Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Read Chapter 4
Cyprian of Carthage
AD 258
And again, he says, "Forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.".
There is one body, and one Spirit, as ye have been called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God."
Again he uses the metaphor of bonding. We have left it behind, and now it comes running back to us. Beautiful was Paul’s bond; beautiful too is this [bond of peace among Christians], and the former arises from the latter. Bind yourselves to your brethren. Those thus bound together in love bear everything with ease…. If now you want to make the bond double, your brother must also be bound together with you. Thus he wants us to be bound together with one another, not only to be at peace, not only to be friends, but to be all one, a single soul. Beautiful is this bond. With this bond we bind ourselves together both to one another and to God. This is not a chain that bruises. It does not cramp the hands. It leaves them free, gives them ample room and greater courage. .
In the body it is the living spirit that holds all members together, even when they are far apart. So it is here. The purpose for which the Spirit was given was to bring into unity all who remain separated by different ethnic and cultural divisions: young and old, rich and poor, women and men. .
Giving diligence , says he, to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Bind therefore your hands with moderation. Again that goodly name of bond. We had dismissed it, and it has of itself come back on us again. A goodly bond was that, and goodly is this one also, and that other is the fruit of this. Bind yourself to your brother. They bear all things lightly who are bound together in love. Bind yourself to him and him to you; you are lord of both, for whomsoever I may be desirous to make my friend, I can by means of kindliness accomplish it.
Giving diligence, he says; a thing not to be done easily, and not in every one's power.
Giving diligence, he proceeds, to keep the unity of the Spirit. What is this unity of Spirit? In the human body there is a spirit which holds all together, though in different members. So is it also here; for to this end was the Spirit given, that He might unite those who are separated by race and by different manners; for old and young, rich an...
