Remember Who You Are
“Walk in a manner worthy of your calling.”
Ephesians 4:1 (NASB)
35 Years ago my children were preschoolers when my husband and I attended a parenting class led by our church’s mission pastor and his wife. This couple was about 15 years ahead of us in their parenting journey and had 3 teenagers in high school and college. The seasoned Mom, who was known to be a “get in line and march” Mama, gave us some of the best parenting advice we ever received. Each time one of her teenagers left their house, Kathy reminded them, “Remember who you are and remember whose you are.”
With his New Testament letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul is doing the same thing for the Church at Ephesus in 62AD. Paul spends the first half of his letter reminding this young Body of believers of who they are in Christ, whose they are, and what they have been so generously given.
In Christ, they have been chosen, called, & adopted by God. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
In Christ they have been forgiven & reconciled by Christ. (Ephesians 1:7)
In Christ they have been sealed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Our union with Christ is so important to the Apostle Paul that he uses the phrase “in Christ” or “in him” over 20 times in this short letter.
Paul’s “therefore” in Ephesians 4:1 is a call to remember. Having reminded the Ephesians of their new identity in Christ and the wealth of spiritual blessings they have inherited; Paul urges them to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel. Great privileges bring great responsibility.
The word “walk” is frequently used in the New Testament to refer to one’s daily conduct. “Worthy” has the idea of living to match one’s position in Christ. Paul pleads with his beloved Ephesians to be everything the Lord calls and empowers them to be. Paul calls them- and us- to live a life of love that is worthy of our calling, a life of love that is marked with humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance.
Our calling refers not only to God’s sovereign and effectual call to salvation (Romans 8:28-30), but also to God’s call on our lives for sanctification. (Romans 12:1-2) We are called to be progressively conformed to the image of Christ and to live a holy and blameless life. (Ephesians 1:4)
Theologian J.I. Packer writes, “Our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God in the power of God for the glory of God. “
Our Ephesians Spiritual Walking Orders include:
Walking in sin was done away by salvation (Ephesians 2:2)
Walk in good works (Eph.2:10)
Walk worthy of Christ’s salvation call (Eph 4:1)
No longer walk as unbelievers walk (Eph. 4:17)
Walk in love. (Eph 5:2)
Walk as children of light (Eph 5:8)
Walk wisely (Eph 5:15)
But what does a worthy walk look like? Paul gives four essentials for the Body of Christ’s worthy walk. It is a life of:
Charity (love)– Ephesians 4:1-2
Unity – Ephesians 4:3-6
Diversity - Ephesians 4:7-11 and
Maturity – Ephesians 4:12-16
A life of charity is characterized by:
complete humility, devoid of pride.
gentleness, absent of harshness.
patience, not impatience, and
forbearance, not intolerance.
Over all the virtues of humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance we are to put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14). A life of love begins with humility, the same kind of humility exhibited in Christ’s life and recorded by Paul in Philippians 2:5-8:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Because we are now in Christ, we as children of the King, are now blessed with a new identity, a new family, a rich inheritance, and a high calling. Our hearts and lives will only change as we remember who we are; whose we are; and what we have been called to do. We are called to follow Jesus, humble ourselves, and live a life of love worthy of the Gospel.
Remember who you are; remember whose you are, and walk worthy of the Gospel of Christ for God’s glory!