NOTES for Eph 4:1-6

The apostle Paul does not merely ask—he implores. He implores all of us to walk worthily of the name of Christ's disciples. And what does it mean to walk worthily of the Christian name? For Paul it means “maintaining the unity of the Spirit.” We keep thinking that what matters most is some extraordinary virtue (which, admittedly, we do not possess either, but never mind—we will strive for it). Yet everything turns out to be so simple... and almost impossible. Preserve unity. Is this possible in today's world, where not only different Christian denominations are divided, but often even the admirers of different priests within a single parish? And what will this unity consist in? It is perfectly clear that none of us, nor even all of us together, can reunite the divided Churches. Paul has probably already given the answer: unity lies in humility, meekness, and patience, in bearing with one another in love. In other words, it lies in accepting the other person with love despite the fact that he is different.