It is very significant that we are exhorted to keep “the unity of the SPIRIT in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). We are not exhorted to keep the unity of the one body. Those, who imagine this is so, have a doctrine before them. We have known Christian men stand for this with heat and fleshly zeal, and bring about the very opposite of what they desire, for such fleshly zeal only ends in disaster and division.
But to keep “the unity of the SPIRIT” means that I must be in the Spirit myself, walking in the manner that the Spirit would lead to, in the Spirit of Him to whom the Spirit was not given by measure, when He, who was “the mighty God, stooped down to man’s estate, and as Man walked in the power of the Spirit every step of His wonderful journey on earth.
It follows that the nearer we get to the Spirit the nearer we get to each other. And there is no other way before God than this. This will not drive me to read up books written on the subject, though they have their place, but to my knees, that I might be found walking in the Spirit. There can be no substitute for this. Am I walking in the power of the Spirit of God, or simply intelligent as to the Scriptures, and knowing little of the Spirit-filled life before God?
It is possible alas! too common, to be a mere heady doctrinaire without any working knowledge of the power of the truth.
If this statement irritates any reader, it shows that he needs this side of things being put before him. It shows there is a tender spot, and that tender spot has been touched. Thrice happy is the man that welcomes the wounds of a friend. That is the straight road to healing.
“But,” says some reader, “try as I may. I find it difficult to get along with trying brothers and sisters. I seek to walk in the Spirit, but others do not, what am I to do?”
Ephesians 4:2 shows the answer to your question. First, you must be right yourself. It is indeed happy to be walking in the Spirit as before the Lord, but the test comes when we meet the flesh in others. How soon flesh is answered by flesh, we know in one’s own experience. How slow we are to suffer what is not of the Spirit. First we are told what we should be lowly and meek. These are two graces that grow on one stem. A lowly person is a meek person, a meek person is a lowly person.
What is the difference between lowliness and meekness? Lowliness is what I am in myself. Meekness, what I am in relation to others. Lowliness is the opposite of having exalted thoughts of myself. It is the opposite of pride, which with lust makes up the world in all its corruption. It has been noticed that individuals who have the ego developed to a marked degree border on insanity. Such must always be drawing attention to themselves and their doings. If they have not spoken in a fellowship meeting it is a poor meeting. If they have, it is a wonderful meeting. Alas! how we all have an element of this in us, even if we have the good sense not to bring it to the surface We can at least judge ourselves, and make it a matter for prayer and getting into God’s presence, where little men cannot strut and be important. A really humble man is humble, and does not think of himself.
A meek man is one who can stand snubs and unworthy persecution from others.
Generally you find there has been a good deal of discipline in the school of God before this is arrived at. Who stands forth as the meekest man in Scripture, but Moses? Yet he had to turn his back upon the splendour of the court of Pharaoh, and be a shepherd in the backside of the desert of Midian for forty years. What a change! Moses must have been a great man, a personality, the like of which is scarcely thrown up once in a century. He must have been conscious of great powers. Yet he had to learn this lesson. He was thus fitted to lead a stiff-necked and rebellious people through the desert another forty years a truly marvellous feat.
It is good when a man can in the Spirit meekly take insults and snubs, and not be turned aside by such things. The more a man seeks to walk in the Spirit, the more will the enemy seek to trip such up by stirring up the flesh in others to take a contradictory course.
There rise up before one’s vision our blessed Lord. He Himself says, “I am meek and lowly of heart” (Matt. 11:29). It touches one’s heart to think of “the mighty God,” the eternal Son of God, the Creator of the myriad wonders of creation, the Sustainer of the illimitable universe, stooping down to manhood so completely that He could say, “I am meek and lowly of heart.” We may well seek to follow in HIS steps.
The next thing our verse exhorts the believer to, who seeks to keep “the unity of the SPIRIT in the bond of peace,” is long-suffering. Here let us throw in a word of caution. It would be pride on my part, if I were to imagine that on my side was the Spirit, and perfection of conduct, and that all the flesh is on the other side. We need to be open-minded and believe that it is possible to have some irritating qualities about ourselves. We are not perfect. We ought to remember this, and walk in humility.
But suppose a brother or sister is difficult to walk with. Long-suffering is to be the motto. Not suffering once or twice, but LONG-suffering, it may be for long years.
When Peter asked the Lord if he should forgive his brother seven times, “Jesus says to him, I say not to thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:22). That does not exactly mean 490 times, but it means go on doing it as long as there is a needs-be. It does not mean that we are to condone sin against the Lord, but when it affects ourselves there is to be the spirit of forgiveness ever in our hearts, and readiness to express it.
Finally in our verse we have the exhortation, “Forbearing one another, IN LOVE.” To maintain love to the difficult brother or sister can only be brought about by walking in the SPIRIT. The first thing mentioned as “the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE” (Gal. 5:22). It is so easy to be a mere doctrinaire, and hold the doctrine that I should show love to a difficult brother or sister, but do I do it? That is the point.
I feel sure that if there were “the endeavouring to keep the unity of the SPIRIT in the bond of peace” there would be a great revival of true Christian life in the assemblies of God’s people. May it be so.