Charles Ellicott Commentary Ephesians 4:1

"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called," — Ephesians 4:1 (ASV)

Worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.—This “being worthy of the Christian calling” may obviously show itself in any of the graces of regenerate humanity, all being features of the image of Christ. Thus in 1 Peter 1:15 it expresses itself in “holiness” (as in the frequent phrase called to be saints); in Philippians 1:27-30, in steadfastness of faith. But in this passage the especial point which has been dwelt upon in their calling is the fact that they were aliens, helpless and miserable, and that they are now united in one body with the ancient people of God. Hence, naturally, the graces declared to correspond with their calling, so viewed, are the graces of humility and gentleness, teaching them to sink all thought of self in the unity of the Spirit.

On verses 1-6:

Ephesians 4:1–6, although cast in a hortatory form, contains the final summary of the great doctrine of the Epistle—THE UNITY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH—in words which have all the glowing freedom of spiritual enthusiasm, and all the clear-cut precision of a creed.

Thus:

1. The ground of that unity is laid in that spiritual communion of each soul with the one Spirit, the one Lord, and the one God and Father of all, which underlies all outward ordinance, and which no power of man can either give or take away.
2. The means of entering that unity is the one baptism, ordained by Christ Himself, universal in the Christian world, capable of being ministered (though irregularly) by any Christian hand.
3. The graces, which in germ are conditions, and in full growth are effects, of such unity are the one hope, the one faith, the one bond of peace or charity. These last most of all depend on the “fellow-working” of man—primarily in the soul receiving them, and secondarily in all who can influence it for good and for evil.

We have here a perfect and exhaustive exposition of the unity of the Church, on which depend the other qualities of “Holiness,” “Catholicity,” and “Apostolicity” ascribed to it in the Creed.

In other passages the essential life of the Church is attributed, now to the revelation of the Father (Matthew 16:17–18), now to the indwelling presence of the Son (Matthew 28:20), now to the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38–39). Here all are united in one comprehensive view.

The order, however, is natural, not artificial. The exhortation to peace naturally leads to the conception of one Body, animated by the one Spirit; next, the remembrance of their calling leads to the one Lord, who called them to Him in one faith and by one baptism; and all ends in the contemplation of the one God and Father, who is not only above all and through all His creation, but especially in those who are adopted to a new sonship in Christ .

In its completeness and depth this passage stands alone. It is interesting to compare and contrast with it the equally celebrated passage occupying the corresponding place in the Colossian Epistle (Colossians 3:1–4), and to gather from this the mingled similarity and difference in the main idea of those two Epistles—the Ephesian Epistle dwelling especially on the unity and regeneration of the whole body, the Colossian Epistle on the sole Headship and Deity of Christ.