
B. THIS PASSAGE DEALS WITH UNITY IN 3 AREAS:
1. Personal Unity (vs. 1-3)
2. Doctrinal Unity (vs. 4-6).
3. Organic Unity (vs. 7-16).
C. WE NEED DESPERATELY TO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE DOCTRINE OF
UNITY.
A. CHRIST PRAYED FOR IT (John 17:20-21).
B. PAUL, AS AN ENVOY OF CHRIST, DEMANDS IT (1 Cor. 1:10).
A. WE ARE TOLD TO WALK WORTHILY OF THE CALLING.
1. Walk refers to our manner of life and conduct.
2. By what are we called? (2 Pet. 1:3).
3. What is the nature of that calling? (1 Pet. 2:9).
B. WE ARE TO GIVE DILIGENCE TO KEEP UNITY AND PEACE.
A CERTAIN CHARACTER IS NEEDED.
1. Lowliness, tapeinofrosunee, the having a humble opinion of oneself; a
deep sense of one's (moral) littleness; modesty, humility, lowliness of
mind; Acts 20:19 humble-minded, i. e. having a modest opinion of
oneself: 1 Peter 3:8 (Thayer's).
2. Meekness, prautes, prautees, gentleness, humility (Thayer's).
3. Longsuffering, makrothumia, 2. patience, forbearance, long-
suffering, slowness in avenging wrongs, Rom 2:4 (Thayer's).
4. Forebearing, anechomai, to hold oneself up against, i.e. (figuratively)
put up with (Strong's).
Done in LOVE!
C. COMPANION PASSAGE Phil. 2:1-4.
A. ONE BODY ONE ORGANISM THE CHURCH (Eph. 1:22-23).
B. ONE SPIRIT ONE DISPOSITION AND PURPOSE (Phil. 1:27).
ONE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US (Rom. 8:13-14).
C. ONE HOPE (1 Pet. 1:3).
D. ONE LORD (Acts 2:36; Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17).
E. ONE FAITH ONE DOCTRINE(Jude 3; Rom. 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:10).
F. ONE BAPTISM (Rom. 6:3-4).
G. ONE GOD AS OPPOSED TO THE MANY GODS OF THE PAGANS.
A. TO EACH IS GIVEN AN OFFICE OR PLACE (vs. 7).
1. These offices are gifts from God.
2. Given when Jesus ascended (vs. 8).
B. OFFICES UNDER WHICH UNITY IS TO BE ACHIEVED AND
MAINTAINED (vs. 11).
1. Apostles Work and office pertained to the foundation of the church
(Eph. 2:19-20; 3:5).
a. Primary function Witnesses of the Resurrection (Acts 1:8).
b. Signs of an apostle? (Rev. 2:2; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 12:12).
c. Function today through the Scriptures (Matt. 18:19).
2. Prophets Associated with apostles in work. Gods spokesmen.
3. Evangelists Gods provision for perpetuating the church Function to
proclaim the word and teach others (2 Tim. 4:1-5; 2:2).
4. Pastors Same as elders, bishops, shepherds.
Watchmen (1 Pet. 5:1-3; Titus 1:5-9).
5. Teachers Instructors in the Word (2 Tim. 2:2; Jas. 3:1; Heb. 5:12).
C. THE PURPOSE OF THESE MINISTERS (vs. 12).
1. The perfecting of the Saints Maturing.
2. The work of ministering Spiritually and physically.
3. Building the body spiritually and numerically.
D. THE END DESIRE GROWTH TO PERFECTION (vs. 13-16).
1. Unity of the faith.
2. Knowledge of the Son of God.
3. Fullgrown man Mature and complete in Christ.
a. No longer children, chasing every new philisophy.
b. Speaking truth in love with Christ as our head.
c. Unified by Christ through each office fulfilling its duty.
d. Unity and Maturity is culminated in love for one another.
A. HOW CAN WE BE ONE?
B. WE CAN BE ONE IN CHRIST.
