Growing Together in Unity and Love (Ephesians 4:1-16)
Have you ever been part of a team where everyone worked well together? Maybe it was a sports team, a group project, or even a group of friends planning something special. When people use their strengths to support each other, amazing things can happen. That’s exactly the kind of unity Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:1–16.
Living a Life That Matches Our Calling
Paul starts by reminding the readers that he’s writing from prison—not because he did anything wrong, but because of his faith. Even from prison, he urges the believers to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” In simple terms, Paul is saying: “Live in a way that shows you belong to Jesus.”
So, what does that look like? Paul gives a short list:
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Be humble—don’t think you’re better than others.
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Be gentle—treat people with kindness, not harshness.
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Be patient—don’t give up on people quickly.
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Put up with each other in love—we’re all different, but love helps us stick together.
These attitudes help build unity, which means being joined together as one. Paul says we’re already united by important things: one body (the church), one Spirit (God’s Spirit), one hope, one Lord (Jesus), one faith, one baptism, and one God. These are the core things that all Christians share.
Different Gifts, Same Goal
Even though we’re one body, we’re not all the same. God has given each of us different gifts and talents. Paul explains that Jesus, after rising from the dead, gave gifts to people. Some are gifted to be apostles, some prophets, others evangelists, pastors, or teachers.
But these roles aren’t just for show—they have a purpose:
“to equip God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” (Ephesians 4:12)
This means that leaders in the church are there to help everyone grow, not just do everything themselves. And when we all do our part, the church becomes stronger and more loving.
Growing Up in Faith
Paul then talks about becoming mature in our faith—like growing from a child into an adult. He says we shouldn’t be like babies who are easily tricked or misled by false teachings. Instead, we should speak the truth in love and grow to be more like Jesus.
Jesus is the head of the body, and we are all connected to Him. Just like a body needs all its parts to work together, the church needs each person doing their part. When that happens, the whole body grows and builds itself up in love.
Final Thoughts
Ephesians 4:1–16 reminds us that the Christian life is not just about believing in Jesus—it’s about living out that belief in how we treat others, work together, and grow as a community.
You have a place in this body. You have something to offer. And when each of us uses our gifts with love and humility, we help build a stronger, more united, and more loving church.
Let’s grow together.
Ephesians 4:1-16 (WEB)
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all. 7 But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Therefore he says,“When he ascended on high,he led captivity captive,and gave gifts to people.”9 Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, 16 from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.