What Is the “Unity of the Spirit,” and How Do We “Maintain” It?
The unity of the Church is not just an organizational unity, but a unity of life!
The phrase “unity of the Spirit” is from Ephesians 4:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)
In Ephesians 4:3, Paul tells us to be zealous to treasure and guard the unity of the Spirit. This is not merely social harmony but the unity that the Holy Spirit gives us as one Body in Christ. This is part of God bringing all things into unity under the Headship of Christ (Ephesians 1:10). It is only by the power of the Spirit that we will have unity in the Church.
Significantly, the unity of the Spirit has already been given to us, but we must guard it. This unity is in danger of being broken if we do not conduct ourselves with humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance (Ephesians 4:2).
Thus, unity is not something that human organizational efforts can accomplish. It has already been established by the Holy Spirit, and it is guarded by us through our lives and attitudes toward one another.
Jesus showed us the nature of Church unity in John 17:
“… that they may be one, even as We are One.” (John 17:11)
The unity between the Father and the Son is not an organizational unity but a unity of life! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit share the same divine life. This is the same basis for Church unity – our shared participation in divine life through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
In Romans 14, Paul gives a practical example of how to guard this unity. He brings up the controversial issues about whether a Christian can eat certain foods and he corrects both sides.
Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:3-4)
On this peripheral matter,1 Paul says that instead of fighting about which side is right, we should accept one another in Christ and thus guard our unity in Him.
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother … So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Romans 14:13, 19)
And, as we do that, we shall experience true Christian unity!
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:5-7)
Regarding the scope of the unity of the Church that Paul is exhorting us toward in Ephesians 4:3, while God’s ultimate intention is to bring all things together in unity under the Headship of His Son (Ephesians 1:10),2 that is something that He will do. It is not our job to bring unity to the whole Body of Christ.
Notably, human efforts to bring the whole Church into unity usually spring from human ambition, rather than divine guidance, and they always fail. It is much easier to organize a big symbolic meeting of many people who have never met each other and call it unity than it is to do the hard, daily work of actually walking in self-giving love, servanthood and unity with the people around us in our local churches. Church unity in the New Testament is always practical, relating to our normal daily lives (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Jesus asked the Father, not us, to bring His people into unity (John 17:20-21). Our work is to walk in union with Christ ourselves, then in unity with one another in our local churches and in our relationships between churches.3
Big “unity” gatherings are easy. Walking in daily servanthood, loving one another, preferring one another, serving one another – the true work of unity – is hard. But it is real!
This applies to peripheral issues. On the core issues of the Christian faith, Paul did not say to accept one another despite differences, but rather to deal very seriously with those differences (e.g., Romans 16:17-18)!
For more on this, please see The Glorious Bride of Christ: An Exposition of Ephesians by Malcolm Webber.
For more on appropriate relationships between local churches, please see Building Healthy Churches by Malcolm Webber.