oneness

Ephesians 4

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to

      lead a life worthy of your calling,

      for you have been called by God.

2 Always be humble

      and gentle.

Be patient with each other,

      making allowance for each other's faults

      because of your love.

3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit,

      binding yourselves together with peace.

4 For there is one body

      and one Spirit,

      just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

5 There is one Lord,

      one faith,

      one baptism,

      6 and one God and Father,

            who is over all

            and in all

            and living through all.
  

7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift,

           a grace,

      through the generosity of Christ.

Paul is pretty clear about something here...

As followers of Jesus, in this thing called life & following Him, we in this together.

Remember that Paul was in prison,

      so he's not just shooting off his mouth about things.

He's had time to think things through before he wrote this passage.

He talks about “making allowance for each other's faults”.

How much of THAT do we do these days?

Is that something the world automatically associates with Christians – that we are a people who cut others some slack?

Unfortunately, I don't think so.

He also says “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, & one God & Father...”

I guess that kinda sorta blows a great big ol' hole in the “all roads lead to God” kind of thinking?

And Paul also says hat each of us has been given “a special gift”.

Does that mean we each have been gift a specific gifting that would be specific to our calling?

Or does that mean God's Holy Spirit has gifted us all with one single important gift which we can use, no matter our calling?

I really don't know, but I take it either way!

One thing's for sure...

      Paul had time to think this all through,

      & basically says that we're all called to something,

      that God equips us for that called,

      expects us to be & act certain ways,

      has gifted us all for our calling,

      & binds us all together, to each other, in an incredible oneness.

Think about that today...