A WORTHY CALLED LIFE (PART 3)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received... Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1, 3

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

A person who accepts God offer to follow Him and believe in His Son Jesus is responsible for behaving in a certain fashion so to show that they are living in a way worthy of their calling. This truth is at the core of the opening verses of Ephesians, chapter 4.

Over the past two messages, we have looked at some of the traits God expects from His believers, traits that included humility, gentleness, patience, and a tolerance for others born out of love. Paul wanted the Ephesian Christians to ensure they were living in accordance with these principles and these words equally apply to us today.

Today, we continue adding to the characteristics of a Christian that show they have shown themselves abiding in a way worthy of God’s calling. Look at the next thing God’s word calls Christians to do:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received... Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Vv. 1, 3

Here we find the Apostle providing important guidance to the body of Christ, the collection of Christian believers in Ephesus. Yes, each member of the church in Ephesus was an individually saved Christ follower but the church isn’t about individuals. It’s about the collective and it’s always been that way.

The scriptures from the Old Testament to the New call God believers to be united. Consider these verses:

...the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 30:12

“I (Jesus speaking to His Father God) have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.” John 17:22

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1

First, we see how in the Old Testament, God’s hand was on His people so that they might have a “unity of mind”. Here we see how God is at the heart of unity, the thread that is woven between believers to keep them tight knit in Him. If a church has lost its unity, you can bet that the believers within have lost their unity with God, in only One who can bring unity of mind and therefore a church one in Him.

Jesus reinforces this truth as He speaks about those who would receive His ministry and Gospel teaching. Like God, Jesus was focused on making His followers united as one just as He was united with His Father. For if God was in the Son and the Son was in Christian believers then there would be an amazing, divine connectivity that would bring the church together in complete unity.

Too often, churches are looking within their body to try and figure out how to be better united with one another. A lot of focus is placed on figuring out how individuals can better relate to each other in a spirit of togetherness.

The scriptures would inform us that this is a futile effort. In and of itself, the church is powerless when it comes to uniting people unless it shifts its attention to Jesus and Him alone to be the great Unifier. Relationship first begins with each individual Christian devoted fully to Jesus and when this happens, then every single Christian in a church will unite in Him. Jesus was, is, and always will be the tie that binds the church together and He does so through the power of His Father God, our Father God who sent His Son to save us.

Friends, think about how this would be a major game changer for the church today, just as Paul hoped it would be for the Ephesian Christians. Imagine every single church in the world being one with Christ because every believer within the church was one with Christ first. It would be the way the church was meant to be, not centered on anything else but the Savior Son and the God who loved the world so much that He sacrificed His Son to save it.

It’s an image of beauty and majesty, born out of the beauty and majesty found in God and Jesus.

It’s a vision of unity we all should be aspiring to as Christians.

It’s a unity that David experienced and testified about when he wrote:

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com