Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

This is a short verse which basically completes the sentence of the first two verses.

We are supposed to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. We are to do this with humility and gentleness with patience and forbearance. Part of the goal here is to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

What does it mean to keep the unity of the Spirit. In the next verse, Paul is going to tell us that there is one body, one Lord, one baptism, one God and father. So, there already is a unity of the Spirit. God is one. There is no division in Him. The body is one, and so there is no actual division in it organically, even though outwardly it seems as though there are many divisions.

So our goal in living in a way that our calling demands requires that we should be eager to maintain that unity. We have to do all we can to keep the unity. We can’t control what others do.

The unity is held together by a bond of peace. Romans 12:18 tells us that as much as it lies within us, we should live peaceably with all men. Especially in the body this should be true. All that was said about humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance is aimed at making that bond of peace possible. And this results in maintaining the unity of the Spirit.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 10:39 AM January 13, 2021.