Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Now that Paul has established that the Gentile believers are included in God's promises, he begins his instructions as to the responsibilities of being in the family. Walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, he writes in 4:1, then goes on to explain what that entails...
Walk in unity and peace - 4:1-7:
One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all and in all.
One, one, one, one...all, all, all, all.
No room here for division, 'us and them', 'we and you'. It's all 'us', it's all 'we'.
Walk in works of ministry - 4:8-16:
We tend to think that the gifts God gave are apostleship, prophecy, evangelism, teaching, pastoring...and there are places where some are mentioned as gifts of the Spirit. But the gifts of grace mentioned in this passage are not abilities, they are people.
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
And these people are given to the body of Christ to equip the saints...the individuals in the body...for works of the ministry. And, as the body functions and each person performs his/her ministry, the body as a whole matures, we all move towards unity.
Not because the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are doing the work of the ministry, but because each individual is doing the work of the ministry.
Take a selah moment and reflect on that just a bit. There's responsibility there.
Walk in transformation - 4:17- 31:
Paul reminds these folks -- and us-- of what it was like to live without Christ, and what changes take place as we follow Christ and grow in grace. Old stuff is put away, put off, laid down; renewal and transformation take root and grow. Habits change, reactions become godly responses, slander becomes instruction, wrath and malice become kindness and forgiveness.
Walk in love - 5: 1 -6:
Love of God, first, following Christ's example of obedience, and love for each other, behaving as saints; crude and impure behavior not only dishonors God but it is an offense to the body.
Walk in light - 5: 7 - 14
Walking in the light brings about what is good, right and true; it enables us to discern what is pleasing to God. Light exposes deeds of darkness, which forces a decision point. One cannot continue in darkness of ignorance once something has been brought to light.
Do we wake and rise from the darkness into the light...or pull the covers over our head and roll away from that light?
Will we choose to walk worthy of the calling?
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