Ephesians 4:5 – One Lord, one faith…

… one body and one spirit, according as you were called also with one expectation of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism…

Number one is central in these verses. Paul mentions it seven times. The stress is not on the fact that there is a body, or Lord or faith. No, the stress is on the unique character of these matters: only one body, only one Lord, only one faith, etcetera. In grammatical words: not an indefinite article, but a definite numeral!

The ecclesia only knows one authority, because “one Lord”. We are his property and only He reigns. No pope no synod, no father of the church, no charismatic leader, no ordinance, no church council can claim that place.

The unity, Paul testifies of in this letter, is a reality that he first now, from the prison fully can reveal. During the time of the Acts there was a faith of “the circumcision” and a faith of “the nations”.  Two denominations and two expectations. But since Israel is no longer able to repent (Acts 28), there is only “one hope” and “one faith”. We can only understand his tremendous new unity, when we listen to Paul and the secret that he discloses.

Delen: