4"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all". - Ephesians 4:4-6 (NASB)
This passage in verse 4-6 of Ephesians chapter 4 is a powerful expression of the common beliefs of the early Christians. Although not formally stated as a creed by Paul, it reflects elements of a customary oral creed.
Note that each statement repeats the word “one,” emphasizing the concept of unity. While some may want to assign symbolic meaning to the seven mentions of oneness, it’s uncertain because Paul doesn’t typically use numeric symbolism in his other writings. The repetition of “one” in a context centered on unity is similar to Jesus’ prayer for unity in the gospel of John, highlighting the significance of unity among believers.
Paul often uses the phrase “one body” in his letters, especially here in Ephesians and Colossians (see Eph. 2:16; 3:6; 4:4, and Col. 1:18). What Paul is referring to in this passage is the worldwide/universal church (refer to Matthew 16:18). Anyone who declares Jesus Christ as their only hope to eternal life is a member of this “one body” – the body of Christ. The focus is on unity of all of God’s people, corporately.
And then it says “one Spirit”; and the idea here of course, pertains to the Holy Spirit who brings this one body together, just as there is one hope. The presence of the Holy Spirit is indispensable for comprehending God, approaching Christ, and leading a harmonious Christian life (see John 16:8-15 and Ephesians 3:17). The term “Trinity,”1 originally coined by Tertullian, does not appear in the Bible, yet the concept is evident. A plurality in God is hinted at in the Old Testament and New Testament (see Genesis 1:26-27; 3:22; 11:7; Isa. 6:8; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19, John 14:26, Acts 2:33-34, 38-39, and numerous others).
Paul emphasizes the truth that there is one Spirit to counter the heresy of Gnosticism2 that plagued the churches in the Lycus River Valley. Gnosticism believed in aeons, emanations/spirits, or angelic hierarchies; and claimed that each level of spirits had a secret password. They said that everyone in the world had a divine spark that only became active when they gained this secret knowledge. According to them, only their group had this knowledge, and if you joined them, they would give you the keys to help your soul return to God after death. So, Paul says, there is only one Spirit that draws you to God. This one Spirit shows that believers belong to God (see Rom 8:16) and is a guarantee of their future inheritance (see Eph. 1:13-14).
Now, the New Testament always links this phrase “one hope”, to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ which consummates and fulfills the believers’ faith. The consummation is definite and certain, but the time element is future and unknown. This underscores the importance of unwavering faith and the anticipation of the commitments it encompasses.
The designation “one Lord” draws from both Old Testament references to YHWH and New Testament associations with Jesus’ deity. It emphasizes the exclusive and central role of Jesus Christ in the Christian faith. The OT background in Exodus 3:14 and the NT usage in passages like Romans 10:9 and Philippians 2:9-11 affirm the lordship and deity of Jesus Christ. This affirms that faith in Christ is the sole means of reconciliation with God (cf. John 1:9-18, 3:16; 10:7-18; 14:6; 20:31.
For Jews who had become Christians, confessing Jesus as the “one Lord” meant acknowledging that Jesus of Nazareth was more than a man, a prophet, or an angel. He was actually God, like the Father. Gentiles in the churches recognizing Jesus as the one Lord would understand that Artemis of Ephesus was not really the Lord, even though she was called that. There were many other deities who claimed this title, but Paul declares that Jesus is the one and only Lord.
The fifth statement in the confessional series accentuates the concept of “one faith.” Paul makes reference to “faith” as either the shared set of beliefs professed among Christians in different regions (see Gal. 1:23; 3:23, 25; Phil. 1:27; Jude 3, 20), which aligns with the broader context of Ephesians and Colossians, or as personal faith; personally trusting in Christ for salvation. which aligns most fittingly with the immediate context (see Gal. 2:16; 3:6-9).
The expression “one baptism” likely refers to water baptism as a public confession and profession of faith in the early church (cf. Matt. 28:19; Rom. 10:9-13). It symbolizes the believer’s identification with the death and resurrection of Christ, as well as the beginning of new life in Him (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). Alternatively, it may also allude to Spirit baptism (cf. Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:13), indicating the inward work of the Holy Spirit upon the believer. Both interpretations emphasize the essential role of baptism in the Christian faith and its connection to the work of the Triune God.
Paul ends his series in verse 6 by declaring his belief in one God. He describes the Father uniquely, highlighting his power, strength, and presence in his creation. He confesses this one God as the Father not only of his people, the church, but over everything. This confession emphasizes God’s sovereignty, power, and presence in all of his creation. It’s important for non-Jewish people living in western Asia Minor, where other deities were widely worshiped. Against the claims of these other gods, Paul emphasizes the sovereignty of the one true God.
This concept “one God and Father of all” goes beyond the idea of creation (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). It emphasizes His Fatherhood to all who have experienced the spiritual rebirth and redemption through the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. It underscores the necessity of personal repentance and faith in Christ for reconciliation with God, debunking the notion of universal salvation based solely on creation.
In summary, all the aforementioned aspects of unity Paul delineated in the passage serve as encouragements for Christians to actively maintain the unity of the Spirit within the bond of peace. It’s a call on the need for the overarching unity3 that goes beyond individual congregations and stresses the collective identity of all believers in Christ.
- Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed., chapter 16, “God’s Three-in-Oneness: The Trinity,” pp. 340-367.
Hard Sayings of the Bible, John 1:1; “One God or Three?”, pp. 490-492 ↩︎ - The Gnostic Religion by Hans Jonas, published by Beacon Press
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, published by Random House ↩︎ - Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “If there were two lords, you might be divided into two parties; if there were two faiths, you might split up into two sections; if there were two baptisms, you might be right in having two denominations; if there were two fathers, there might be two families; if there were two indwelling spirits, there would be, and there must be, two sorts of people; but, in the true Church of Jesus Christ, there is “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” ↩︎
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