The Trinity in Ephesians 4
In the writings of the Apostle Paul, we find a division between the doctrinal and practical portion of his epistles. With our continued study of Ephesians and the doctrine of the Trinity, we now come to the portion where Christian living is brought into view. The premise of these articles is that one finds the Trinity in each of the six chapters of this letter. Of course, the versification and construction of chapters, in all of the books of the Bible, is much more recent (A.D. 1551 [Greek] and 1571 [Hebrew]).
Paul’s desire, for the Christians in the church at Ephesus, is for them to walk in a manner worthy of their calling (4:1). This obviously includes unity in the Holy Spirit, who provides the bond of peace (4:3). We learn from Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth that divisions were problematic for the early church.
Next, the apostle gives us one of the most succinct displays of the Trinity in the next three verses (4:4–6). Showing the unity and diversity of the Trinity, he elucidates the same, in our communion with God and with one another. For the one body, the church, there is one Spirit (4:4), one Lord (4:5), and one God and Father (4:6). Union with Christ brings the body, the church, into union with the Trinity. We belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God (1 Cor 3:23).
God gives gifts to the members of Christ’s church (4:7). Christ descended from heaven at His incarnation (Jn 1:14), and He ascended back to heaven following His resurrection from the dead (4:9–10). He then sent the gift of the Holy Spirit. The manifestation of Christ’s gift takes on the form of the roles each member performs in the body of Christ (4:1).
Formerly apostles and prophets, and today, evangelists and pastor/teachers, labor to equip the saints for the ministry, of building up the body of Christ (4:11–12). The church has its identity from the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9, 11), who is the gift of God (Rom 5:5), willing and working God’s good pleasure in every member (Phil 2:13).
It is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to be our Teacher (Jn 14:26), from whom we learn the truth as it is in Jesus Christ (4:21). The Spirit is the catalyst that separates the vain walk of the Gentiles from those who walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:25). The Gentiles are focused on the world (1 Jn 2:15–17), the things of the world, and who live sensually to please sinful flesh (4:17–19).
This is the Spirit-filled Christian’s old self and old manner of living, now replaced by the new self, renewed in the Spirit (4:22–23). The Spirit’s work of sanctification employs the knowledge of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, as the instrument to produce a maturing believer. We become like Him, the more we see Him as He is. The Spirit gives us eyes to see Jesus on the pages of Holy Scripture.
With the knowledge of one’s righteousness (right standing before God the Father) and with a view to the goal of holiness, the Christian now loves the truth (4:25). Truth purifies the saint, who is progressively becoming more and more holy, in his position of righteousness in Christ.
Wholesome words and actions give grace to others because it is the Spirit of grace causing the believer to walk in God’s statutes (Ezek 36:27). The Spirit is God’s pledge of eternal life to the born again (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5). The Spirit of Christ never leaves nor forsakes the regenerate (Heb 13:5), in whom God has begun this good work of producing godliness (Phil 1:6).
Because the Christian remains in this sinful flesh, his body of sin, and occupies his place in a world of sin, the dominion of Satan, he has the capacity to grieve the Holy Spirit, who is preserving him (4:30). Therefore, each saint must take heed to how he is living his Christian life. God in Christ has forgiven all of the sins of the saint (4:32); therefore, it is a life of honesty, labor and sharing (4:28), along with kindness, forgiveness, being tender-hearted in the likeness of God (4:24, 31).
The Christian life is walking with God in one’s heart. It is a growing life of power and wisdom to overcome sin and the world. It is fearless with truth, in defiance against the god of this world that old deceiver.
With so many gifts afforded to the maturing Christian, there should always be a sense of unity and peace. Our sovereign God and Father is working His will in the lives of those who walk humbly with Him in faith. Considering what we have learned of God’s grace in election, power in salvation, and gracious inclusion of us, both Jew and Gentile, in the company of the elect, redeemed, let us therefore do truth, as we are led by God’s Spirit (Jn 16:13), in the manner of Christ, the Son of God.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
September 19, 2022
