The chapter begins with Paul asking us to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called. We have the privilege, blessing and honor to know God and be called His. For this reason, we should honor Him in all that we do, but especially in what we are called to do. God isn’t in a box, He has so many creative and unique ways for His children to serve Him; we just need to make sure that we not only talk the talk but we walk the walk that He is wanting us to walk. One of the worsts things that can deter people from church are those who talk the talk but don’t walk to the walk. We don’t ever want to be a hypocrite or come off that way, but even more so we should want to thrive in whatever it is that God has called us to do. We should want to walk a walk that is worthy of the calling that He has called us for. We need to be humble, gentle, patient and bearing one another with love to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The more we get to know God and allow Him to renew our minds through the discipline of repentance, the more we will receive these traits.

            Paul says there is one body and one Spirit just as we were called in one hope for our calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all; who is above all, through all and in us all. We can choose to receive the Holy Spirit, His spirit, God. We are called in hope for whatever it is that He has called us for specifically. There is one Lord who is a triunity; He is God the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus.

            There is one faith and one baptism. This verse can be confusing because we can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and we can also do a water baptism yet Paul says one baptism; this confusion has caused debates. In verse four Paul states that there is one body and one Spirit, because Paul already addressed the fact that there is one Spirit here I believe the one baptism He is referring to is in regards to the water baptism. We have a Spirit man and when we choose to receive the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17 says that we become one Spirit which is what Paul says (one Spirit). Our spirit mingles with the Holy Spirit and becomes one. A visual aid of this is if you make a cup of hot tea; you take hot water and add a tea bag to it. It is now a cup of hot tea yet there is still water in the cup and yet it is now fully one drink as tea. The water and the tea have joined together and are now one. Since Paul discussed the one Spirit in verse four and continues after that about one calling, one Lord, one faith and one baptism; for this reason many believe that the one baptism Paul is talking about here is the water baptism. Because there is one Spirit, once we choose to receive the Holy Spirit, through that God the Father is now in us all.

            Paul continues to say that to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Whatever He has called us to do, He will provide the amount of grace we need to accomplish our calling. Take note, He gives the grace according to the measure of Christs gift, we need to know what our calling is and make sure we follow His path and not try to make our own. We need to know that we are asking for grace in the areas that He has called us to, we don’t want to work against His gifts unintentionally. We need to seek God and focus on Him and when we are ready He will reveal to us our calling.

            Christ ascended on high and He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. Paul states this then says that in order to ascend one had to have first descending thus stating His position. He Himself gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry. One who is born again can evangelize, preach the word of God, teach the word of God, and receive words of knowledge. However we will have a specific calling where we will go even further in a certain part. For example God can call someone to preach/teach and God can still prophecy through them and have them evangelize but their main focus might be on the preaching and teaching aspect. We are all to be disciples; disciples share the word of God thus can preach and teach at times, God can give them a word of knowledge to share with someone in a moment, God can have them evangelize and maybe even be an apostle. If we are called to really flourish in one gift, it doesn’t negate the others. If someone is called to be a prophet, that is where God has Him spend most of his time, yet He can still operate in the other areas, why? Because it’s not us operating in the other areas it’s God in us doing it. The area God really wants to use you in though, He will provide the grace needed to perform that gift in a way that is worthy.

            The church has a responsibility, to make disciples in every nation. We do this by knowing God and being obedient to what He has called us to do yet be humbled to know its not us doing anything, its Him working through us. The more we know God the more we know Him and His truth and the less we will be tempted to be tossed to and fro by false doctrines. We need to speak the truth in love and grow up in all things into Him who is the head from whom the whole body joined together. The church needs unity, and as long as we focus on minute details that keeps us apart, the distance will grow. We need to be mindful and loving with those who might believe some things a little different than we do. As long as they know and believe in Jesus, give them the grace to realize that maybe they believe something different than you because in that moment they simply haven’t had a revelation to know different, or vice versa. There is so much to learn of God and His word, we will be blessed in learning something knew about Him every day. Rather than focus on what divides us we need to see others with love and grace and unite in the fact that we both believe and follow Jesus.