Ephesians 4:1-6
The part we have to play is to walk worthy of our calling, and as the apostle goes on to say, our calling is to be one: one body, one spirit, one faith, one baptism, one hope, just as we have one Lord and one Father. We are to be one bride of Christ. He is not a polygamist; He will not marry many brides but one united bride.
We in the church can be disunified if we fail to practice verses 2 and 3: Without lowliness (humility), without gentleness (meekness), without longsuffering (forebearance or patient endurance), without love and peace, we will never have unity. As long as we are proud, easily angered and offended, jump on every little thing, lack patience, and treat each other hatefully—as long as we cause strife—there will never be unity. Even with all that God does (I Corinthians 1:4-9), it will not happen. He will not force unity upon us if we show that we do not want it. The natural order of things is that we will disunify further if we fail to show Him that we are working toward it. So, without these virtues, even with God deluging us with His Spirit, we will not have unity.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Psalm 133 (1998)
Our hope links directly with our calling, God's summons into His presence for relationship with Him, ending pessimism and beginning a confident, optimistic life. This hope unites us into one body. Walking worthy of our calling means being one, and unity requires humility, meekness, longsuffering, love, and peace; God will not force unity upon us. The word "one" appears seven times, underscoring perfect oneness. The phrase "there is," though supplied by translators, clarifies that this unity already exists spiritually, certain and firm; Paul asks not to form it, but to safeguard it. The church, an analogy of one body, is a spiritual organism filled with Christ's life, solidly locked into a singular mind, wherever those sharing Christ's Spirit unite in common cause and purpose.