FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF HAMILTON, OH
  • About
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Staff
    • Our Story
  • SERVICES
    • WORSHIP
    • Technology Team
    • Volunteer
    • FBC Remodel Project
    • MIssions
  • RESOURCES
    • Newsletter
    • Radio Broadcast
    • Videos
    • Devotions
    • Forms
    • Realm
    • Membership
  • CALENDAR
    • Griefshare
    • Internships
    • Married People
  • CONTACT
  • FIRSTKIDS
    • VBS 2021
  • MOPS/MOMSNext
  • Students
  • Latino
  • Groups
  • MUSIC
  • Give
  • Bible Study

DAILY DEVOTION: EPHESIANS 4:5

12/10/2020

0 Comments

 
By Stan Brown

Ephesians 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Paul continues with his list of singular elements that demonstrate our unity in Christ; indeed in His body.  In the previous verse the Son crept in when Paul discussed the one (Holy) Spirit.  In this verse the Holy Spirit slides in as Paul emphasizes the Son (one Lord).  Why would this not be?  The unity of the Godhead subtly sneaks in as Paul discusses the unity of the body of Christ.
 
(4) One Lord.  This refers to Jesus Christ.  This fits in the progression from the Holy Spirit (v.4) to the Son (v.5) to the Father (v.6.).  In Ephesians the term Lord refers to the Son.  We have only one Lord.  We do not serve a multitude of ideologies or gods.  We do not have to sift through the internet to decide what it is we should do when faced with a conundrum.  We are united together in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the one Lord who provided redemption 1:7) and hope (1:12).  He is the one Lord who brought all believers into one body (3:6).  He is the one Lord who is head over the church which is His body (1:22-23).  He is the one Lord who gives us access to God (3:12).  We are united together in His body.
 
(5) one faith.  This does not refer to the entire body of what we believe.  It refers to the personal faith that we place in Jesus Christ.  It is the faith described in 2:8 for by grace you have been saved through faith.  It is the faith mentioned in 1:13 and 1:15 having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,… For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints.  We have all been united in the body of Christ through the same faith; that is faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
 
(6) one baptism.  The commentators disagree about whether this refers to water baptism or Spirit baptism.  I believe that it refers to Spirit baptism.  Water baptism is only the outward symbol of the internal reality and takes several forms.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is that which actually places us into the body of Christ.  In 1:13, Paul speaks of the fact that we were sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Here he speaks of being baptized by the Holy Spirit.  Paul also speaks of this reality in Gal. 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  Just as in the previous verse, the Son and the Spirit are united together in placing us into one body through one faith.
 
Paul’s point continues as believers are all united together into the one body of the one Lord.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
1501 Pyramid Hill Blvd.
Hamilton, OH 45013
P: (513) 868-1412
F: (513) 785-2042
Building hours:  9a-3p M-F
E-mail: info@firstbaptisthamilton.org
  • About
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Staff
    • Our Story
  • SERVICES
    • WORSHIP
    • Technology Team
    • Volunteer
    • FBC Remodel Project
    • MIssions
  • RESOURCES
    • Newsletter
    • Radio Broadcast
    • Videos
    • Devotions
    • Forms
    • Realm
    • Membership
  • CALENDAR
    • Griefshare
    • Internships
    • Married People
  • CONTACT
  • FIRSTKIDS
    • VBS 2021
  • MOPS/MOMSNext
  • Students
  • Latino
  • Groups
  • MUSIC
  • Give
  • Bible Study