There are places in the Bible where when it discusses some vital truth it emphatically affirms, “There is one.” When these words are used it implies two truths. One truth is that that truth does exist. You can never say there is none when the Bible says there is one. The second truth is that this denies there could be two, three or even more. No mortal has any right to ever say there is none, nor to ever say there is more than one. Revelation 22:18-19 prohibits us from adding even one thing to what God says or to ever take away even one thing God says. I love the way a lady from Trinidad said it. “You cannot plus or minus the Bible.” Let’s take time to look at the seven “ones” God affirms in Ephesians chapter four.
“There is one body” (v. 4). What is that one body? Ephesians 1:22-23 clearly says the body is the church, this demands that there is one church. Jesus promised to build it and that when it was built nothing would prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). There are many churches in our land, but Jesus established one—not two or many. It is still on this earth today. To find it, read the Bible to see that church which He built, then search and find it using the Bible as your guide.
“There is…one Spirit” (v. 4). There is no question that this is the Holy Spirit who guided the apostles into all the truth (John 16:13). The one Spirit gave all the truth in the first century (2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3). There is only one—not two or many. No mortal can say the Holy Spirit has revealed more truth to him!
“There is…one hope” (v. 4). The foundation of hope is faith (Heb. 11:1) and that faith comes from hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). Reading the words given by the one Spirit creates that hope. There are not many hopes, only the one given by God and by which we are saved (Rom. 8:24).
“There is…one Lord” (v. 5). That Lord is Jesus. The word lord means one who has authority, and Jesus has all authority (Matt. 28:18). The one church is built on the words given by the one Spirit who gives this one hope. There is only one Lord.
“There is…one faith” (v. 5). That faith is the one which comes from hearing the faith preached by the early church (Rom. 10:17; Gal. 1:23). There are not many bodies, and there are not many faiths given by the one Lord. Our faith comes from the one faith.
“There is…one baptism” (v. 5). It is in water (Acts 8:36-38), and it is a burial in water (Rom. 6:4). The one Lord told the apostles to go and baptize (immerse) people and then to teach them to go and baptize others with that one baptism.
“There is…one God” (v. 6). We know who He is. It is He who has given us all of these seven “ones.” Glorify Him!
-Dan Jenkins
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