Ephesians 4:1-6. How does the concept of commitment fit into our daily life and our life style as a whole? The idea of committing one's life is not something that should be taken lightly nor is it something that should be shrugged off without consideration. Commitments with regard to our relationships with other people especially in the area of marriage and family should not be taken lightly. Marriages will succeed or fail on the basis of commitment or the lack of it. The same is true of friendships, business, or churches. Foundation to everything else is our commitment to God through Jesus Christ. Without that basic relationship, life is random at best and ultimately doomed to failure. Jesus' complete commitment to us is illustrated in the cross; in fact, His whole life was lived with that in view. Commitment is a decision of the will! In our Scripture today, Paul is talking about the ingredients that make up the concept of commitment. These include attitude, scope of the commitment, behavior, and some of the foundational truths upon which our unity is to be built. Parallel to our commitment to Christ should be our t to one another as fellow members of the body of Christ. Our attitudes in this relationship should be characterized by humbleness, gentleness and patience. If we can keep in mind that we all need to be on the same team, that we need to be in cooperation not competition with one another; and that our fellow believers are not the enemy. It is important to remember that some commitments do not go together, for example, a commitment to parties and drugs does not mix with commitment to our family. Even with commitments that are compatible, they must be prioritized. It is important enough that Paul would remind us to, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Committed to Unity & Peace