Fellow believers in the Lord Jesus, how do we " keep " this?

Question

Was freshly appreciating this verse in Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:3
Being diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace:

So I wanted to put this matter to you.  What does it mean to ' keep" the oneness of the Spirit here on R&S, where we come from different churches, with different emphasis in the Word, different names that distinguish us etc, in the uniting bond of peace?

You can only keep that which is already yours. And we know that this Oneness of the Spirit is not something that we have in and of ourselves, but we have been brought into when we believed into the Son of God and received His life into us.  Regeneration gives us the divine Life of God in our spirit, a life of Oneness. So in the Spirit we are all One.

But what does it mean to us, to " keep " this Oneness of the Spirit, and not only this, but to keep it in the uniting bond of peace?

Thank you so much fellow lovers of Jesus for taking the time to ponder on this crucial matter.
Unbelievers know that we are Christians by our love.  By our Oneness.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

In the KJV it reads... "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

"unity of the Spirit" is a phrase which means we all are lead by the same spirit. A good example is found in Philippians....

Php_2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

God did not want us to be fragmented into hundreds of different groups like we are today.  Sadly, everyone does that which is right in their OWN eyes and not what God's Word says.

Yorkshire Lass · Answer

The Bible is meaning the oneness of being united in the Holy Spirit-united in loving and following Jesus Christ, and united in loving and caring for each other.

God accepts that there will always will be doctrinal differences but these truly CAN BE put on the back burner. I and hubby pray and worship with Christians of many strands of the Protestants churches and renewed R Catholics, we also befriend Jehovah's Witnesses (God truly loves them - he has revealed this to us!)though there is only an impaired unity here because of their limited revelation re Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

ra†ia · Answer

Salaams Sandy....

this Oneness of the Spirit includes other Religions.
if ones abides by John 13:35...

they will love all,
regardless of whether they are Christian or not.

we remember that Jesus [Isa (A.S.)] loved the sinners and all who were interested in the Truth.  (Luke 11:28).

What is the Truth but that God is the LORD of us all?  [6:18 Holy Qur'an].

Bismillah.
Hear o Israel,
The LORD our God is One.

Praise be to our LORD.

He has revealed to thee the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. - 3:3 Holy Qur'an.

Alhamdulillah.
Selah.

and God always Knows Best.  Psalm 133.

and Saint Francis of Assisi kissed the Lepers.

so if one is a Christian...  it is wise to follow the example of 1 Peter 5:14.
:)

wa salaams.
[Subhan-Allahi wa biHamdihi.  Assalato wassalamo alaika ya Rasool Allah.  Amen.]
edit: [Bismillah 24:41-42, 24:35-36 and others, Holy Qur'an.]

Mister Kelly · Answer

In good branches, there is life continuous.  Not just life in the branches, but continuous "green" to the root.  Romans 11 is taught and preached often in Messianic Jewish congregations, but in Goyim congregations, it seems to me that Romans 11 is rarely studied.

? · Answer

It is our duty to keep that unity, recognize it as real and act upon it.
John 17:20-26 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You: and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
Thank you for this question :)

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Fellow believers in the Lord Jesus, how do we " keep " this?

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