Walk Worthily of Your Calling

“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. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all and in all.” -Ephesians 4:1-6 (ESV)

Paul the Apostle wrote to the Christians at Ephesus (Ephesians 4:1-6), to those at Colosse (see Colossians 1:10), and to those at Thessalonica (see 2 Thessalonians 2:12) to walk worthily of the calling of a Christian. Earlier, as John the Baptist preached in the wilderness prior to his introduction of the Lord Jesus Christ, he admonished that persons should “bring forth fruits worthy of repentance” (see John 3:8-9). And have we not aspired to live by the Bible’s instruction to show a decided difference in our lives by the way we live following our acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? There’s a gospel hymn that reminds us of this difference in a Christian’s walk (or manner of life):

“And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

We often refer to manner of life as a person’s “walk.” In 1 John 2:6 we are admonished to walk as Jesus walked: “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way as He walked.” Indeed, that is a worthy goal—one nigh impossible to achieve in this life but one to which we should constantly strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit, our guide and stay. We have a perfect example—the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. “I am the way, the truth and the life,” He said (John 14:6). Our daily aim should be to walk in a manner that emulates Christ. There is a reminder bracelet that Christian youth sometimes wear with the initials “WWJD” inscribed on it. The bracelet is a reminder to ask, “What Would Jesus Do”? In teaching Christians to walk worthy of their calling, Paul lists some of the characteristics in our focal passage for today we know as the fruit of the Spirit: humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, love. And within the fellowship of believers we will seek to maintain unity. Where discord enters, confusion abounds. Neither of these is a characteristic of a spirit of unity.

Paul ends this teaching from Ephesians of walking worthily of our calling by giving some strong doctrine: “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” The Christian comes into the walk with Christ through grace, the unmerited favor of God. Once that relationship is established, we then have a responsibility to “walk worthy” of our calling.

Today is a good day to examine my walk with the Lord.

Is Jesus beside me as I go?

Within me as I make decisions?

Is He my constant companion in the every-dayness of my life?

Do I talk to Him as an available friend and counselor?

Do I study the Bible consistently and apply its truths to my life?

Does my relationship with the Lord permeate all I do?

Do I ask, “What would Jesus do?” -Ethelene Dyer Jones 07.10.2016