Christian Unity and Godly Conduct
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)
Paul has called on his readers to live a life worthy of their calling (4:1). The new society God is calling into being has two characteristics. First, it is ‘one’ people, composed equally of Jews and Gentiles, the single family of God. Secondly, it is a ‘holy’ people, distinct from the secular world, set apart (as Israel was in Old Testament days) to belong to God. Because God’s people are called to be one people, they must manifest their unity, and because they are called to be a holy people, they must manifest their purity.
Paul will elaborate four truths about the kind of oneness God intends His new society to experience;
It depends on the godliness of our character and conduct (4:2)
It comes from the unity of our God (4:3-6)
It is enriched by the diversity of our gifts (4:7-12)
It demands the maturity of our growth (4:13-16)
Christian unity depends on the godliness of our conduct (4:2)
Paul describes the life worthy of our calling characterised by four qualities – humility, gentleness, patience, bearing in love.
The Greek noun here for ‘humility’ (‘be … humble’) doesn’t seem to have been used before New Testament times and the corresponding adjective was nearly always used negatively of slave-like subservience. In Christ, humility became an extraordinary virtue. His life and death were service and sacrifice without thought of reputation (Philippians 2:6,7). Because we are called to follow in His steps, humility is an irreplaceable essential to Christian character (cf. Acts 20:19). Humility is essential to unity. The people we instinctively get along best with are those who we feel respect and favour us. We find an instinctive inability to make real friends of people we feel don’t respect and favour us. Behind this very natural reaction is, unfortunately, our own self-centredness.
The second word is ‘gentleness.’ If meekness was still common to our vocabulary, it would be a better alternative. Gentleness is too easily interpreted as weakness. Paul’s word was used of the gentleness of the strong, whose strength is under control. It describes the quality of the strong who willingly lay down the independence of their strength to serve others. The meek don’t assert personal rights, not because they can’t but because they choose not to.
‘Humility’ and ‘gentleness’ form a natural pair. The humble don’t promote their personal claims nor do the gentle their personal merits. Both qualities were found in perfect balance in Christ who described Himself as ‘gentle and humble in heart’ (Matthew 11:29).
Paul’s third word is ‘patience’ which means slowness in avenging wrong or retaliating when hurt by others. The word is used of God’s patience toward humanity (Romans 2:4; 9:22; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 Peter 3:20).
The final quality is forbearing, that mutual tolerance without which no group of people can live together in peace. Forbearance describes the ability to bear with one another’s weaknesses and not ceasing to love others because of their weaknesses and faults. This is an obvious attribute of God (Romans 2:4). Forbearance, as with each of other three qualities, are only possible ‘in love’ (4:2). Paul has prayed that his readers be ‘rooted and established in love’ (3:17) and he sees this love outworked in each of the four qualities. Paul saw love having a binding property to it (Colossians 3:14).
With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience Ephesians 4:2 (The Passion Translation)