by Tammy Phillips
June 3, 2020
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
We are called to peace. (1 Corinthians 7:15)
We are called to follow Christ’s steps. (1 Peter 2:21)
We are called sons of God. (1 John 3:1)
God has called everyone. (1 Corinthians 7:17) Everyone has not answered.
The disciples were first called Christians in Acts 11:26. Disciple means learner and Christian means follower of Christ. If we do not learn and follow Christ’s example, if we do not live, walk and talk like Christ, how can we possibly answer to the name Christian? We cannot wear the worlds jersey and be on Christ’s team.
Paul instructs us how to walk worthy of the call:
- I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called… (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV)
Paul uses the word beseech which is the Greek word “parakaleō. It means to beg, encourage, to call to one’s side. He is saying in today’s terms: “PLEASE! Heller, Christian? Are you out there? Live up to your name, Christian!”
- Live worthy of the name you are called.
- We are called sons of God.
- We are God’s representatives and need to act like it.
- We are Love’s spokesperson to the world.
Paul encouraged us to live worthy of the name and to practice our call. Are we reflecting God in all we post, say, and do? Paul directs us to live:
- …with ALL lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love… (Ephesians 4:2)
Walk with all lowliness:
- We are called to have a humble opinion of ourselves.
- We are to have a deep sense of our littleness.
- We are called to humility and lowliness of mind.
Walk with meekness:
- We are called to softness of temper.
- We are called to mildness
- We are called
Walk with long-suffering:
- We are to journey with forbearance under injuries and provocations.
- We are called to walk with patience, endurance and steadfastness.
- We are to be slow in avenging wrongs and to keep boiling passion far off.
Walk bearing one another in love
- We are to endure and hold one another up in love.
- We are to put up with one another in love.
- We are to suffer with one another in love.
Paul assigns us to walk in unity:
- …endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
- Exerting oneself
- Making haste
- Working
- Studying
- Giving all diligence
We are to do whatever it takes to keep, guard and attend carefully the UNITY, the ONENESS in the Spirit in the bond (that which binds, joins, and bands us firmly together) of peace.
- Ephesians 4:4-6 states that there is:
- One Body
- One Spirit
- One Hope
- One Lord
- One faith
- One baptism
- One God
- One Father of all
- One above all
- One who through all
- One who is in you all
“…may (we) grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ– from whom the WHOLE body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16 )
We transform into ONE, the body of Christ, with each individual doing its part. The body grows up as one in love. Love is, was, and always will be the answer. When we follow Christ, we become who we were meant to be in the body.
I enCOURAGE you to walk worthy of the call in which you were called. Be LOVE’S SPOKESPERSON TO THE WORLD. Walk in faith, love, and in Christ. As the body, we walk, move, and talk as one. We only say what the Father says and do what the Father does. Together we can change the world.
Complete in Him 