Ephesians 4
My wife made a poster with our family’s
values on it. It speaks of living simply, learning and listening, loving and
supporting, laughing and faith. In addition she asked each family member to
include a sentence that describes what it means to be part of our family. One
child wrote, “Trittens always keep their word.” Another penned, “Being a
Tritten is looking out for each other!” Yet another noted, “The Trittens love
each other.” They understand that these are things that important in our lives,
and this is how we strive to live.
Paul does something similar in Ephesians
4 when he says, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a
manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility
and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to
maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” When he says to walk in
a manner worthy of our calling it’s a lot like saying, “Live like you are part
of the family.”
Why? Why live like we belong to the
family? Is it because if we don’t our Father will punish us? Is it because
Jesus will be angry if we don’t live like we should? Or (and this is a great
one adults use on children) is it because, “Jesus will be sad if you don’t do
what you should.”
The above reasons are all insufficient
for walking in a manner worthy of our calling. Indeed, they are manipulation! Guilt
might work for a brief course-correction, but it cannot sustain change, and it
is not how God works in us. We are called to walk in a manner worthy of our
calling because of the grace that was given to each one of us according to the
measure of Christ’ gift. And what is that gift? It is His life given on the
cross to pay for our sins because He loves us, the forgiveness of sins, the everlasting
life, and resurrection all wrapped together in His death and resurrection, and
received by faith – which is itself a gift!
This is why we no longer walk in our former
sinful ways. We have, “learned Christ!” That is to say, we have experienced His
grace and salvation. He has made us part of His body – for there is one body,
one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.
(Notice the nice reference to the Trinity!) We are part of the family, and all
this love, humility, gentleness, etc.; that’s just who we are in Christ.
Father, help me walk in a manner worthy of
my calling in Christ. Amen.
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