• 以弗所书 4

身体的合一

1我为主作囚徒的劝你们，既然蒙召，行事为人就要与你们所蒙的呼召相称。 2凡事要谦虚、温柔、忍耐，用爱心互相宽容， 3以和平彼此联系，竭力保持圣灵所赐的合一。 4身体只有一个，圣灵只有一位，正如你们蒙召，是为同有一个指望而蒙召， 5一主，一信，一洗， 6一上帝－就是万人之父，超越万有之上，贯通万有，在万有之中。 7我们每个人蒙恩都是照基督所量给每个人的恩赐。 8所以有话说：

“他升上高天的时候，掳掠了俘虏，

将各样的恩赐赏给人。”

9既说“他升上”，岂不是指他曾降到地底下吗？ 10那降下的，就是高升远超越诸天之上的，为要充满万有。 11他所赐的有使徒，有先知，有传福音的，有牧者和教师， 12为要装备圣徒，做事奉的工作，建立基督的身体， 13直等到我们众人在信仰上同归于一，认识上帝的儿子，得以长大成人，达到基督完全长成的身量。 14这样，我们不再作小孩子，中了人的诡计和欺骗的法术，被一切邪说之风摇动，飘来飘去。 15我们反而要用爱心说诚实话，各方面向着基督长进，连于元首基督， 16靠着他全身都连接得紧凑，百节各按各职，照着各体的功用彼此相助，使身体渐渐增长，在爱中建立自己。

旧我和新我

17所以我这样说，且在主里郑重地说，你们行事为人，不要再像外邦人存虚妄的心而活。 18他们心地昏昧，因自己无知，心里刚硬而与上帝所赐的生命隔绝了。 19既然他们已经麻木，就放纵情欲，贪婪地行种种污秽的事。 20但你们从基督学的不是这样。 21如果你们听过他的道，领了他的教，因为真理就在耶稣里， 22你们要脱去从前的行为，脱去旧我；这旧我是因私欲的迷惑而渐渐败坏的。 23你们要把自己的心志更新， 24并且穿上新我；这新我是照着上帝的形像造的，有从真理来的公义和圣洁。

新生活的守则

25所以，你们要弃绝谎言，每个人要与邻舍说诚实话，因为我们是互为肢体。 26即使生气也不要犯罪；不可含怒到日落， 27不可给魔鬼留地步。 28偷窃的，不要再偷；总要勤劳，亲手做正当的事，这样才可以把自己有的，分给有缺乏的人。 29一句坏话也不可出口，只要随着需要说造就人的好话，让听见的人得益处。 30不要使上帝的圣灵担忧，你们原是受了他的印记，等候得救赎的日子来到。 31一切苦毒、愤怒、恼恨、嚷闹、毁谤，和一切的恶毒都要从你们中间除掉。 32要仁慈相待，存怜悯的心，彼此饶恕，正如上帝在基督里饶恕了你们一样。

去听管弦乐队的演奏时，很多时候，听到的前几个音符是混乱的，因为每个演奏者都在调整自己的乐器。小提琴演奏者演奏她自己的曲子，双簧管演奏者演奏他自己的曲子，结果就是一片嘈杂。但当指挥家走上舞台时，所有的演奏者都服从他的指挥，于是就有了美妙的音乐。

换句话说，合一是有力量的。合一中有力量，合一比什么都更能将荣耀归给上帝。约翰福音17章记载了圣经中耶稣所做的最长的祷告。那次祷告的主要关注点是上帝子民的合一，这表明了合一的力量和重要性。耶稣祈求上帝使所有时代的所有信徒都能合一。基督的教会为一个共同的目标团结，就能改变世界。我们必须跨越种族、文化和社会经济的隔阂，共同努力将耶稣基督的爱和希望传播给这个垂死的世界。

既然合一对耶稣如此重要，那么它对我们也应该同样重要。现在就花点时间为这些领域的合一祷告：你的个人生活、家庭、教会以及社区。

• 花点时间向神献上感恩与祈求

• EPHESIANS 4

Unity in the Body of Christ

1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men.”

9(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The New Life

17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and give no opportunity to the devil. 28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

When you go to hear an orchestra, many times, the first notes you hear are chaotic as each individual player warms up on their instrument. The violin player plays her own tune. The oboe player plays his own tune. And the result is cacophony. But when the conductor walks onto the stage, all of the players submit to his direction, and beautiful music is the result.

In other words, there is strength in unity. There is power in unity, and unity glorifies God like nothing else. The book of John records the longest prayer by Jesus recorded in the Bible (John 17). The main concern of that prayer is unity among God’s people, which signifies the power and importance of unity. Jesus prayed for all believers, in all times, to become unified. When the body of Christ comes together with one common purpose, we can change the world. We must work together across racial, cultural and socio-economical boundaries to spread the love and hope of Jesus Christ to a dying world.

Since unity is so important to Jesus, it should be just as important to us. Take a few moments right now to pray for unity in these areas: your personal life, your family, your church and your community.

• Take a moment to give thanks and prayers to God