Belt for One

Ephesians 4:1-6

Verses 4-6  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

    We finished our time together yesterday with the importance in a family of living truth with those around us.  This can be an issue if the teacher isn’t giving lessons in the truth.  If the one leading the family is not firmly planted in the truth the people they are teaching will not know truth.  This is important because if the whole truth isn’t being taught, the whole truth won’t be learned.

    Paul wanted to make sure the believers in Ephesus understood the truth of the Gospel so they could properly teach it to those who came through their busy city and those already meeting as the Church.  With the prominence of the false religions in the region it was necessary to set themselves apart by holding to truth.  If the believers didn’t hold solid to the truth of the Gospel, there was no way they could convince others of what they knew to be true about Jesus.

    Of course it wasn’t really their job to do the convincing but the telling of truth aided the Holy Spirit in His work of convincing those who don’t understand.  If we aren’t knowing truth and living lives of truth, it will be easier for those who aren’t solidly in the truth to shift in their thinking to whatever is being said around them.

    Some of the truths we must hold to as God’s children are listed: one body; one Spirit; one hope; one Lord – in trinity form, one God as three beings; one faith; one baptism; one God and Father of all.  These truths of the Gospel of Jesus are important for all of us to understand so we can stand firm in the truth.  Without our holding to these truths we will not be able to stand against the lies of the enemy.

    The first thing we must remember is we are one body.  There are various parts of the body but we are one body.  As long as we are in Christ we are one.  This will mean we are from varying Bible-teaching, God-loving denominations and must work together to make Him known to the nations.  The key is not in being a part of a church group but by being in the Lord.  If someone isn’t Bible-believing and God loving, they aren’t part of the truth community.  It should be important to us to maintain the integrity of the Church so we are known as people of truth.

Making It Personal

    What does the truth of the Church being one body mean to you?  Do you treat people from other Bible-believing churches as being one with you?  Who do you need to build a relationship with?

Making It Personal Kids

    What do you think it means to be one body with other people?  Why would Jesus want you to be close to other Christians?  Who can you learn to be closer to from your church?

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank You for this reminder of the importance of knowing the truth of the Gospel.  Teach us what it means to be one in You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.