Ephesians 4:5 what does "One faith" mean?

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Accepted answer

When Paul refers to “one faith,” I think he is referring to “the faith” (i.e. Christianity) spoken of elsewhere (emphasis added):

1 Corinthians 16:13 NASB
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

Galatians 1:23 NASB
but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy."

1 Timothy 4:1 NASB
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

Jude 1:3 NASB
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

“The faith” refers primarily to “faith in Jesus,” which is trust/belief in Jesus as Lord, one and only son of God, creator, etc., and all that such belief entails. Paul (and others) implicitly assert that there is only one faith, and that we should all be united in it.

Ephesians 4:13 NASB
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Upvote:3

Read the whole of the Paul's argument here in Ephesians, and especially chapter 4.

He is saying there is a unity of faith and there are those who are given gifts to edify the body of Christ, so that we may "grow up". And that we should grow up, putting away our lusts, and walk after righteousness.

(We have the words of those apostles, and can read them for edification.)

This growth is also talked about in 1 Corinthians, also with reference to when we are babies in Christ we have divisions.

1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

When we eat bread, it is for strength and the bread of Christ is the word of God. (See also John 1:1-14, John 6:32-40, Mark 14:22) So read your bible so you may grow in your understanding of what "faith" means.

Faith doesn't just mean being freed from being a slave to sin, but being a servant of righteousness.

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Romans 6:18

Try not to get stuck on words, or individual verses, but read whole chapters, whole books, and indeed the whole bible. It is your daily bread. Beware of leaven.

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