In the French novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, the fictional heroes have a memorable motto: “All for one and one for all.” The group pledged to stand together in their common fight for a common goal. As I thought about Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, I realized he was trying to get the Ephesian church to adopt a similar motto of unity.

As believers we are united by our joint calling as Christ’s followers. Paul urges the Ephesians to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (v. 1). In the first three chapters of Ephesians, Paul had laid a foundation of biblical doctrine. Now, in chapter 4, he challenges them that how they are living should be an outpouring of what they believe.

Our calling changes our behavior. Notice the words Paul uses to describe this desired behavior in verses 2 and 3: humble, gentle, patient, unity, peace. We are united as believers through Christ’s death and resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When Paul says to “make every effort” in verse 3, he means that we should put energy into preserving this unity. In other words, the Spirit is the source of unity among believers, but it is our responsibility to “guard” or protect this unity (v. 3).

Paul goes into detail to illustrate the common beliefs we share. The word “one” appears over and over again: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (vv. 4–6). All for One, Lord Jesus.

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If you have coronary artery disease, it means that the arteries in your heart are narrowed or blocked by a sticky material called plaque. A doctor may recommend a procedure called an angioplasty, where a tube with a tiny balloon on the end is inserted into an artery leading to the heart. The procedure opens the blockage and restores normal blood flow to your heart muscle.

In Ephesians 3, Paul is probing the heart of the church in Ephesus with the goal of dislodging any blockage that might be hindering the work of Christ in the lives of God’s people. The blockage referred to here and in chapter 2 is division within the church. In Ephesians 2, Paul reminded the church of the past divisions that had existed between the Jewish people and the Gentiles. He gave them good news, that “now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (v. 13).

Paul prays for all of God’s people to be strengthened (v. 16) and “for God to dwell in their hearts” (v. 17). He prays that through God’s love they will be rooted (like a plant) and established (like a building). The participles “being rooted and established” are in the perfect tense, indicating a past action with continuing results. You could translate this as “having been and continuing to be rooted and established.”

The result is that through faith Christ may “dwell” (katoikēsai) in believers’ hearts. This does not refer to the beginning of Christ’s indwelling at salvation. Instead, it is the desire that Christ may, literally, “be at home in” or at the very center of our life. We can ask ourselves: Can Christ make Himself at home in a heart full of blockages?

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Have you ever watched the plot unfold in a mystery and realize you are totally clueless about what will happen next? I am drawn to movies like that because just when I think I have it all figured out there is a twist in the plot.

Paul describes God’s plan of salvation for both the Jews and Gentiles as a mystery. The word mystery is mentioned six times in the book of Ephesians. In this context, mystery refers to content which was not known before but was revealed to a particular group.

In verse 6, Paul explains this mystery, “that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” This had been God’s plan from the beginning or, as Paul puts it, “for ages past.” But only now was it being made “plain to everyone” (v. 9).

Can you imagine what it must have been like for those of Jewish and Gentile descent when this mystery was finally revealed? The plot of God’s divine purposes must have left them dumbfounded. Ephesians 2:15–17 tells us: “His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” When we think about the hostility that once drove these people groups apart, this mystery ought to leave us in awesome wonder! Through Jesus Christ, God brought us together as one.

God’s plan had an unexpected, but joyous ending. We can be thankful to God that we are included. What was once hidden is now a joyful reality (v. 10).

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