Diversity in unity. Sameness is not the point of Paul’s message to the Ephesians, don’t be mistaken. Unity does not mean identicalness. The beauty of the Church is that we are a kaleidoscope of giftedness all working toward the same goal, as one body in harmony. Paul turns the corner in his teaching. For three chapters the emphasis has been on the unity we have in the Church. That foundation is absolutely essential before teaching about our individuality in the Church. Having established the foundation, it is now “safe” to speak of diversity within that unity.

Our distinctiveness as believers in the church is not set aside, in fact, each of us makes a unique contribution to the whole. This is not like the teaching of some eastern religions where the individual is absorbed into the cosmic whole, like a drop of water in the ocean loses its individuality. Our personhood is not lost to the ultimate consciousness of the universe. On the contrary, we remain individuals both here and in eternity. And it is our specific uniqueness that adds to the color and functioning of the body of Christ, of which we are now members.

Notice, the emphasis on “to each one of us.” Every Christian has received grace from God. Now, this grace is an extension of the grace of salvation, talked about in Eph 2:8-9, which is saving grace. For the saved Christian continues to “be graced” by God. That means, God continues to act toward and in the believer in ways the believer does not deserve. It is God at work energizing and gifting us—what a privilege that we are instruments of God in this world and in the Church!

Our grace from God speaks of His gifting (see verse 8 and 11). Now this grace is “according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” In other words, each of us is given gifts in some measure. We know from other places in Scripture that our gifts are different (see 1 Cor 12:4-7). But the standard for the gift has nothing to do with our merits or natural abilities, but has everything to do with God’s grace. His grace is a gift. Although the underlying Greek word for grace (charis) can at times be translated as “gift”, another word (dorea) is used here for gift. The point is that the focus is on God’s grace as the gift. The gift is the grace. This looks different in each believer, but the grace is the same—it all comes from God and it is dispensed at His pleasure.