Unity, Knowledge, and Maturity in Christ
Ephesians 4:1-16
Introduction: The Call to Walk Worthy
Imagine for a moment that you're standing in front of a mirror. Not just any mirror, but one that reflects not your physical appearance, but your spiritual walk. What would you see? Would you see someone walking worthy of the calling you've received in Christ?
This morning, we're going to take a look at one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture—Ephesians 4:1-16. The apostle Paul, writing from a Roman prison, pens these words with an urgency that should grip our hearts today. He begins with Eph 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
Notice that word "implore," Paul isn't casually suggesting. He's pleading, urging, entreating us to walk worthy of our calling. But here's what I want you to understand right from the start: this is not about individual achievement. This is not about you climbing some spiritual ladder all by yourself. Christian maturity is a corporate journey. It's something we do together, as the body of Christ.
And I want you to notice that this worthy walk is connected with some very essential qualities: Eph 4:2-3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, [3] being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance for (or bearing with) one another, and pursuing unity—folks, these are not optional extras for the Christian life. They are the very foundation of walking worthy.
Today, we're going to explore three interconnected themes that flow through this passage: Unity, Knowledge, and Maturity. And here's a very beautiful truth we'll discover—that you cannot have one without the others. They're woven together like a three-strand cord that cannot be easily broken.
So, let's begin with the foundation—unity in the Spirit.
1. The Foundation: Unity in the Spirit
In verses 4-6, Paul gives us what I call the "seven ones" of Christian unity. Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
Seven times Paul uses the word "one." This isn't coincidence—this is emphasis. This is Paul saying, "Church, you need to understand what binds you together!" One body—we're not many bodies competing with each other. We're one body with many members. One Spirit—the same Holy Spirit who indwells me indwells you. One hope—we're all heading to the same destination, the same glorious future with Christ. One Lord—Jesus Christ is Lord of all, not just Lord of some. One faith—we share the same core beliefs, the same gospel truth. One baptism—we've all been baptized into Christ, identified with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. One God and Father—the same God who created us, redeems us, and sustains us.
Now, here's what I need you need to understand: unity is not the same as uniformity. God did not create us to be clones of each other. We have different personalities, different backgrounds, different gifts, different perspectives. And this is all by design! But underneath all those differences, we share the seven foundational "ones" that make us truly one in Christ.
Think about it this way: an orchestra has many different instruments. The violin doesn't sound like the trombone. The flute doesn't sound like the timpani. But when they all play together under the direction of one conductor, following one score, they create beautiful harmony. That's what Spirit-empowered unity looks like in the church.
But let me be honest with you—unity doesn't just happen automatically. Notice verse three says we must be “diligent to preserve” to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." That word "diligent" means making every effort, being engaged in working at it. Unity requires intentionality. It requires us to bear with one another in love, to be patient with each other's weaknesses, to forgive quickly, to assume the best about each other's motives.
Church, we live in a world that's more divided than ever. Political divisions, racial tensions, economic disparities, generational gaps—the world is tearing itself apart. But the church is called to be different. We're called to demonstrate to a watching world that people who are radically different can be radically united because of the one Lord we serve.
Now, let's move from the foundation of unity to the provision for growth.
2. The Provision: Gifts for Growth
Eph 4:7-8 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. [8] Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
Here's a truth that should revolutionize how you see yourself and every other believer in this room—every single one of us has received grace according to Christ's measure. Not according to our merit, not according to our performance, but according to Christ's generous gift. And that grace comes in the form of spiritual gifts.
Paul quotes from Psalm 68, describing Christ's ascension as a victorious king who, after conquering His enemies, distributes gifts to His people. And what are these gifts? Well, he tells us in, Eph 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, Now, understand, this is not an exhaustive list of all spiritual gifts which Paul gives us in Romans 12 and First Corinthians 12. But here he's focusing on the leadership gifts that Christ gave to equip His church, the gifts that help the body grow and mature.
But understand this, these gifts are not given for individual glory or personal platform. They're given for the building up of the entire body. The apostle isn't called to be a celebrity—he's called to lay foundations. The prophet isn't called to draw attention to himself—he's called to speak God's truth. The evangelist isn't called to build his own kingdom—he's called to bring people into God's kingdom. The pastor and teacher aren't called to create dependent followers—they're called to equip independent disciples.
And here's where it gets personal for every one of us: while not everyone has these specific leadership gifts, every believer has received some gift from Christ. You might have the gift of mercy, or hospitality, or giving, or serving, or encouragement. Whatever gift you've received, it wasn't given to you so you could feel special or superior. It was given to you so you could serve others and build up the body of Christ. It was given for you to play your part in His orchestra.
I wonder how many gifts are lying dormant in this congregation right now. How many of you have gifts that God wants you to use, but you've never discovered them or developed them or deployed them? Church, we need every member functioning. We need every gift operating. Because when we all use our gifts together, something supernatural happens—the body grows. Which brings us to the process of building up through knowledge.
3. The Process: Building Up Through Knowledge
Eph 4:12-14 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. [14] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
Notice the progression here. The gifts are given for three purposes, each building on the previous one. First, for the perfecting of the saints—that means equipping, preparing, making you complete and capable. Second, for the work of the ministry—not so the pastor does all the ministry, but so every saint is equipped to do ministry. Third, for the edifying of the body of Christ—building up, strengthening, causing growth in the whole church.
And what's the goal of all this? Verse thirteen gives us the target: Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Folks, our aim, our goal is on the unity of the faith—not just unity of feelings or unity of preferences, but unity rooted in shared faith. We're aiming for knowledge of the Son of God—not just knowing about Jesus, but truly knowing Him intimately and experientially. We're aiming for maturity—becoming a "perfect man," which means complete, mature, fully developed. And our standard, our goal is nothing less than the “measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
Church, that is a high calling! We're not aiming for mediocrity. We're not settling for spiritual infancy. We're pressing toward Christlikeness—the full stature of Christ Himself. And the reason why this matters so much is so that we will, Eph 4:14 …no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
Beloved, spiritual children are unstable. They're blown around by every new teaching that comes along. They're vulnerable to deception and lack discernment. They can't distinguish truth from error. And in our day, with social media and the internet and countless voices claiming to speak for God, we desperately need mature believers who know the Word of God, who know the Son of God, who cannot be fooled by clever arguments or emotional manipulation.
The knowledge we’re talking about here isn't just intellectual information. It's not just being able to quote Bible verses or win theological debates. It's deep, personal, transformative knowledge of Christ that changes how we think, how we feel, how we live. It's the kind of knowledge that comes from spending time in God's Word, from prayer, from fellowship with other believers, from walking through trials and discovering God's faithfulness, and through these things reaching…
4. The Goal: Growing Up into Christ
Eph 4:15-16 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
This is the picture of a mature, healthy, functioning body of Christ, and I want to highlight some key elements.
First, notice "speaking the truth in love." Now, maturity requires both truth and love. Some people have truth without love, so they're harsh, critical, judgmental. They use truth as a weapon to hurt people. Other people have love without truth, they're so afraid of offending anyone that they never speak hard truths that people need to hear. But mature believers hold truth and love together. They speak truth, but they speak it lovingly. They love people, but they love them enough to tell them the truth.
Second, the healthy and functioning body will "grow up in all aspects." Christ is the head, and we're growing up into Him. That means every area of our lives—our thoughts, our words, our relationships, our finances, our work, our recreation—everything is being brought under the lordship of Christ. We're not compartmentalizing our faith, keeping Jesus in one box and the rest of our life in another box. We're integrating our faith into every aspect of who we are.
Third, notice the organic nature of this growth. The body is "fitted and held together by what every joint supplies." This is a picture of interconnectedness. Every joint, every ligament, every connection point matters. You can't have a healthy body if the parts aren't properly connected. And the implication is that you can't grow into spiritual maturity in isolation. You need to be connected to other believers. You need to be in relationship. You need to be part of a local church where you're known, where you're accountable, where you're serving and being served.
Fourth, notice that growth happens “according to the proper working of each individual part.” So, every part has to be working. It's not enough for just the pastor to be working, or just the elders, or just the worship team. Every member has to be functioning. When every part does its work, the body grows. When some parts are inactive or disconnected, the whole body suffers. Our symphony plays with fewer and fewer instruments.
And finally, notice the result: all of this together “causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” The body builds itself up in love. This is supernatural! This is the work of Christ through His Spirit in His people. When we're all connected to the Head, when we're all using our gifts, when we're all speaking truth in love, the body grows naturally, organically, powerfully.
So how do we move from theory to practice? How do we actually live this out?
5. Application: Practical Steps Toward Maturity
Let me give you three practical steps toward maturity that flow directly from this passage.
First, pursue peace and bear with one another. Eph 4:2-3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, [3] being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This week, I want you to ask yourself: Is there anyone in this church family with whom I'm not at peace? Is there someone I'm holding a grudge against? Is there someone I've been avoiding because of hurt or misunderstanding?
If so, take the initiative to pursue peace. Go to that person. Have the conversation. Extend forgiveness. Seek reconciliation. Don't wait for them to come to you—you go to them. Be the peacemaker. Be the one who bears with others in love. Remember, unity doesn't mean we'll never disagree or have conflict. But it does mean we'll work through those conflicts in a spirit of humility and love.
Second, discover and use your spiritual gifts to serve others. If you don't know what your spiritual gifts are, start by serving somewhere and see where God uses you. Try different areas of ministry. Ask mature believers what gifts they see in you. Take a spiritual gifts assessment. But don't just discover your gifts—use them! Find a place to serve in this church. Join or start up a ministry team. Volunteer in ministry or hospitality or outreach or worship or prayer. The body needs you. Your gifts matter. You're not here just to be served—you're here to serve.
And here's what I've discovered: when you start using your gifts to serve others, something amazing happens. You start growing. You start maturing. Because spiritual growth happens not just through receiving, but through giving. Not just through learning, but through doing.
Third, commit to deeper knowledge of Christ through Scripture and fellowship. Verse thirteen talks about coming to "the knowledge of the Son of God." How does that happen? It happens through consistent time in God's Word. It happens through prayer. It happens through worship. It happens through fellowship with other believers.
So, let me ask you: Do you have a regular time when you're reading and studying the Bible? Are you in a small group or Sunday School class where you're growing with other believers? Are you attending worship services regularly, not just when it's convenient? Are you engaged in meaningful relationships where you can be real, where you can share your struggles, where you can pray with others and be prayed for?
If not, make a commitment today. You simply cannot grow in knowledge of Christ without spending time with Him and with His people.
Conclusion: The Full Stature of Christ
Church, let me close by returning to that inspiring vision in verse thirteen: Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Can you see it? Can you envision what this church could become if we all committed to this journey together? A church where we're truly united, not because we're all the same, but because we're all submitted to the same Lord. A church where every member is using their gifts to serve others. A church where we're growing in knowledge of Christ, becoming more like Him every day. A church where we speak truth in love, where we bear with one another, where we build each other up.
That's not just a nice dream—that's God's plan for His church. That's what He's calling us to. And here's the promise: Php 1:6 …He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. The same Christ who gave gifts to His church is the same Christ who will bring His church to maturity.
But it requires our cooperation. It requires our commitment. It requires us to stop being passive consumers and become active participants in the body of Christ.
Will you commit to growing together? Will you commit to pursuing unity, even when it's hard? Will you commit to discovering and using your gifts, even if it takes you out of your comfort zone? Will you commit to deeper knowledge of Christ, even if it requires sacrifice of your time and energy?
Beloved, God’s call to us is clear: Walk worthy of your calling. Grow up into Christ in all things. Be part of a body that's fitly joined together, where every part is working, where love is the bond that holds us together. Would you pray with me?
Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the vision You've given us of what Your church can be. We confess that too often we've settled for less than Your best. We've been content with division instead of unity, with immaturity instead of growth, with selfishness instead of service.
Forgive us, Lord. And by Your Spirit, transform us. Help us to walk worthy of our calling. Help us to use our gifts to build up the body. Help us to grow in knowledge of Your Son. And bring us together to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
