What is the one body and one baptism of Ephesians chapter 4 verses 4-5?

Answer 1

This is a passage where Paul (who is in prison) encourages the church at Ephesus to remain unified. Contemporary English versions may help make the meaning clear. 1As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. 2Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. 3Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. 4All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. 5We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 6There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. (Contemporary English Version) 1-3In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk-better yet, run!-on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline-not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. 4-6You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. (Message Translation) Answer I agree with all said above. But the meaning of one body, and one baptism is this: The one Body, is The Body of Christ. This is Christ (as the husband) and the church (as the wife, or bride of Christ) as One, or One body. Just as Husband and Wife (bride) are Joined together to become one, one Body, One Flesh at marriage, just as it says in Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. The one baptism is the baptism discussed in all of Romans 6 Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Baptism means immersion, as in to fully put you into something else so you are completely surrounded by that which you are put into. The one baptism is not speaking of water baptism. We partake in water baptism because it is a picture of the spiritual reality that we are baptized into Christ and His death. When we participate in water baptism we are giving a public witness that we identify our selves with Christ and are baptized into Christ and so likewise are baptized into His death and burial, and resurrection. We are "fully put in Him" (immersed, baptized into Him), when we get saved, and fully therefore become part of Him, and so are likewise fully put into (immersed, or baptized into) all that pertains to Him, even His death, burial, and resurrection. Read all of Romans 6, it goes into detail what this baptism is all about, the one baptism, what it accomplishes, and what that means for us as believers now, since we have believed. This is the reason for the unity of the Spirit, that Paul calls us to keep in the preceding verse in Ephesians 4:3. Keep is meant in a "military" sense, as in watch or guard We are to be watchful and be on Guard in order to keep this Unity with our brethren, implying of course that it is something that can be lost. We are to keep this unity of The Spirit that in the bond of peace. That is we are to make every effort to keep this Unity of the Spirit with all our brethren in a peaceful manner, not by cracking the whip. However the implication is that we may endeavor all we can, but some brethren will not come together around the truth by our peaceful manner in hoping to persuade, and then and only then is the brother to be subjected to less pleasant dealings with. But that is another subject entirely, dealing with effective church disciplining of offending members who refuse to do whats right after repeated warnings. Good question.