Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. -Ephesians 4:3-4 (NLT)
What is peace? How can we live in it? Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is a blessing from Jesus; a state in which we are reconciled with God. We have peace when we are one with the Source. Jesus created all things and in him all things are held together. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Let us meditate on how can we live together in peace after we first accept the beautiful gift of peace from Jesus. It is this peace that bonds us in unity.
Paul, an Apostle of Jesus, wrote in Ephesians 4 that we who believe in Jesus should “make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” We are called to use peace as the bonding agent to keep us united in the Spirit. Being united in the Spirit is not about everyone having to agree about everything, but about the whole body agreeing that Jesus is the head. The unity of the body of believers is motivated by our one glorious hope for the future, the hope of eternity in heaven with Jesus. This foundational hope can lead us a live worthy of our calling!
How can we continue to keep this peace and be one in the Spirit? Paul gives some insight into this in Ephesians 4:2; “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”
Let us answer this call by God to live our lives in peace with one another! This teaching has great application to our marriages. The bond of peace helps us to act as one with our spouse. When we cultivate peace in our marriages by practicing humility, gentleness, patience, and making allowances for each other’s faults because of love, we will be united in the Spirit. Be One in the Spirit!