Our Walk – Ephesians 4

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Reading Text – Ephesians 4:1-8

In today’s reading, Paul is encouraging the believers in Ephesus in their walk as followers of Christ.  

Ephesians 4:1-8, NKJV, AMP

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk (lead your life) worthy of the [divine] calling with which you were called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God’s service], with all lowliness, [humility], meekness (unselfishness), and gentleness (mindfulness), with longsuffering (patience), bearing with one another and making allowances for one another in love.  Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.”

In verses 1-3, Paul reminds us that our walk as believers begins with humility.  But how do we walk in humility?  Christ is our example as we read in Philippians 2:5-8 – Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross.

First, it begins in our thinking – we must see ourselves in Christ, who chose to humble Himself, foregoing any reputation or status, though He was God in human form.  I think we can all confess that we are far from God in any human form.  It should be easy for us to choose to humble ourselves.  

There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received.  [There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], and through all and [living] in [us] all.  

In verses 4-6, Paul tells us that there is one body of believers, who are filled with one spirit to have one hope that belongs to us in Christ, that is our one Lord that gives us one faith in Him who is one with God who is the Father of us all, who is above all, and living in us all.  The devil comes to steal, to kill, and destroy (John 10:10).  He is always trying to cause us to be in opposition to our brothers. 

That same verse tells us that Jesus came to bring life and abundance.  I woke up recently, and the Lord told me, “The devil comes to subtract and divide, but I come to add and multiply.”  The enemy causes division among people to get our eyes off the Lord.  When we realize we are all one in Christ and that we all have the same Heavenly Father who is above and over all and lives in us all, we can walk in a behavior that is reflective of God’s calling in our lives.  

“But to each one of us, grace (God’s unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] according to the measure of Christ’s [rich and bounteous] gift.  Therefore, He says:  When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [a train of vanquished foes – He conquered those who had conquered us – such as sin, the devil, and death] and gave gifts to men.”