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- Apr 25, 2006
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Worthy of the calling
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1
'You don't expect people to behave like that, do you?' We often make that comment about people in public life. Non-Christians will also make that remark about Christians who say or do things that contradict their profession of faith. So St Paul is urging believers to live a life worthy of the calling they have received.
What is that calling? Paul has outlined a three fold call in this letter to the church at Ephesus. It is a call to faith in Christ (Eph 1:4 and11); a call to the family of Christ and to fellowship that believers have through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 1:5 and 2:19). It is a call to live as the Lord Jesus lived here on earth. To make that possible we have been promised the Gift and Power of the Indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:17 and 3:16-17).
Paul spells it out in detail. We are called to lowliness of heart- the right attitude towards ourselves, to meekness-the right attitude towards others, to long suffering- putting up with the grievances and actions of other people, and we are called to forbearance-love that holds all things together.
Where we are able to reveal these qualities, through the work of the Holy Spirit, others will notice how we live rather than what we do. It is that which will speak to them of the Lord Jesus.
A prayer for today
Lord, Help me to live more as You lived by the power of the Holy Spirit living within me, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1
'You don't expect people to behave like that, do you?' We often make that comment about people in public life. Non-Christians will also make that remark about Christians who say or do things that contradict their profession of faith. So St Paul is urging believers to live a life worthy of the calling they have received.
What is that calling? Paul has outlined a three fold call in this letter to the church at Ephesus. It is a call to faith in Christ (Eph 1:4 and11); a call to the family of Christ and to fellowship that believers have through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 1:5 and 2:19). It is a call to live as the Lord Jesus lived here on earth. To make that possible we have been promised the Gift and Power of the Indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:17 and 3:16-17).
Paul spells it out in detail. We are called to lowliness of heart- the right attitude towards ourselves, to meekness-the right attitude towards others, to long suffering- putting up with the grievances and actions of other people, and we are called to forbearance-love that holds all things together.
Where we are able to reveal these qualities, through the work of the Holy Spirit, others will notice how we live rather than what we do. It is that which will speak to them of the Lord Jesus.
A prayer for today
Lord, Help me to live more as You lived by the power of the Holy Spirit living within me, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
