Walking Worthy: Transitioning from Privilege to Purpose in Ephesians 4
Today, we cross a major threshold in the book of Ephesians. As we step into Chapters 4 through 6, we transition from the beautiful theology of who we are in Christ to the practical reality of how we are called to live for Christ.
Before we dive into Chapter 4, let’s do a quick recap of the staggering privileges we uncovered in the first three chapters.
A Quick Review: Our Privileges in Christ
Chapter 1: The Father's Delight
God didn't just save you; He took joy in it. In Chapter 1, we learned that God the Father is delighted to:
Choose and adopt you into His family.
Redeem and forgive you of your sins.
Reveal the knowledge of His will to you.
Seal you with the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 2: From Death to Life
We were once dead in our trespasses and sins. But God... rich in mercy and driven by an eternal love, changed everything.
He saved us by His grace—not by our own works or intent. As Jesus warned in Matthew 7:22-23, doing "religious works" without a true relationship means nothing.
We are His workmanship, created specifically to walk in good works that He prepared for us beforehand.
He broke down the walls. As Gentiles, we were once outsiders to the covenant, but Christ joined Jew and Gentile together into one body.
Chapter 3: Confidence and the Mystery
We learned that the mystery of the gospel is its absolute inclusivity: it is for everyone who believes. We now have the freedom and confidence to approach God the Father directly.
The "HR Orientation" of the Christian Life
Think about the last time you started a new job and went through a Human Resources orientation. What was the purpose? It laid out two things: what the organization would do for you, and what the organization expects from you.
If you told your boss, "Just leave me alone, pay me, and let me do whatever I want," you wouldn't last very long.
Conversely, have you ever had a boss you would do absolutely anything for because you knew they genuinely cared about you? Their high expectations didn't feel like a burden; they felt like an honor to meet. This is how we should look at Ephesians 4.
Living a Life Worthy of the Calling
In Ephesians 4:1, Paul writes:
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
Notice Paul doesn't call himself a prisoner of Rome or Nero—he is a prisoner of the Lord, bound to the message that the gospel is for all people.
That word "then" (or therefore) is the turning point. Because of everything God did for us in Chapters 1-3, there must be a response. While we do absolutely nothing to earn our salvation, our salvation should inevitably produce a change in us. As the saying goes: True Christian good works are performed because the Christian has been forgiven, not in order to secure forgiveness. Christian ethics is simply grateful penitence.
The Character of a Worthy Walk
Paul lists the daily, quiet characteristics expected of a believer:
Humility: A lowliness of mind.
Gentleness: Meekness—the ability to handle injuries or insults without reacting in anger.
Patience: Putting up with the faults and idiosyncrasies of others (even when they get on your nerves!).
Forbearance: Choosing not to focus on the negative qualities of those around you.
Unity is Not Uniformity
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." — Ephesians 4:3
We are called to live peaceably with all people, especially within the church (Romans 12:18). Why? Because there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.
Too often, we create denominations, factions, and divisions because we confuse unity with uniformity. We demand that everyone do church, baptism, or communion exactly the way we think it should be done. When we do that, we lose our humility and patience.
Christ didn't make us identical; He gave us different measures of grace and different spiritual gifts to serve the body.
Spiritual Gifts and Maturity
Paul notes that Christ gave specific leadership gifts to the early church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
A Note on Apostles and Prophets: By the New Testament definition, a capital-A Apostle required being an eyewitness to the physical resurrection of Jesus. Similarly, New Testament prophets spoke words that had to be tested against apostolic teaching. Today, because we have the completed, sufficient Word of God in scripture, we no longer look for new foundational prophets or apostles to add to or subtract from God's Word.
Why were these gifts given? To equip God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
The ultimate goal of the church is maturity.
The Spiritual Infant: Tossed back and forth by the waves, easily blown around by every shifting wind of trendy teaching or the craftiness of deceitful people.
The Mature Believer: Firmly grounded, speaking the truth in love, and growing up into the likeness of Christ.
Final Reflection: Examining Our Hearts
God’s ultimate plan is to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Christ was the ultimate example of humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, and forgiveness.
As we reflect on what Christ has done for us—His sacrifice, His grace, and His resurrection—we have to ask ourselves: Is this knowledge something we take for granted, or is it our daily motivation to live a life worthy of our calling?
Let’s look inward, extend grace to those around us, and build up the body of Christ in love.
Originally delivered 2024.04.07
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