
Ephesians 4:1-6 - Unified in One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One Father
LAST WEEK: Unity is achieved when individuals SUBMIT their personal agendas and ambitions in order to CONFORM to an idea, creed, mission, or identity. This is obviously a major obstacle in American culture which loathes submission and abhors conformity.
“1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ” —Ephesians 4:1–6
“One LORD”– Jesus Christ who saved us from our sins by buying us with His sacrificial death on the Cross
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” —1 Corinthians 6:18–20
Significance for Unity: We unite in our effort to integrate our “unconditional yes” into every area of life.
“One FAITH” – one set of beliefs that reflect God’s revealed truth (facts that correspond to reality)
Option 1: FAITH - one set of beliefs that reflect God’s revealed truth (facts that correspond to reality)
“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” —Jude 3–4
Significance for Unity: We unite in relearning what God has revealed in the Bible while unlearning religious, denominational, and cultural baggage we’ve inherited.
Option 2: FAITHFULNESS – One allegiance above all competing loyalties
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”—Luke 14:26–27
Significance for Unity: We unite together as we make all other relationships secondary to our devotion to Jesus Christ
“One BAPTISM” – pledge of allegiance to King Jesus through consciously chosen water burial for the forgiveness of sin. (1 Peter 3:21, Romans 6:4; Acts 2:38)
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” —Romans 6:3–4
Significance for Unity: We unite as we grow into our new identity and sever ties with our former lifestyles, religions, values, ethics, ambitions, and allegiances.
“One GOD AND FATHER” – The One true supreme Creator of all things: Yahweh, God of the Israelite patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Not Allah, Buddha, Ra, Osiris, Zeus, Thor, Odin, Baal, Asherah, Chemosh, Molech, Satan, Sophia, etc.)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” —John 14:6
Significance for Unity: We unite in worship of our just and loving Creator and labor together to rescue others out of the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13-14)
How do I give to 1MSO?
The people of One Missoula Church give tangible resources back to God in order to suffocate greed in our own lives and amplify the impact of the Gospel in the lives of others. We’ve removed every barrier and inconvenience to make this sacrificial act as accessible and simple as possible. At present, here are the avenues for this act of devotion:
- Sunday Morning – offering boxes on the communion tables at the back
- Snail Mail – postage-paid envelopes available
- Text “1MSO” to 406-631-3323
- Online at https://onemissoulachurch.com/give
- Via the One Missoula App under the “Giving” tab