The Creed of Our Unity
Main Idea of Ephesians:
Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity.
Questions to Consider:
Immediately after urging the church to be “eager to maintain the unity,” Paul lists seven things that are “one.” Why is this list the very next thing he writes? What is the connection?
The list begins with “one body” and “one Spirit.” In what way are these two realities linked together?
Paul mentions our “one hope.” What is the hope to which all believers have been called? (Think back to Eph. 1:18).
Why are “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” such a crucial, central confession for the church?
How does Paul describe God the Father in verse 6? What do the phrases “over all,” “through all,” and “in all” tell us about His relationship with His people?
The Text:
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
– Ephesians 4:4-6 (CSB)
Observations:
A Sevenfold Confession: The core of the passage is a list of seven essential elements of Christian unity, each prefaced with the word “one.”
Trinitarian Structure: The list appears to be structured around the persons of the Trinity: items related to the Spirit (v. 4), the Son (v. 5), and the Father (v. 6).
The Spirit’s Realm (v. 4): The first group of three centers on the work of the Spirit: the one body He creates, the one Spirit Himself, and the one hope to which He calls us.
The Son’s Realm (v. 5): The second group of three centers on the Lord Jesus Christ: the one Lord we serve, the one faith we confess in Him, and the one baptism by which we identify with Him.
The Father’s Realm (v. 6): The final “one” is God the Father Himself, whose universal sovereignty is described with three prepositions: over all, through all, and in all.
Interpretation:
After commanding believers to maintain the unity of the Spirit (v. 3), Paul immediately provides the theological foundation for that unity. This is not a unity we must create from scratch; it is a reality that already exists because of who God is and what He has done. This powerful, creed-like statement lists the seven unbreakable pillars of our oneness.
The list follows a beautiful Trinitarian pattern, showing that our unity is rooted in the very nature of the Triune God.
The Work of the Holy Spirit (v. 4): Our unity begins with the one body, the universal Church, into which the one Spirit has baptized all believers. There are not multiple bodies of Christ, but only one. This Spirit has also called us to a one hope—the glorious hope of our ultimate inheritance and resurrection, which He has sealed within us (Eph. 1:13-14).
The Work of the Son (v. 5): The center of our unity is the one Lord, Jesus Christ. There is no other master or savior. Our allegiance to Him is expressed through the one faith, which is not our subjective act of believing, but the objective body of truth—the apostolic gospel about who Jesus is and what He has done. We publicly identify with this Lord and this faith through the one baptism, a singular act of initiation into His body.
The Work of the Father (v. 6): The ultimate ground of our unity is the one God and Father of all. Paul describes His total relationship to the church with three powerful prepositions. He is “over all,” signifying His sovereign rule and authority. He is “through all,” indicating His providential power that works through and sustains all things. And He is “in all,” speaking of His intimate, indwelling presence in the hearts of all His people.
Application:
Ground Your Unity in Truth, Not Preference: Our unity with other believers is not based on liking the same music, having the same personality, or agreeing on politics. It is based on these seven unshakable theological realities. Let this truth define how you see other Christians.
Major on the Majors: This list is the core of what binds us together. In disagreements with other believers, learn to distinguish between these essential “ones” and secondary issues where freedom is permissible.
Celebrate What We Share: Instead of focusing on what divides us from other genuine believers, intentionally celebrate what unites us: our one Lord, our shared faith, and our common hope.
Rest in God’s Total Care: Be encouraged and feel secure in the knowledge that your Father is Sovereign over you, working through you, with the Spirit dwelling within you.
Connection to the Main Idea:
This passage is the doctrinal heart of Ephesians’ theme of unity. Having established God’s “eternal plan,” Paul here specifies the core truths that make the “Church’s unity as His body” a reality. These seven “ones” are the essential “spiritual riches” that all believers hold in common, forming the basis for our new identity.
How Does This Text Point to Christ?
Christ is the “one Lord” who is the absolute center of this confession. The “one faith” is faith in Him. The “one baptism” is our identification with His death and resurrection. The “one body” is His Body. The “one hope” is the hope of being with Him forever. The “one God and Father” is the one He came to reveal. Every pillar of this unity is either centered on Christ or made accessible to us through His work.
Summary:
Ephesians 4:4-6 provides the sevenfold theological foundation for the unity of the Church. This unity, which believers are called to maintain, is not man-made but is a divine reality based on the one body created by the one Spirit who gives one hope; the one Lord in whom we have one faith and with whom we identify in one baptism; and the one God and Father who rules over, works through, and dwells in us all.
Be Intentional:
This week, when you interact with a Christian from a different church or denomination, consciously thank God for the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” that you share, despite any secondary differences.
Ask Yourself:
Do I find my primary identity in our shared faith in Christ, or in secondary things like my denomination, political party, or cultural background?
Does the reality of being part of “one body” truly affect how I view, speak about, and treat other Christians?
Do my prayers reflect a confidence in the “one God who is over all, through all, and in all”?
Bibliography:
(Note: Book titles and series are generally kept in English as standard references).
Carson, D. A. (General Editor). NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (NIVBTSB). Zondervan.
Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary – CCE). B&H Publishing Group.
O’Brien, Peter T. The Letter to the Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary – PNTC). Eerdmans.
Stott, John R. W. The Message of Ephesians (The Bible Speaks Today – BST). InterVarsity Press.
Thielman, Frank. Ephesians (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament – BECNT). Baker Academic.
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