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4
Unity in the Body of Christ
1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 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 us all.
Spiritual Gifts
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the free gift of Christ. 8 Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
and gave gifts to men.”
9 But that “He ascended”—what is it but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended, He is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all arrive 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 of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we may no longer be infants, being tossed as by waves, and being carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in regard to deceitful scheming, 15 but speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ; 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the working of the measure of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the edification of itself in love.
The New Man
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 having been darkened in understanding, being estranged from the life of God, because of the ignorance which is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 who, having become callous, gave themselves over to debauchery, for the working of uncleanness with utmost greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and were instructed by Him, just as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former way of life, the old man which is being corrupted according to deceitful lusts, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created in the likeness of God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit
25 Therefore, having put off falsehood, “Let each one speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun set on your anger, 27 nor give opportunity to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working that which is good with his hands, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed from your mouth, but only what is good for edification, that it may give grace to them that hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and blasphemy be removed from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as also God in Christ forgave us.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito