Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Passage Context
In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul describes the blessings that believers have received from God the Father, because of their relationship with Jesus. In chapter 2, Paul describes the salvation process God used to bring sinners out of the kingdom of satan, into His Kingdom, and that also centers around Jesus. Paul describes how Gentiles or non Jews have also being brought into the new covenant, through the blood of Jesus. In chapter 3, Paul describes how it was always God’s plan to have Gentiles as part of the new covenant.
So, in summary,
⁃ it is God who has blessed us in Jesus,
⁃ It is God who saved us through Jesus
⁃ It is God who unites us in Jesus
Now let’s look at our passage Ephesians 4:1
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Paul begins chapter 4 verse 1 of Ephesians with the word therefore, to indicate that, what he is about to say, is as a result of what he has taught us in chapters 1 to 3. Paul is saying that, in light of what God has done for us as believers, mentioned in chapters 1 to 3, what he is going to say now is based on that.
Paul says in light of what God has done for us as believers, which he mentioned in chapters 1 to 3, I urge you to walk. The inclusion of the pronoun “I” is for emphasis. Paul is emphasizing that he is speaking authoritatively as an apostle. Paul is saying that with the authority vested in me as an apostle, I urge you to walk. The word urge means to strongly encourage and the word “walk” here means to live your life or to conduct one’s life. Therefore, Paul is saying that I strongly encourage you to live your life or to conduct your life.
Paul qualifies this by saying that, he strongly encourages us as believers, to live our lives or to conduct our lives in a manner worthy of the calling. The word “in a manner worthy”, one word in the Greek, means equal to or corresponding to, suitable to. The way we live our lives should correspond to the calling. Should reflect the calling. What calling? Paul says the calling to which we have been called. We have been called and our lives should reflect and correspond to the fact that we have been called.
We have been called as believers to be citizens of the kingdom of God, and therefore, Paul Is urging us to live our lives or conduct our lives as those who are citizens of the kingdom of God. Our lives should reflect our citizenship.
Paul is not only urging us to live lives that he has not lived, he has lived it so much so that it has landed him in jail, and as he writes this letter he is still in jail. So, if it means that you land in jail for living your life as a citizen of the kingdom of God, then be it, you won’t be the first or the last. Paul is walking the talk and so should you, and so should I.
Ironically, the one common theme among unbelievers is that Christians are hypocrites. Movies are also already beginning to show how hypocritical we are as Christians. We say one thing and do another. Yes sometimes unbelievers hold us to a wrong understanding of what the scriptures say but, when you look at South Africa which is supposed to be predominantly Christian, would you believe that we are Christians when you look at how we live our lives versus what the word of God says?
The face of Christianity in our country is health, wealth and prosperity. The face of Christianity is about the rich so called men of god and ultra poor Christians who have put their hope in this man. The face of Christianity is about the so called men of god and how they are arrested and exposed for sexual immorality, theft, fraud, deception and all other things contrary to the word of God. The face of Christianity is about so called Christians who claim to follow Christ but refuse to obey Him. Sexually immoral people who call themselves Christians. Those who commit abortion and call themselves Christians. Those who practice homosexuality and call themselves Christians. Those who worship and or sacrifice to dead people and call themselves Christians. Wives who refuse to submit to their husbands and call themselves Christians. Men who fail to love their wives and call themselves Christians. Children who fail to obey their parents and call themselves Christians. Citizens who refuse to submit to the South African government and call themselves Christians. Racists who call themselves Christians, and so on and so on.
Paul is urging you and I today, to repent from being hypocrites and begin to live our lives as those who have been called by God to be citizens of the kingdom of God. Let us honor and give thanks to God by conducting our lives in a befitting manner. We cause the name of our God to be blasphemed among unbelievers when we are hypocrites. There must be a difference between true Christianity and true Christians, from false Christianity and false Christians. Let us honor and give thanks to God by conducting our lives in a befitting manner instead of causing His name to be blasphemed among unbelievers.
Ask yourself this question: does my life honor and give thanks to God for all He has done for me or, does my life cause the name of God to be blasphemed among unbelievers?
If your life has not reflected your citizenship, know that there is hope in Jesus. It is not all over. Just confess your sin, acknowledge God’s right to punish you, ask for mercy and turn away from your sin, and continue to trust in the Lord Jesus.
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