However, church problems are inevitable! After all, the church is made up of people, and even the best of people make mistakes. Thankfully, the Scriptures present an ancient formula for maintaining peace and harmony in the local church—it is found in Ephesians 4:1-6. These verses and imperatives are extremely personal! Each Christian should work hard to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 ESV). It takes a lot of tough work, but every member of the Lord’s body should take unity personally. Ask yourself: what am I doing to promote a healthy church environment? What am I doing to safeguard the peace of this church? Are my attitudes and actions threatening or strengthening the unity of the local church? How exactly does Ephesians 4:1-6 apply to me?
When we further explore God’s blueprint for church unity, we find some essential doctrinal elements needed for unity in the church. In Ephesians 4:4-6, we find what is commonly referred to as the “seven ones.” These seven doctrinal elements form the pillars for Christian unity and fellowship. There cannot be true unity without right doctrine. False doctrine damages fellowship and injects conflict in the Lord’s body. But is right doctrine all we really need for unity?
We often focus on Ephesians 4:4-6 when talking about church unity, but have we forgotten that Paul was inspired to write Ephesians 4:1-3 first? Before God addressed those necessary doctrinal elements, He revealed some essential personal traits required for unity in the church. Peace and harmony in the local church demands that we display “humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2 ESV). We can believe all the right doctrines, quote all the right verses, and know all the best theological arguments, but we can still cause trouble in the church if our personalities and dispositions do not reflect these vital personal characteristics. A good place to begin is changing the heart of the person in the mirror if we want to make a greater impact in preserving and perpetuating unity in the church
– Brandon Baggett
Brandon Baggett is a former Pulpit Minister for Eastern Meadows Church of Christ.
