CHAPTER FIVE

THE ONENESS OF THE BODY

Scripture Reading: Eph. 4:2-6, 12-16

OUTLINE

1. The oneness in reality—Eph. 4:3-6:
1. The oneness of the one Spirit as the essence with:
1. The oneness of the one Body—the one place to stay.
2. The oneness of the one hope of the believers' calling—the one destination to pursue—vv. 3-4.
2. The oneness of the one Lord as the element with:
1. The oneness of the one faith—the one transfer into Christ.
2. The oneness of the one baptism—the one transfer out of Adam—v. 5.
3. The oneness of the one Father as the source, who is:
1. Over all.
2. Through all.
3. In all—v. 6.
2. The oneness in practicality—vv. 13-15:
1. The oneness of the faith—the object of the believers' believing.
2. The oneness of the full knowledge of the Son of God—the full apprehension of the unlimited Christ—v. 13a.
3. The process from the oneness in reality to arrive at the oneness in practicality—vv. 12-16:
1. To be perfected by the gifts unto the work of the New Testament ministry for the building up of the Body of Christ—v. 12.
2. To grow from babyhood to a full-grown man:
1. No longer tossed by the waves—the turmoils.
2. No longer carried about by every wind of teaching—doctrine—v. 14.
3. Holding to truth in love to grow up in all things into the Head, Christ—v. 15.
4. To arrive at the oneness in practicality—a full-grown man—the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (the Body of Christ)—v. 13.
5. To be built in the Body of Christ by being joined together through every joint of the rich supply of Christ and by being knit together through the operation in the measure of each one part of the Body—v. 16.
4. This being the best and the most effective way to keep the oneness of the Body—vv. 2-3.