Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15)

 

Ephesians 4:1-23 describes the character the members of the church are to walk in towards one another, in light of the previously disclosed revelation of the “mystery  of Christ . . . that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Eph. 3:4-6). This mystery is specifically referring to the Gentiles and Israel being united together in one redeemed body through one faith in Jesus, by the same Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-18 describes how one of the main mysteries (or, desires of God’s heart, before hidden) of Christ’s coming, death, and resurrection was to “create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Eph. 2:15). As it were, the Bible summarizes humanity into three races: Jews, Gentiles, and the Church. Ephesians 2:12-3:21 uses the following phrases to describe the unity that Israel and Gentiles have been called to: “one new man”, “access by one Spirit to the Father”, “[Gentiles] no longer strangers and foreigners”, “fellow citizens and saints”, “[fellow] members of the household of God”, “built together for a dwelling place God in the Spirit”, “[Gentiles] fellow heirs [with Israel]”.

Ephesians 3:8-20 describes the calling of this “one new man” (united Gentiles and Jews in the Church of Christ) with an inspired accompanying prayer (Apostolic Prayer) fwhich outlines the needs for the growth of this to happen, and describes the glory that the fulfillment of this calling brings to Christ. This calling is summed up as the “fellowship of the mystery” which refers to the Jews and Gentiles, together understanding, partaking, walking in, and proclaiming the newly revealed mysteries (New Testament revelations) as the, now, Church (“one new man”, or perhaps, one new race). It follows that the Gentiles, which are formed from every race aside from the Jews, are also to be united in this same peace and unity by the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Gospel of Christ abolished the separation from the greatest of divisions (Jew and Gentile), how much more the races of the world? In Christ, this unity is not limited between races, but also spreads across any existence of class or distinction of position, and even between the genders of male and female (Gal. 3:28).

Ephesians 4:1-6 exhorts the Church, in light of this revelation, to “walk worthy of the calling to which you were called” and uses the following phrases to bring instruction to this newly unified body that was facing ethnic division: [walk worthy with] all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love”, “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” This section ends with an emphasis on “one” using the following phrases: “one hope of your calling”, “one Lord”, “one faith”, “one baptism”, “one God and Father of all”. The Father is described as the unifier, “Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

Verses 7-16 describes how gifts and callings were released for the sole purpose of building up the Church in this unity to Christ until fullness of unity in the faith is achieved. Jesus is described as the center of each gift and calling and person, using the following phrases: “work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”, “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God”, “to the measure of the status of the fullness of Christ”, “grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.” Verse 16 shows that each member is the body of Christ, being knit together to him, who is the head. The diversity of gifts and callings are not dispersed according to merit or favor, but it creates the roles and diversity in which unity and love can actually be walked out in a mutual way that brings unity (Matt. 20:12, Rm. 2:11, 1 Tim. 5:21, Jm. 3:17).

Ephesians 4:17-20 exhorts the Church against their former manner, instructing them to “no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk”, “in the futility of their mind”, “having their understanding darkened”, “being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart”, “[being] past feeling”, “[being] given. . . over to lewdness to work all uncleanness with greediness.” This manner of walking is to be completely put off and abandoned with it’s fruitlessness in view, which “grows corrupt”, or which corruption grows continually. On the other hand, the Church is to reject these ways by being renewed, even day by day, “in the spirit of your mind” (2 Cor. 4:16).