Today’s traditions tend to distort how we read the New Testament. Remember that when Paul wrote Ephesians, no denominations existed. Their councils had not met to define the “one faith.” For Paul’s intended meaning, we consider his mission and the context in which “one faith” appears. Through Paul—with the other foundational “apostles and prophets”—the Holy Spirit reveals Christ’s welcome and teachings for the Gentiles. In Ephesians 4, the “unity of the faith” is about growing “in every way” to full maturity in Christ. That scope is confirmed by Paul’s other references to “the faith.” So, the “one faith” is not simplistic, not a minimal platform for human agreement. Instead, it captures “every thought to obey Christ.” Do we comprehend everything about our “one Lord”? Yet we unite around Him. In the same way, though we have much to learn, we unite around “one faith”—the revealed truth of “one Lord.”
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