#1441. One Lord, one faith, one baptism (29/1/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.

From Ephesians 4:5, we see that our loving unity is both formed and protected by our shared confession: one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

To watch this devotional, please select the link below: 

We are focussing on verse 5:

In this section, Paul urges believers to make every effort to preserve the unity and loving relationships that the Spirit gives - relationships that are precious to the Holy Spirit. To reinforce why this effort matters, he reminds them of what they share in common: one Lord, one faith, one baptism. How do these truths help us build a loving and devoted church?

i. One Lord

Firstly, Paul reminds them that they share the same Lord—Jesus Christ. He is their Lord, and therefore His will, character, and values are to shape their lives. This echoes the foundational confession from Deuteronomy:

Along with affirming the divinity of the Lord Jesus, this confession calls us to continually acknowledge Him as Lord. Division, rivalry, and unfaithfulness have no place where Christ is truly honoured.

For both Jews and former idol-worshipping Gentiles, this was radical: they now confessed the same Jesus as Lord and God.

If Jesus is our Lord - if we are genuinely seeking to honour and obey Him - how can we remain divided?

Jesus, our Lord, loves peace and unity in His church, and so should we.

ii. One faith

Secondly, unity is strengthened by our shared one faith.

This refers to the common body of truth that defines Christian belief. Even at this early stage in the life of the church, believers shared essential teachings - what it meant to belong to God and to live in fellowship with one another.

At its heart, this ‘one faith’ points to the gospel itself. No matter their background—Jew or Gentile—all were saved and redeemed in the same way: by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

There is therefore no room for pride in heritage, race, or religious performance. We were all equally lost—dead in sin—and we all share equally in the grace of God that brings us into His family. Paul has already reminded us of this earlier in the letter:

Those who truly understand that they are saved by grace through faith will seek to forgive others and pursue healthy, grace-filled relationships.

iii. One baptism

Thirdly, our love and harmony are supported by our shared one baptism.

Christian baptism is closely linked to the one Lord and one faith. Following faith in Christ, believers are baptised in water as a public declaration of their identification with Him. Baptism symbolises our death to sin and our resurrection to new life in Christ.

Peter declared God’s command clearly on the day of Pentecost:

This “one baptism” also reminds us of our baptism by the Spirit—by whom we are united to Christ and to one another as one body.

Those who properly understand baptism—its meaning of new life in Christ, spiritual union by the Spirit, and shared identity with all believers—will be committed to peace, humility, and harmony within the church.

Response

Our loving unity is formed and protected by our shared confession: one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

• Is Jesus our Lord? Then we should love His church.

• Have we understood that we are sinners saved by grace through faith? Then we should forgive as we have been forgiven.

• Have we been baptised in water? Then we should remember that it points to our new life and union with Christ and with all believers—so let us keep the unity that the Spirit gives.

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

Something that builds relationships and confidence to share; it’s good to regularly use this moment to ask the group: How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we continued our new series entitled: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. The title of Sunday’s message was: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. 

Please read Ephesians 4:1-6 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection – From Sunday’s message and this passage, what stood out to you? Was there anything the Spirit particularly impressed on your heart?

• Live worthy of our calling (v.1) -  Paul, from prison, urges them to ‘live a life worthy of the calling you have received.’ What does this mean, and what does this text teach about the kind of ‘worthy’ lifestyle that we are called to? 

• Keep the unity of the Spirit (v.3) -   What is meant by the ‘unity of the Spirit’?

• One Body, one Spirit, one Hope… (v.4–6) - How are we to understand each of these ‘one…’ statements, and how do they lead to loving unity? 

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• How might today’s text encourage us or direct us in our desire to bring our community to Jesus? 

• Sharing Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing stories of how we’ve seen God at work through simple faithfulness.

• Practical Next Steps – Who might God be placing on your heart at this time? Are there any “people of peace” (see note) in your life—those who seem open, welcoming, or receptive to spiritual conversation?

Let’s Pray Together

Let’s pray for one another in light of what we’ve studied and bring any other needs before God.

• Pray for courage, wisdom, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our Serve, Invest, and Invite opportunities.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - that God would open hearts and deepen relationships.

• Ask God to work through us by His power, so that others may come to know Christ.