Useful Bible Studies > Ephesians Commentary > chapter 4

One God and Father

Ephesians 4:6

There is one God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In verse 4, Paul spoke about the one Holy Spirit, who works in the lives of all God’s people. Then (verse 5), he referred to Christ as the ‘one Lord’, in other words, the one master and God whom all Christians obey.

Here in verse 6, his subject is God the Father. We can call God the Father of all things, because he created all things. However, Christians have a special right to call God their Father, because he has made them members of his family (John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-16). They are his children and he is their Father.

Paul says that God is ‘over all, through all and in all’. Again, we can understand these words generally to refer to all things; or we can refer them particularly to Christians. So, God has authority over everything that he has created. His power works through everything to achieve his purposes on behalf of his people (Romans 8:28). He is present in every place (Psalm 139:7-12).

However, Paul probably intends his words to refer particularly to Christians as the people of God. Christians are very different from each other, but they all serve the one true God. They are people who accept God’s authority over them; they gladly praise him as the great King who rules over everything (Psalm 95:3). God is working through their lives; he even uses them to do his work in this world (Romans chapter 12; Ephesians 4:11-13).

God is present in the lives of all his people. Christ said that God the Father will make his home in their lives (John 14:23). That statement astonishes us. God, whose home is above the heavens, has also chosen to live with his people (Isaiah 57:15).

Next part: Christ's gifts when he defeated his enemies (Ephesians 4:7-8)

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