Paul’s words about unity, as recorded in Ephesians 4, are well known. There he lists seven ones that serve as the ties that bind us to each other and to God, describing the unity of discipleship (one faith we all follow, one baptism we all submit to, and one body we are to belong in), the unity of divinity (one Father who is above all, one Son who died for all, and one Spirit that informs us all), and the unity of destination (one hope that we hold to, a life with God forever).
But there’s something else Paul says in this text that hits the point of unity just as powerfully, and yet is not as commonly considered…
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Ephesians 4:3)
These words come just before the writer breaks into the seven-part soliloquy, but it’s the way he describes unity here that’s so impactful: Paul says we must “endeavor” (strive, work hard) “to keep the unity of the Spirit…” So far there’s nothing remarkable about that plea; he’s been making it from the beginning of his ministry. In fact, much of Paul’s preaching was focused on unity as he spent thousands of man hours working to keep the Gentile brethren and the Jewish brethren united when a segment of the Jewish brethren were so determined to split the church along ethnic lines. If anyone can be considered the foremost authority of preaching unity, it is Paul.
Look at the end of the verse: Paul wants us to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit “in the bond of peace.” Literally, the words can be translated: “the shackles of peace that unite us.”
That line is not appreciated the way it should be. Paul is saying that unity is best described as people being willingly chained together. My brethren and I are not to go our separate ways, not to live separate lives, not to have separate ambitions. We are to be one. United. Shackled together. We are to go the same way, live the same life, and have the same ambition. We are to have the “same mind,” which is also the mind of Jesus (Philippians 2).
You cannot be united with someone—the way Paul describes it—begrudgingly. You cannot be united as Christians half-heartedly, or hypocritically. This kind of unity must be sincere and constant. Is that easy? Absolutely not! Brethren disagree. People disagree. We have different tastes, different interests, different tolerances for spicy food, etc, etc, etc. Why do you think Paul tells you to “endeavor” to keep the shackles on you? He understands that it’s hard to be united; nevertheless he commands it.
Didn’t your parent ever make you and your sibling get inside an oversized t-shirt when you wouldn’t stop arguing as children? And you had to stay in that shirt, looking like some bizarre two-headed freak, until you started giggling and getting along again, at which point you didn’t mind staying in the shirt because you were having too much fun.
That’s “the bonds of peace.”
Instead of being quick to cast away those with whom we disagree, we need to work harder to ensure the ties that bind us are knotted tight, and to be (and stay) united with those who hold to the same seven ones that Paul so famously lists in Ephesians 4.
~ Matthew