Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Ephesians 4:1-6.

 

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,  being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”  Ephesians 4:1-6. 

 

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Above all, the Spirit causes the unity.  Although we are called to humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance, and love, it is the Spirit that causes the unity.  We are called to “preserve” it, not create it. 

 

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”  This is all God’s work, all the Lord’s doing. 

 

So, there is hope!      

 

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone;  just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body;  and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  Colossians 3:12-17.

 

And, these things that we do to “preserve” the unity (which are humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance, love, compassion, kindness, and peace) are all fruit of the Spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23.

 

“Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”  Galatians 3:3.

 

“But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:15-16.

 

Likewise, in today’s Scripture, we are called to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called”.  In other words, we were begun by the Spirit, we were called to “walk by the Spirit”, we bear the desired fruit by the Spirit, and we are called by today’s Scripture to continue that “walk” in the same manner, realizing the oneness of all that the Spirit has done.  In summary, it is “the unity of the Spirit”.