All for one, and one for all

This phrase was made famous by the characters calling themselves The Three Musketeers.  They were made famous by the author Alexander Dumas in 1844.  This particular phrase was also used by Switzerland in the late 1860’s to energize its citizens in response to tragic flooding in the Alps.  The government was trying to spark a sense of unity, neighbor helping neighbor, in order to create a caring and sympathetic response to the flooding.  They only needed to look as far as their Bibles in order to energize their people. 

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:1-6(NKJV)

The Apostle Paul was attempting to spark this same sense of unity, the same feeling of mutual respect and understanding and the same care and concern for neighbor.  He proclaimed that there is “one body and one Spirit.”  We need to think about the words of Paul when we are dealing with those who remain “difficult.”  We often will come across those who refuse to believe we are all from the same Holy Father.  They will convince themselves and others that they may just be a little better off than most.  These same individuals will surround themselves with those of the same mindset.  Before you know it, we now have several different definitions relating to “all for one, and one for all.”  It would look more like “some for a few, and the others are on their own.”  The Bible teaches us that this is not the way God sees it. 

I’m not sure about you, but the way I see it, there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.”  This Father is above all things, yet He resides in us.  If this is so, then we all are of the same lineage.  This means that we should be more than willing to be “bearing with one another in love.”  Why can’t we manage to see things the same way when we all “were called in one hope.”  We all need to see the way God sees, the way our Spirit directs us to see.  “All for one, and one for all.” 

 

“in the world, not of the world”