The world has changed so drastically from what it was just a short time ago. Morality has been redefined. Marriage has been redefined. Righteousness has been redefined. Realistically, we are not as concerned about godliness as we once were.
We have become a society characterized by being a “non-judgmental” pluralistic one, where each person uses his own judgment and his own definition about right and wrong. Our tolerant attitude seems to delight that such diversity is the norm.
Jesus established the church to bring unity of mankind together in His body, the church. The first century world had many gods and each of them allowed whatever actions their gods approved. Wrath, anger and injustice was part of paganism. Christ built the church to enable men to change and to be part of God’s eternal plan to bring all men together in the one body.
Both paganism and Judaism were splintered by thinking its world view was the right one. “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Prov. 17:6). Christianity was designed to bring uniformity, not diversity. Paul gives the Ephesians the basis of the unity and the bond of peace that Christ could bring about by giving seven “ones” of unity (Eph. 4:4-6).
“There is one body…” (v. 4). That one body is the church (Eph. 1:22-23), and every person becomes part of it by giving up every wrong concept they once embraced. It was not divided into denominations, all wore the same religious name (1 Cor. 1:10-13), and all spoke the same truth.
“There is…one Spirit” (v. 4). In the absence of the written Bible, the Holy Spirit of God gave the same message to every church in the same words. They followed the words of the Spirit. Unity comes about when we use the words given by the Spirit to discover and define truth.
“There is…one hope” (v. 4). The common goal of getting each other to heaven regardless of the cost brought about a common unity, not diversity.
“There is…one Lord” (v. 5). Here is the key to religious unity. Jesus was the one Lord of every member, and they united together listening, not to their own hearts, but to the one Lord.
“There is…one faith” (v. 5). True faith comes only from the one Book, and unity is found when we build our faith on what He says. He alone defines the one faith.
“There is…one baptism” (v. 5). Every person was immersed in water for the same reason. It was the final step into the relationship with the one Lord.
“There is…one God” (v. 6). Unity is His plan, but it will come about only when we truly make Jehovah our God!