Ephesians 4:1-16 English Standard Version

Unity in the Body of Christ

¹ I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

⁹ (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

John 7:24 English Standard Version (ESV) Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

I have always seen things in black and white. That is just part of who I am as a natural born, born in the flesh. When I became born again, that part of my natural born personality became enhanced and reinforce by the Holy Spirit.

Being born to know what is right does not make us able to do right. Being able to do right comes from righteousness which is not a natural born trait. It is however part and parcel to being born in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, who is the third person of God, He is Holy and Righteous. He is the source of right judgment.

What is lacking in natural born judgment is how righteousness approaches truth. He sees beyond the obvious. In the natural born we see nothing but violations in our black and white world. There is no mercy or grace that emanates from a world that is either black or white, right or wrong.

Matthew 9:13 English Standard Version (ESV) Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Seeing who needs salvation does not teach you how to bring them salvation. Jesus did that by living God’s perfect love as the example. We did not walk in righteousness just because we knew right from wrong. Paul addressed those difficult issues in Romans 7. He finished that chapter by acknowledging Jesus Christ as being the answer to the problem.

In the very next chapter Paul begins with therefor there is no condemnation. Knowing the truth in black and white does not give us the right to condemn. We cannot walk by faith without Christ nor can we exercise right judgment without Him who is righteous.