Ephesians 4:1–10 . . .

“What Does a Healthy Church Look Like?”

Today’s passage begins a series of ethical instructions firmly based on the preceding three chapters. It marks this epistle’s halfway point while introducing the focus of its second half.

Ephesians 1 through 3 acts as a celebratory reminder to this letter’s readers of their new, shared identity in and through Jesus. The audience had initially been made up of non-Jewish aliens who hadn’t been members of God’s chosen, his holy Israelite people. Because these Gentiles weren’t affiliated with Christ, they’d lived a hopeless, ungodly existence (2:11–12).

But they were immersed in God’s grace through Christ’s death, thereby becoming citizens and members of God’s household (2:13, 19), following the risen Christ in whom God had united many, according to “the mystery of Christ… that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body” (3:6). As representatives of the new Christian fellowship (2:15–16), the letter’s readers soon realized that they’d become members of a healthy, united church that would be led by Jesus. (1:22–23).

“Ephesians” was seemingly written by Paul, an imprisoned apostle of Jesus. Here, as “a prisoner for the Lord,” he implores his readers to live worthily of their calling, aside from dividing walls or prison bars. The text centers on the story of Christ’s astonishing freedom and willingness to descend to earth with the gifts of heaven.

Paul’s Prison Vision (4:1)

Our passage appears to have a “church unity” theme. Such unity is a reflection of God’s gift of reconciliation in Christ. But there’s a wealth of ideas in these verses that can be unpacked separately that fundamentally speak to the church’s need of unity. I’ll attend to the subjects of humility, grace, captivity, and calling. Nevertheless, Paul begins our text by reminding his listeners that he’s “a prisoner for the Lord” (4:1).

It’s essential that Christians learn to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” from Christ. How would a physical body function if its various parts ignored the brain’s direction and did their own thing? That’s what happens to a church when it won’t listen to its head: Jesus Christ. The inevitable result is conflict as individual members push their own agendas.

The only way we can walk worthy of our calling in a local church is to have the qualities mentioned in v. 2: humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love. When these Christlike attributes characterize a group of believers, being together will be like a small taste of heaven on earth. Although there may still be disagreements, the manner in which they’re handled will change. Instead of angry outbursts, silent resentment, and bitterness, there will be greater concern for others than for oneself.

Verse 1 is founded upon a principle that underlies the entire epistle: A person’s calling sets the standard for one’s conduct. The higher one’s calling, the higher one’s conduct must be. And, there’s no higher calling than to become a worthy, gifted part of the church, over which Christ is the head and through which God brings glory to himself.

As Paul saw it, his frequent stays in prison were never without purpose. He doesn’t refer to himself here in 4:1 as a mere prisoner but as a “prisoner for the Lord” (compare 3:1). We might consider imprisonment to be a waste of time since it prevents prisoners from being free to do what they want to do. But Paul’s perspective was different: He didn’t allow his confinement to undermine the energy he needed to make known the gospel of Christ. Indeed, he even reported in his letter to the church body of the Philippians that his imprisonment served to advance the gospel by spreading its good news and truth about Jesus even to Roman palace guards (Phil. 1:12–14).

A Healthy Church Is Characterized by Unity (4:2–6)

In today’s ten verses, believers are called to a unity created by and growing in love. Believers haven’t attained, reached, or brought upon themselves God’s great gifts. One another in love, the one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and so forth (vv. 2–6) document that every believer’s life has been filled with something new and invigorating. Verse 6 highlights this uniting bond of oneness with Father God who “is over all and through all and in all.” Clearly, unity is an inseparable calling in our bond with him and his church.

That Christian conduct, which Apostle Paul sets out in vv. 2–3, is what maintains a unified, divine “oneness.” His first suggested behavior deals with showing an unreserved humility in which one never thinks that he or she is superior to other members of the one body. It involves relating to each other with patience and acceptance. And, it entails lifting one another up rather than ridiculing someone; being cooperative rather than competitive or combative.

But being “completely humble” is more than a healthy view of our merit; it’s a servant’s attitude that acknowledges total dependence on God. Few people are excited about pursuing humility because it’s considered a weakness. But if we understand God’s view of it, we’ll realize that humility is an extremely significant quality. In order of priority, Jesus comes first; others second; we are last.

These days we speak emphatically about being gentle, patient, peaceful, but hopeful. Less often we speak about loving others, forgiving unconditionally, and acting with kindness. But the root of these wholesome and worthy actions is humility! To be able to love and forgive others, we must be willing to recognize their great value in God’s eyes and the magnitude of his compassion and forgiveness toward mankind. We’ll soon get to 4:32 when Paul will exhort us to, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

If we think only of how we feel or what’s convenient for us, or how we can benefit from a situation, we won’t be demonstrating Jesus’ love. However, when humility is our goal, then love, forgiveness, and kindness will grow out of it.

The repeated use of the word “one” in 4:4–8 (as in 2:14–16) highlights the main aspect of the message: the church is “one new humanity” created by Christ. Those who’ve been called by God are to live worthily (v. 1) of that calling, which includes becoming entirely humble, disciplined, gentle, patient, and bearing with one another lovingly, while maintaining unity with the Spirit through peace. Paul exhorts his readers (then and today) to pour ourselves out for each other in acts of love, being alert at noticing differences, and quick at mending fences.

You can almost hear Paul personalizing these five verses by telling us, You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are, think, and do is permeated with Oneness.

The sevenfold use of the word “one” (vv. 4–6) forms the center of a poetic statement of the church’s unity. The list culminates with the oneness of God and the church should reflect this unity. However, the author makes clear that church perfection is a process, not a completed event. Christ has equipped church members with gifts (4:7–8) so that the church as Christ’s body may reach maturity. 

God’s Gift of Grace (4:7–10)

There are many ways that God’s grace enhances our lives and redeems us from our erroneous ways. The apostle Peter says it gives salvation: “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved” (Acts 15:11). Apostle Paul told the believers in Rome that it helps us not to be overtaken by sin: “Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Elsewhere, Peter says that grace allows us to serve: “Use whatever gift you have received… as faithful stewards of God’s grace” (1 Peter 4:10).

Grace  We Christians have received the valuable gift of grace that’s given freely by Christ Jesus (v. 7). Let’s use this gift to love and encourage others.

The “But” in v. 7 seems to indicate a change of subject: Verses 1–6 speak of what all Christians possess in common, which is the basis of their unity. Verses 7–16 speak of that which Christians individually possess uniquely, which is a contributing factor to Christian unity. The same is true of the unity God has intended for his body, the church. We share in common all of the things mentioned in vv. 4–6. Nevertheless, we’re also distinct in that God has given each one of us different spiritual gifts and distinct spheres of service. When each believer finds his place of service — his calling — and plays out his or her part, the whole body of Christ grows and fulfills its mission and ministry (4:16).

Grace has indeed been given to the church body! All believers have been given grace according to how Jesus allocated this gift to his dedicated followers. It’s the basis for how God distributes spiritual gifts through his church: Grace is God’s free, unmerited giving. No one deserves or earns spiritual gifts — Jesus apportions grace as he deems fit.

Jesus’ gift of grace was given to his devoted followers “when he ascended on high” to heaven (v. 8). Itdocuments his triumph over captivity but doesn’t mean that Christ freed those captives who were in prison. Rather: He took captivity itself captive. In this, Paul referred to Jesus’ resurrection, speaking first of his rising from the “lower depths of the earth” and then his ascending “higher than all the heavens.”

John Calvin’s commentary sums up the meaning of vv. 7–8: “On no one has God bestowed all things. Each has received a certain measure. Being thus dependent on each other, they find it necessary to throw their individual gifts into the common stock, and thus to render mutual aid. The aim of the Father is to represent all that we are and have, as gathered together in Christ.” The words grace and gift remind us that, whatever we may attain, we ought not to be proud of them because they lay us under deep obligations to God.

Paul writes in v. 8b, “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” Not only did Jesus take captivity itself captive, he gave gifts to his saints. The point Paul is making is that Christ has given us gifts, which is the main point of vv. 7–8, while vv. 9–10 explain what Paul means when he talks about Christ’s ascension.

Verse 9 shows that before Christ was glorified, he went to the greatest extreme of humility. As a result, he was exalted above all things (v. 10). This closing verse also proves to us that his coming to earth (v. 9) amounted to his descending from heaven to earth, because here Paul next portrays Christ ascending from earth to heaven. These two events — Christ’s descension and ascension — are the bookends of Christ’s gospel account: Jesus came from heaven to earth, then went from earth to heaven; he relinquished glory for humility, then, after eclipsing humility he rebounded to glory.

Why did Christ leave? Why did he have to go back to heaven? Why not stay? Find the answer in v. 10b: “to fill the whole universe.” Although Jesus returned to heaven, every true believer has the Holy Spirit living within him or her. Christ, when he was here, had unlimited abilities. But when he ascended on high, he was no longer here to do things. But, and here’s the great news, Jesus has gifted Christians with numerous abilities. Some of us have more than one spiritual gift while some have been given only one; we all must use the gift(s) he’s given us! The point is that the unified church — the body of Christ — must do on earth what Jesus began to do when he was here.

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