How does Ephesians 4:4-6 connect with 1 Corinthians 10:17 on unity? One Message, Two Letters Ephesians 4:4-6 and 1 Corinthians 10:17 were written to two different churches, yet they echo the same foundational truth: genuine unity is grounded in the single, unchanging reality of who God is and what He has done in Christ. Text at a Glance “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” “Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.” Shared Building Blocks of Unity • One Body • One Source (Spirit, Lord, Father) • One Participation (hope, faith, baptism, loaf) • One Outcome: many believers knit together as one One Body—The Central Picture • Ephesians 4:4 states the reality: “one body.” • 1 Corinthians 10:17 illustrates it: believers become “one body” by sharing the single loaf—symbolic of Christ’s physical body given for us (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:16). • This unity is not organizational; it is organic and spiritual, created by God Himself (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13). One Spiritual Source—Father, Son, Spirit • Ephesians lists the triune foundation: – “one Spirit” (v. 4) – “one Lord” (v. 5) – “one God and Father of all” (v. 6) • 1 Corinthians 10:17 presumes the same foundation: the “one loaf” is Christ; the Spirit enables fellowship (1 Corinthians 12:13); the Father orchestrates the whole plan (Ephesians 1:3-6). • Unity flourishes because Father, Son, and Spirit never act at cross-purposes. One Participation—Faith Expressed Together • Ephesians 4:5 links unity to “one faith” and “one baptism.” • 1 Corinthians 10:17 points to “one loaf,” the Lord’s Supper, a visible, repeated proclamation of that same faith and baptismal confession (cf. Romans 6:3-5). • The act of sharing the bread underscores that what unites us is bigger than what distinguishes us (Galatians 3:26-28). Practical Implications for Today • Guard the visible expression of unity by staying anchored in the singular gospel—adding nothing, subtracting nothing (Jude 3). • Receive fellow believers as already made one with you in Christ, not as rivals to be persuaded into uniformity (Romans 15:7). • Let every celebration of the Lord’s Supper renew commitment to live as one body—serving, forgiving, bearing each other’s burdens (Ephesians 4:32; Galatians 6:2). Supporting Passages That Echo the Theme • John 17:21—Jesus prays “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe.” • Psalm 133:1—“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” • Colossians 3:14—“Love… is the bond of perfect unity.” • 1 Peter 2:5—believers are “living stones… being built into a spiritual house.” Key Takeaways to Live Out • Unity is a settled fact in Christ; division denies reality. • The Triune God Himself is the model and power for oneness. • Shared participation in baptism and the Lord’s Table continually reminds the church of its single identity. • Walking worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1) means choosing humility, patience, and love because we truly are “one body.” |
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