November 14: The worthy walk

Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us. There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope at your calling — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)

At this point in the book of Ephesians Paul changes his focus. For the first three chapters he has been speaking about what the church believes about the Lord Jesus Christ, but from this point on he explains how the church needs to live. This is so crucial. If we are not careful we can find ourselves going to church, gaining knowledge about Him and His Word, singing songs, and participating in worship, but not really living out our faith on a daily basis. But what good is knowledge of God when we don’t practice it? Knowledge cannot save us — only faith can, and faith demands action. A question we should never stop asking ourselves, is this: How can I apply God’s Word to my life today?

One of the most important phrases in today’s passage is: “I urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received”. Notice that we are not asked to run or stand still, but to a walk. Our lives need to be steadily moving forward. We can’t allow ourselves to stand still and stagnate, but neither can we be in such a hurry that we do a bad job of following Him. Our lives should match up with the greatness of God’s calling. He’s called us to receive total forgiveness and a new nature, to be filled with His Spirit and to put Him first in everything. Anything less is not worthy of His calling.

Unity is also a major theme in today’s passage. Did you notice the seven “ones”? They form the basis of the church’s unity: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. These things are non-negotiable. They are the building blocks of our faith, the mortar that holds us together. Regardless of language, skin color, or nationality, we are the people of God as long as we have these seven things in common.