在以弗所書的後半部，保羅揭示了基督徒生命成長的順序。保羅在第四章先談合一，然後才談成長，第五章則進一步談到成熟的表現，就是像大人般的行為。保羅鼓勵教會要「長大成人」，其途徑是從「合一」的起點，邁向「成熟」的終點，「達到基督完全長成的身量」（4:13）。

如同小孩子渴望長大，每一個基督徒都希望自己的生命能夠「成熟」。然而，按照聖經的順序，如果沒有合一，根本不必談後面的成熟。沒有合一的教會，所表現出來的就是如同孩童般充滿幼稚的行為；若有人說自己有多成熟，也不過像是小孩子在吹虛自己的歲數。

我們必須明白，合一是生命建造的基礎。有了合一的基礎，我們才有可能往上一層建造成熟的生命。

為什麼合一是成熟的基礎？因為上帝就是這樣對我們。上帝沒有等到我們長大了才要與我們合好，祂也沒有等我們成熟了才要與我們合一。相反的，耶穌基督在我們還做罪人的時候就先為我們死，使我們與上帝合好；並且在我們還做信仰嬰兒的時候，就先藉著聖靈的充滿與我們合一。

沒有合一，我們永遠都只是個嬰兒。因此，我們必須「竭力保持聖靈所賜的合一」（4:3），這個合一不只是與神合一，也要與在主裡的弟兄姐妹合一，然後我們的生命才有可能「長大成人」。

简体圣经 | https://www.bible.com/bible/140/EPH.5.RCUVSS

繁體聖經 | https://www.bible.com/bible/139/EPH.5.RCUV

In the latter part of the book of Ephesians, Paul reveals the order of Christian growth. In chapter 4, Paul first discusses unity and then growth, and in chapter 5, he further talks about mature behaviour as a sign of growth. Paul encourages the church to grow up into maturity, by starting with the unity and moving towards the maturity which is "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (4:13).

Just as children long to grow up, every Christian desires their own life to mature. However, according to the order of the Bible, maturity is not possible without unity. An immature church exhibits childish behaviour without unity. If someone claims to be mature without unity, it is like a child boasting about their age.

We must understand that unity is the foundation of spiritual growth. With the foundation of unity, we can build a mature life.

Why is unity the foundation of maturity? Because this is how God is with us. God did not wait until we were mature to reconcile with us, but rather, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us to reconcile us with God. And while we were still spiritual infants, the Holy Spirit filled us with unity.

Without unity, we will always be mere infants. Therefore, we must "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (4:3, NIV). This unity is not only with God, but also with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Only then can our lives "grow up into maturity".

Reading the Bible | https://www.bible.com/bible/59/EPH.5.ESV