Ephesians chapter 4, the title
of this message is the oneness, the oneness of the gospel, the
oneness of the gospel. Notice Ephesians 4 verse 4, there
is one body, one spirit, even as you are called in one hope
of your calling, there is one Lord, There is one faith. There is one baptism. There is one God. There is one Father. He's the Father of all. That
is, all of His children are sons of God. He's made us His sons,
family, who is above all, through all, and in us all, but unto
every one of us is given grace unto us." Now, he's writing to
believers, his elect. Every one of us is given grace
according to the measure of the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, believers are eager and
willing and encouraged to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit
and the bond of peace and to do this out of love for Christ
and for one another. You notice in verse 3 of Ephesians
4, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and do it out of
love, in the bond, in the bond of peace. The psalmist wrote
in Psalm 133, how good, how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell
together in unity. There is a blessed oneness and
unity between Christ and His people. There's a bond. There is a union there. Every
member of His body is vitally joined to Him and also united
to one another. We're one family. We're one body. Their hearts are knit together
in love. They do love one another. Their
hearts are knit together in love to the Lord Jesus Christ and
to one another. They're one family. They're born
of the same Spirit. They have but one Father. They
have but one hope. They have but one goal. They
have but one aim, and that is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. And they're one with Him, as
we just read a moment ago in John 17, these words, that they
all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us. that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me, and the glory which thou gavest me, I have
given them, that they may be one, even as we are one." Now
in these next verses, in Ephesians 4, from verse 4, 5 and 6, the
apostle gives us seven valid, blessed reasons We are to walk
worthy of the calling with which we've been called, and to strive
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is
one body. That's the first one. There is
one body. Now, what's he talking about
here, the body? He's talking about the body of
believers. He's talking about believers
who've been called out of darkness, death, and depravity The life
and light and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. He's talking
about His body. There is one body. Members in
particular, called by His grace, chosen by His sovereign mercy,
they make up this one body. This one body of believers. He's
talking about His one church. Talking about His one bride. His chosen. His church. Our Lord said in Matthew 16,
I will build my church and the gates of hell cannot prevail
against it. In Psalm 127, our Lord said this,
except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build
it. So there is one body of believers
of which He is the head and we are the body. The church of the
Lord Jesus Christ makes up His body. He is the head, and believers
are members in that one body. You remember back in Ephesians
chapter 1, turn back over there, Ephesians chapter 1. In verse 21, Our Lord is exalted,
enthroned above all principality and power, might and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also
in that which is to come. And it put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
which is, what is it? His body. His body, the fullness
of him, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. The church is his body. Now whenever you read that word
in scripture, it actually means those who are called out. called
out, of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of His body."
Now, if you'll turn to chapter 2 of Ephesians, verse 16, again
he talks about this body, that he might reconcile both unto
God in one body by the cross, by blood redemption, reconciled,
joined unto Him, and justified by the blood of Christ in one
body, having slain the enmity thereby." Now, there are many
local congregations up in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, many local
congregations, local assemblies, but there is one body. There
is one church of which Christ is the head, of which Christ
is Lord, of which Christ is Savior, of which Christ is Redeemer.
He is the Savior of His body. Notice in chapter 5, turn over
there. Ephesians chapter 5. Notice if you will, verse 23.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church, he is the Savior of the body. Now whose
Savior is he? He's the body's Savior. He's
the Savior of the body of which he is the head. Now salvation,
of which you know this. Salvation is not in a denomination. Salvation is not in a certain
sect, a denomination. Salvation is in a person, the
Lord Jesus Christ. There is one church, the church
of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, Hebrews
12, 23. The church, this is the church
that He chose, that He elected from the beginning of the world
that we read about in Ephesians chapter 1, according as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. This is the church
that he chose, that he elected, that he prayed about in John
17. I pray not for the world, I pray
for them which you have given me. Five or six times he mentioned
about those the Father had given to him. This church he chose
and elected from the beginning of the world. This church, he
purchased this church. with His own blood. Acts 20,
28 says that God bought the church, His body, with His own blood,
redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. This is the church
that He loved and gave Himself for. Back in Ephesians chapter
5, verse 25. Ephesians chapter 5, verse 25.
Husband, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church
and gave Himself for it. He loved the church and gave
himself for his body. This is the church that we are
instructed as ministers of the gospel, as elders in Christ. This is the church that we are
instructed to feed the Word of God unto. Peter, remember, do
you love me? Feed my sheep. Peter, do you
really love me? Feed my land. Give them a constant,
steady diet of thus saith the Lord." That's what I want to
hear. That's what God's people want to hear. What does the Word
of God teach? Not my philosophy, not my ideas
on political aspirations or social ills. What does God say about
salvation in Christ Jesus? That there is one body. Now,
here's the second thing. There's one Spirit. You see that?
There's one Spirit. One Spirit. Now he's talking
about God the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit. Father,
Son, Holy Spirit. These three are one. There is
one Spirit, God the Holy Spirit. Notice in chapter 2, Ephesians
chapter 2 verse 18, For through him we both have access by one
Spirit unto the Father. In 1 Corinthians 12, 13, we read
these words, "...for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one
body." There is but one Holy Spirit, God the Holy Spirit,
that convinces of sin, convicts of sin, and shows us what we
really are, and reveals Christ into our heart. If you miss Holy
Spirit conviction, you'll miss repentance. If you miss repentance,
you'll miss faith. If you miss true repentance,
true conviction, you'll miss faith. And if you miss faith,
you'll miss Christ. That's right. Without faith,
did you ever consider that scripture in Hebrews 11, 6? Without faith,
it is impossible to please God. Without faith, it is impossible
to please God. Now, what's he saying there?
I'll tell you what he's saying. Without Christ, it is impossible
to please God. Saving faith looks to the Lord
Jesus Christ. I'm vitally united to the living
head by this God-given, God-wrought faith. If you miss faith, true
saving faith, the faith of God's elect, you'll miss Christ. It
is God the Holy Spirit that quickens and makes us alive in Him. You
remember back in chapter 2 verse 1, And you hath he quickened
who were dead in trespasses and in sin. It's God the Holy Spirit
that reveals Christ into our heart. It is God the Holy Spirit
that gives us eyes to behold the beauty and glory of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It is God the Holy Spirit that
baptizes us into Christ and puts us in Him in our experience of
grace. Now God's people have always
been in Him. But in time, we have that experience
of grace by God the Holy Spirit teaching us and revealing Christ
into our heart and making us to know that we are one with
Him by this vital living union of faith. It is God the Holy
Spirit that comforts believers with the gospel. Now, what does
God the Holy Spirit comfort with? Our Lord said this in John 16
verse 3, when God, when He the Spirit of truth has come, He
will take the things of mine and show them unto you. It is God the Holy Spirit that
comforts believers with the gospel of Christ. It is God the Holy
Spirit who seals believers until the day of complete deliverance
and eternal glory. Now turn back to chapter 1, you
remember verses 13 and 14, Ephesians chapter 1, verse 13 and 14, were
sealed with the Holy Spirit, in whom you also trusted, chapter
1, verse 13, in whom you also trusted after you heard the word
of truth. There is a necessity to hear
the word of truth. The gospel of your salvation,
in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until
the redemption of the purchased possession and to the praise
of His glory, you're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."
Sealed, kept by the power of God. It is God the Holy Spirit
who seals a believer until the time of complete deliverance
in glory, kept by His power. So if you got the first two,
there's just one body. Believers make up this one body.
They're put in there by the power of God. They're kept in there
by the power of God. We're one family in Christ Jesus. We're no more strangers and foreigners
and fellow citizens, but fellow citizens with the saints and
are of the household of God. So there's one body, one spirit,
even as you're called, here's the third thing, even as you're
called in one hope, one hope of your calling. There's one
hope, one hope of your calling. Now this is a high calling, this
is a holy calling, this is a heavenly calling that we talked about
last week. There's one hope of this calling. That one hope is
Christ in you, the hope of glory. As it says in second Thessalonians
2, verse 16, it's a good hope through Christ. We have an everlasting
consolation and a good hope through Christ Jesus. A good hope through
grace. All believers have this same
hope. No matter where you run into
them, all believers have this same living hope. It is Christ who is our hope. Christ. All believers have this
same hope in Christ. They are all loved with the same
love, with an everlasting and eternal love. They are chosen,
all chosen in the same head. Beloved, God has chosen us from
the beginning. They are secured in the same
covenant of grace that's ordered in all things and is sure. They
are bought with the same price and that price is His blood.
We are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. They are all
justified by the same justifying righteousness, and that is the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, they are all
equally sons of God. And even so, heirs of the same
heavenly inheritance. Heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ Jesus. It's an inheritance that's incorruptible,
that's undefiled, that fades not away, that's reserved in
heaven for you. We're all equally loved, blessed,
and chosen of God. We're all made kings and priests
under our God. You see, there's one hope of
this calling. One hope of this calling. We're all made kings
and priests under our God. And we sing that same song of
redemption unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sin
in His own blood. To Him be glory both now and
forever. There is but one kingdom, one
crown, one inheritance for all of God's elect. We are made heirs
of God in joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. You see what
he's saying there? One body, one spirit, even as
you're called, and one hope of your calling. And then he says,
fourthly, there is one Lord. There is one Lord. You know what this is? This is
the doctrine of oneness. This is the doctrine of oneness.
There's one Lord. There's one Lord. And he's talking
here about the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, there's only one
saving and true gospel. There is one Lord. There's only
one saving and true gospel. Now, there are many counterfeits. There are many sham gospels. There are many So-called people
who say they have the hold on the truth, but there is only
one saving true gospel, and we read about it in Romans 1, verse
1, the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. There's
just one saving true gospel. That's why Paul said, I'm not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ, It is the power of God unto salvation. There is one Lord Jesus Christ. He is Lord by right of creation. All things that are made, He
made them. He's Lord by right of creation.
Turn over to Colossians chapter 1. I know you've seen this before,
but Colossians chapter 1, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ who
is one Lord, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature, Colossians 1.15, for by Him were all things
created that are in heaven, created, that are in heaven, earth, visible,
invisible, whether it be thrones or dominions, principalities
or powers, all things were created by Him and all things created
for Him, for His glory, for His use, for His purpose. He is before
all things and by Him all things consist. They're held together,
that word means consist. He is the head of the body, the
church, the called out, who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminent.
For please the Father, that in Him should all fullness dwell. There is one Lord Jesus Christ,
and He's Lord by right of creation. He made all things by Him and
for Him. And all things are held together
by Him. He upholds all things by the
word of His power. He is Lord by the eternal decree
of God. Now he is talking about His mediatorial
office. He is Lord by the eternal decree
of God. Remember what Peter declared
at Pentecost that day? This same Jesus whom you crucified,
God has made Him both Lord and Christ. There is one Lord. There
is one Lord. He is Lord by God's eternal decree
and mandate. He is Lord by His sacrificial
death. That is, He bought us with His
own blood. We read in I Corinthians 6.24,
"...you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your
body and your spirit, which are His." We are His. He bought us. He is our Lord by purchase, by
decree. and by creation. He is Lord to
God's people, to His church in a very special way, in that He
chose them to be His bride. He married them in that covenant
of grace. And as such, they honor Him,
they receive Him, and they worship Him as Lord. Remember in John 13, when the
Lord Jesus was showing humility, and servitude unto his disciples. He girded himself with a towel
and commenced to wash their feet. And he said this, You call me
Lord and Master, and you say, Well, for so I am. I am. You see, there's one Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, there are many false Christs.
There are many false gospels. But there's one true gospel,
one true church. one true Lord. And that leads
us to number five, there's one faith. There's one faith. There's
one faith. This is the faith of God's elect.
As we've read in Titus 1.1, this is the faith of God's elect that
acknowledges the truth, that acknowledges the truth of who
God is, sovereign, who we are, totally depraved, acknowledges
the truth of salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. This
faith in Scripture is called precious faith, obtained with
the precious blood of Christ. This is the faith of God's elect,
that the sovereign gift of God, not of worthless any man should
bow. This is a faith that's God-given, God-wrought. This is a faith
that has but one author, one giver. He is the author and finisher
of faith. He is the reason we believe.
We believe according to the working of His mighty power. This faith
has but one object. What is that one object of saving
faith? It's that one Lord. It's that
one Lord. Jesus Christ the righteous. Our
Lord said in Isaiah 45, he said, look unto me and be ye saved.
All the ends of the earth. I am God and there is no other.
There's no other Savior but the Lord Jesus. There is but one
faith. Faith has but one object and
that's Christ. I want to have that faith, don't
you? This faith all springs from the same cause, the same source,
the sovereign will and good pleasure of God. By nature, our heart
is full of unbelief, darkness. It's only by the sovereign grace
of God that we believe the gospel of God's grace. You see, there's
one body, there's one spirit. Even as you're called in one
hope of your calling, there's one Lord, there's one faith.
the faith of God's elect. And then, number six, it said
there's one, there's just one baptism. There's just one baptism. Now, this is the way believers
are to confess their faith in Christ publicly. By believer's
baptism. Now, notice what I said, it's
believer's baptism. And there's one baptism. One
baptism. Believer's baptism. And this
baptism pictures his death burial and resurrection. It's a demonstration
of our publicly demonstrating that the Lord's death, burial
and resurrection is our hope of salvation, Christ. This is
to be administered one way and the same way by immersion in
water. You see, it's a burial, it's
a burial. And that's a picture of Christ's
death, burial, and resurrection. This is to be administered one
way and the same way by immersion in water on one and the same
subject, believers in Christ Jesus, in one and the same name,
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, listen to me carefully.
Don't misunderstand me. This is not believers' baptism. It is not essential to salvation. The thief on the cross He went
to glory. But as far as I know, he never
confessed Christ in the waters of baptism, but he did confess
Christ, Lord, remember me, when you come to that kingdom. And
if God would have given him opportunity, he would certainly confess the
Lord Jesus Christ in believers' baptism. But baptism is not essential
salvation. Christ is essential salvation.
Salvation is all of grace, but I tell you what, Baptism is essential
to our obedience unto the Lord's command. He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved. Now, listen to this. Many, many
religions have wrongly made water baptism as the means of salvation,
and it's not. Many religions have wrongly made
water baptism the Savior. Now they have. They've made water
baptism the Redeemer. Some have even gone so far as
to make water baptism the mode of regeneration. And that cannot
be. That cannot be. It's not the
cause of salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
cause of salvation. The Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ
is the Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
Redeemer. It's in His person that we have life. in salvation. Our Lord said, I'm the way, I'm
the truth, I'm the life. No man comes unto the Father
but by and through me." You see, there's one baptism. There's
one Lord. There's one faith. There's one
baptism. And believers delight to confess
the Lord Jesus Christ in believers' baptism. Like that eunuch that
day out there in the desert. He wanted to confess the Lord
Jesus Christ in the waters of baptism. Seeing here as water,
what did hinder me to being baptized? Well, one thing, do you believe? I believe that Jesus is the Christ
and He confessed Christ in the waters of baptism. So there's
one God, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Now here's the last
one. One God. One God and Father of all, who
is above all, and through all, and in you all. One true and
living God, who is the absolute sovereign, the absolute ruler,
the absolute God over all things in creation, providence, and
in salvation. Our great God is the absolute
ruler over all nations, over all people. They are accountable
unto Him. He is the supreme God. Our God
is God. The God of the Bible is God,
absolute God. We read in Psalm 135, For I know
that the Lord is great, that our Lord is above all gods, and
whatsoever the Lord please, that did He in heaven and earth and
seas and all deep places. Our God does according to His
will in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of this earth
and none can stay His hand or say unto Him, Lord God, what
are you doing? One God and Father of all who
is above all and through all and in you all. Our great and
sovereign Lord is not the Father of all men. He is only the Father
of His covenant people. He's made us sons of God. By
His grace. We read these words in 1 John
3, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us that we should be called sons of God. Having loved His own,
He loved them to the end. In a very special, intimate way,
God has a peculiar relationship to His people. The people of
His pasture and the sheep of His hand. He is our Shepherd
who is, look what it says, God our Savior. He's above all. He's through all. And He's in
you all. Now, He's above all. He's above
all. There's no one higher than He
is. He is above all. And then it says, He is through
all. Through all. That is, He provides
for His people with a generous hand. When the Lord opens His
hand, we're filled with His goodness. He provides for all according
to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus, who is in you all. Christ in you, the hope of glory. You remember in chapter 2, verse
21 and 22 of Ephesians, in whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye
also are built together for habitation of God, built together for habitation
of God, through the Spirit. He's above all, through all,
provides for all, and He is in you all. In you all. I like that
scripture. One of my favorite over in Romans
11 verse 36. For of Him and through Him and
to Him are all things to whom be glory both now and forever. Forever. Look at verse 7 and
I'll quit with this. But unto every one of us is given
grace according, according to the measure of the gift of the
Lord Jesus Christ. God's grace is given to whom
He will. God's grace is not merited grace,
deserved grace, rather it's free, infinite, eternal, and sovereign
grace given us in Christ Jesus. Given according to the measure
of the gift of Christ. It's grace because of grace. in Christ Jesus.