Our last blog began a discussion on this phase found in Ephesians 4:13, “unity of the faith.” We identified “the faith” in this verse as being the teaching of the gospel that rejects justification by the works of the law in favor of justification by faith in Christ Jesus. This news is good news that allows not only the Gentiles to have access to God but join the same body of Christ with Jews. Paul references this unity by introducing the “one new man” in the Ephesian letter. Division between Jew and Gentile was the critical issue of the times and occupies much space in the New Testament. The message of the gospel had the effect of uniting these two into one body. That unity was fully realized at the death of the law (Romans 7:1-4), and the destruction of Jerusalem with its temple. The temple was a symbol of that age that was passing away. When it was destroyed in the day of Christ, it marked the end of the age of which it was a symbol and opened the way into the holiest of all (cf. Hebrews 9:8-9). Unity of the faith was reached. The result of that one body composed of Jews and Gentiles would be “fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in due measure of each several part, and causes the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love (Eph. 4:16). 1 Corinthians 12 describes their place in the body due to the Spirit’s power. Here, Paul lists several gifts that are sandwiched between the following two passages. It is prefaced with the following explanation,
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7, ESV)
Then, following the list of gifts in verses 8-10 is this explanation,
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Cor. 12:11-13, ESV)
He continues to write that all the individual members are necessary just as members of our physical body and that the nature of a body includes many working member that function as one unit. Included in his description is a list similar to Ephesians 4:11-12, except he leaves out the specific mention of evangelists and pastors. Still, they are teachers selected by the Holy Spirit that contribute to the one body. This is the unity of the faith.