Living Worthily; Ephesians

May the mumbling commence!

Grow up – what does it look like?  Let us hone in on the words of Paul to the Ephesians in chapter four.  Read from the beginning of the chapter (NJB):

I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you therefore to lead a life worthy of the vocation to which you were called.  With all humility and gentleness, and with patience, support each other in love. 

Take every care to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together.  There is one Body, one Spirit, just as one hope is the goal of your calling by God.  There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, over all, through all and within all. 

On each one of us God's favor has been bestowed in whatever way Christ allotted it.  That is why it says:

He went up to the heights, took captives, he gave gifts to humanity. 

When it says, 'he went up', it must mean that he had gone down to the deepest levels of the earth.  The one who went down is none other than the one who went up above all the heavens to fill all things. 

And to some, his 'gift' was that they should be apostles; to some prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; to knit God's holy people together for the work of service to build up the Body of Christ, until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. (Verses 1-13)

Lead your life worthy of the vocation to which you were called.  But, what is that vocation?  Your vocation is the gift from God through the power of Jesus.  Not all gifts that are given are the same.  Some are apostles… some are prophets (telling others what they see in the world through the eyes of Christ)… some are evangelists (proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus)… some are pastors (caring for the flock of God’s sheepfold)… some are teachers (teaching the principles and way of Christ).

Regardless of how we are gifted, how do we live worthily?  We have a goal, and that goal is to knit together God’s holy people.  We are in the process of collaboration not competition.  We are not trying to outdo one another.  We are trying to build one another up in Christ so that everyone may serve God to the fullness of their ability through the empowerment of Christ Jesus.

And building one another up is so opposite to what the world tells us to do.  We are not in a rat race where there is only one winner.  We need to pick up another set of spiritual principles.  Exhibit humility and gentleness.  Be patient and support those Christian brothers and sisters around you.  Their success is tied up with your success.

But, what is mature Christian success?  Unity is success… but not a unity of coerced sameness… instead a unity in diversity.  That’s where humility and gentleness come in handy.

As we continue on this life journey together to exhibit these characteristics more and more, we slowly begin to comprehend the depth of peace that Christ seeks to bind us together.  For, in Christ, we are one already.  We are one in Body, one in Spirit, and one in hope. 

Hope!  It is our calling. No more defeatism; no more apathy!  We have hope in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.  This hope permeates all life.

Praise God.  Get to know God and His Son.  In the process, we will form the perfect Man… on the Way to maturity and fullness in Christ Jesus.

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out