"In a Manner Worthy"

 “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, in verse 1, pleads with us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. The phrase walk in the manner” refers to our everyday actions. It means that we are to change our impure habits and strive to “walk” as Christ instructs us. The word “worthy” in the Greek is áxious (άξιος) (Strong's 514), meaning similar weight or value describes our sanctification. It also means balanced.

So, walk our path similarly to the way Christ walked, balanced by His commands, and do this because we are valued as the children of God. We are humbled because we know that our sanctification, the process of becoming more like Christ, comes through the Lord. It is Christ living in us that helps us to be gentle, patient, and loving. Yes, this takes effort and focus on our part, but the Spirit drives us. By practicing what Paul preaches, we grow in our spiritual development and sanctification.

Paul urges us not only in Ephesians but in all his epistles. We are told not to be obsessed with things, but the obsession, to be like Christ, is implanted in us by the Holy Spirit, and it is an honorable obsession if there ever was one.

Our walk is defined through doctrine. The Word of God, the Bible, is what not only drives us but also marks the road upon which we walk. It is our map, our GPS, defining what God expects from us. We have been made children of God, and in our adoption, we have become heirs to the Kingdom. In John 14, Jesus said to the apostles, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” These promises were given to us by Christ. In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul wrote, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”(v. 1)

However, we can only live this way when we understand the glory of God. Our obsession with spiritual growth is derived from doctrine. Our position reveals our imperfections and the need for growth. Our ability to grow comes only through the glory of God, which is revealed in our salvation and justification.

Through our studies of the Word of God, our attendance at worship, and Bible studies, we are informed about what God expects of us. Therefore, because we are informed, we are then responsible for how we conduct ourselves in this world. I have often said one cannot walk with one foot in heaven and one foot in the world. As believers, our preoccupation should be sanctification, our ongoing process of becoming more like Christ. Our justification, the act of God declaring us righteous, is complete; our righteousness has been made complete, and our sanctification is our ongoing process of fulfilling our instruction on living an acceptable life before God. Our glorification, the final step in our spiritual journey, is coming, and it comes at the end of a successful life, one lived to glorify God and be thankful for all the spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional blessings God has bestowed upon us.

None of this is available to anyone by our own actions. Salvation only comes through faith in Christ Jesus as our Savior and His finished work on the cross. Faith in Christ only comes by way of His grace, and the recognition of our sinful nature and the repentance of our sins.

Do you know Christ as your Savior? Have you fallen on your knees before Him, asking Him to save you from your life of sin? Please, I pray you will not wait another second. Ask for forgiveness, accept Christ as your Savior, and walk in a manner worthy of the blessings you will receive from Jesus.

Grave and Peace!