Paul has done two things very well up to this point in the letter: he has taught the Ephesians some good theology and he has prayed for them. Now he gets to the really practical stuff. He tells them what to do in order to become who they are in Christ. It's harder than you think.
Read Ephesians 4:1-6 now and see if you agree.
He introduces his practical help as more than just good advice - he urges them, literally implores them to listen and to do what he says. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Eph 4:1.
How do we live a life worthy of the calling we've received? And what is this calling?
This calling is what we've seen in Eph 2:5: "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions." We were dead but now with Christ we are called to life - but how does the resurrection of Christ affect the way we live?
If you separate God's call to life from how you live your life, you will make your life very hard indeed. You might think it is possible to be "...completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love..." (Eph 4:2) by merely trying very hard. But as C.S. Lewis writes, it is impossible: "When [God] said, "Be perfect," He meant it. He meant that we must go in for the full treatment. It is hard; but the sort of compromise we are all hankering after is harder—in fact, it is impossible. It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
In order to live lives that's worthy of the calling we've received, we must be sure that we've received the call to life in Christ. After you've seen you're own sin and wickedness, your 'deadness', you must ask yourself - "What is my only hope?". If your answer is anything other than "that I belong to Christ", even good things like "that I would get that education, or that job, or children, or house, or spouse", you've got to question your salvation. Have you really been called to new life in Christ? Do you really long to sculpt your life around this calling you've received?
For those of us that have received this calling, you are commanded to keep and maintain the Spiritual unity that we have in Christ. This unity is fragile because it's biggest enemy is within the church - it is us. We are all selfish sinners saved by grace. None of us are better than the other, none of us have anything to boast about or be proud about - our salvation is a gift from God. And this truth is what creates a humble, gentle, patient, loving and peaceful church. We are called to protect, maintain and keep this unity in the Gospel by living up to the calling of the Gospel.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you so much for calling us from death to life. We are humbled by your grace and ask that you will keep us that way. Please continue to build your church all over the world by calling sinners to yourself. Amen
Read Ephesians 4:1-6 now and see if you agree.
He introduces his practical help as more than just good advice - he urges them, literally implores them to listen and to do what he says. "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Eph 4:1.
How do we live a life worthy of the calling we've received? And what is this calling?
This calling is what we've seen in Eph 2:5: "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions." We were dead but now with Christ we are called to life - but how does the resurrection of Christ affect the way we live?
If you separate God's call to life from how you live your life, you will make your life very hard indeed. You might think it is possible to be "...completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love..." (Eph 4:2) by merely trying very hard. But as C.S. Lewis writes, it is impossible: "When [God] said, "Be perfect," He meant it. He meant that we must go in for the full treatment. It is hard; but the sort of compromise we are all hankering after is harder—in fact, it is impossible. It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
In order to live lives that's worthy of the calling we've received, we must be sure that we've received the call to life in Christ. After you've seen you're own sin and wickedness, your 'deadness', you must ask yourself - "What is my only hope?". If your answer is anything other than "that I belong to Christ", even good things like "that I would get that education, or that job, or children, or house, or spouse", you've got to question your salvation. Have you really been called to new life in Christ? Do you really long to sculpt your life around this calling you've received?
For those of us that have received this calling, you are commanded to keep and maintain the Spiritual unity that we have in Christ. This unity is fragile because it's biggest enemy is within the church - it is us. We are all selfish sinners saved by grace. None of us are better than the other, none of us have anything to boast about or be proud about - our salvation is a gift from God. And this truth is what creates a humble, gentle, patient, loving and peaceful church. We are called to protect, maintain and keep this unity in the Gospel by living up to the calling of the Gospel.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you so much for calling us from death to life. We are humbled by your grace and ask that you will keep us that way. Please continue to build your church all over the world by calling sinners to yourself. Amen
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