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Ephesians 4 :1 - Additional Note - Worthy of our Calling

      

       

    In chapter 4, verse 1, 0f Ephesians, we read Paul's exhortation to live a life "worthy of our calling".  That phrase bears consideration.

 

The Meaning of Worthy

The word used in the original Greek has at least two different emphases when it was used in normal life:

1. Of equal weight or worth

    i.e. balancing up the scales, or matching the other thing.

    Imagine a pair of scales. On one side is the calling you have from Christ. On the other side is the way you live your life.  The way you live is to balance or be of equal worth or value as all that which has gone into your calling.

2. Of equal appearance

    i.e. that is fit or becoming of such a person.

    In this picture imagine a bridegroom going to his wedding. We would not expect him to go in tatty clothes, but clothes that are befitting the occasion, clothes for a celebration, clothes that would live up to the glory of the bride's dress.  To be able to stand alongside her, he has to be worthy of the occasion.

Paul's Picture

    So we find Paul exhorting us to live in such a way that balances up, or matches up to the calling that is ours.  That immediately puts our attention on just what that calling is.

 

The Nature of our Calling

    "Church" simply means "the called out ones" and the picture is given in Scripture of us having been called out of darkness into light (1 Pet 2:9 / Col 1:13).  That was only possible because Christ died for us so that we could be forgiven, cleansed and empowered in a new relationship with God the Father - this is the work of the Cross.

    The first aspect of the life we live, therefore, is to remember that this is all the work of God, and to live life humbly and with all the fruit of the Spirit growing in us (Eph 4:2).

    This calling is to become part of Christ's body, the church, so we are simply one among many, and part of our new lifestyle is to learn to get along in a new way with people - the church (Eph 4:3-13).

    This calling is also an ongoing process, working out the will of God, so we are to grow up or mature, so our life will be growing to become more like Christ (Eph 4:14,15)

    As  you can see from these comments, our calling has a variety of aspects to it and we are to balance or live up to these in our daily lives. You may wish to think on other aspects of our calling.

 

The Call to Live Worthily

We find similar calls elsewhere in the New Testament to live by a standard:

Matt 10:37,38    - worthy of Christ

1 Thess 2:12   -  worthy of God

Phil 1:27     - worthy of the Gospel of Christ

2 Thess 1:5    - worthy of the kingdom of God

     Perhaps if you have time, you might like to look up each of these references and meditate on the truths presented here.  The basic message is the same throughout - our lives, now that we are Christians, children of God, are to match these things, to live up to these.  There is a standard to be matched.

    

     

      

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