Many of our brethren quote Ephesians 4:4-6: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God, and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Most often used as a proof text for the truth that there is only One, missing the genius of Paul’s discussion.
The first century’s discussion centered on the two covenants, Mosaical and Christian, and whether the two phased into One by a combination of the two. The professors of Christianity from Jerusalem that caused all the problems in Galatia (Galatians 1:6-9) were trying to enforce this position on the early Church. Paul, as the Spirit inspired him to write, is teaching God’s truth on that subject here in Ephesians 4. Recognizing that the Mosaical Church had existed, which by the way was called the “Law,” it did not mix and mingle with the New Testament Law, which in many contexts is referred to as “Spirit or life.” The whole argument in this part of the letter to the Ephesians was on unity. Unity did not just happen; it was a present tense idea and was constantly brought to the forefront. The perfect example of Unity was God. If there is anything known about Deity is that is ONE!! Never is it inferred that each pulled in a different directions. They never disagree!! There is one and but one plan, They never overreached each other’s area of the plan!! God, the Father never tried to do the job of God the Son and God the Son never tried to interfere, second guess, the work of God, the Holy Spirit.
The work of God, the Spirit, was the perfection of the “body.” God the Son purchased it with His blood. God, the Father planned it before time. When the Spirit speaks of the “body,” He emphatically states—there is ONE!! This is kind of hard to miss. There are no two covenants, bodies, churches, groups—Mosaical and Christian—and they do not merge together in plan, worship, or law. As a result, the declaration from the Holy Spirit is there is One Body!! It is a “fiat” command, statement, not a suggestion for man to vote on. Since by the Holy Spirit the message of salvation has come to the ears and hearts of man, it would the ONE the Holy Spirit ONLY who would reveals to man. what makes us Christians and Christians, only then is the message of the Spirit!!
When Paul delivered this edict from the Holy One, there was every cult imaginable in the mystery religions of the day and each had its own god-lord. Today, it is not “up for debate” among those who believe in God, that THERE IS ONE GOD!! As emphatic, the apostle states there is ONE LORD. There is only one member-God who has authority!! It was given Him by the Father and the Holy Spirit!! Christ is the only means of access into HIS church. He, as this means of access is called Savior! As there is ONE Savior, there is ONE FAITH, body of doctrine that will teach His doctrine, faith, plan, that will put the obedient sinner into His One Body! It would not be by Moses, a combination of Moses and Christ, a combination of man’s ideas and God’s, nor a combination grandma’s feelings and the Pope’s. There is only “ONE”!! The term faith is used several different ways in the Scriptures. Sometimes faith relates to the subjective placing of confidence in God; sometimes it refers to the body of doctrine that believers accept and continue to obey, and sometimes it refers to the means of access to God, the Father. Since Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is contrasting the doctrines of the Mosaic Law to the doctrine of the Christian dispensation, it is clearly showing that the Church could not mix and mingle the doctrine of Christ with the doctrines of the Law of Moses. Again, there is only ONE!! The doctrines of men do not come from the pages of God’s word; therefore they are not authorized by Him who has all authority!!
