Walk Worthy of Your Calling

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Short Summary
The discourse emphasizes Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:1-4 to live a life worthy of the Christian calling by walking in humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love, all grounded in agape love. It highlights the importance of maintaining unity in the Spirit through diligent effort, following Christ’s example, walking in the light and Spirit, and showing compassion and forgiveness to one another. Ultimately, the goal is spiritual growth into Christ’s likeness and preserving peace within the Christian community.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse on Ephesians 4:1,4 and Related Scriptures

Primary Scripture Focus:
Ephesians 4:1,4 (NKJV)
> “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling.”

Context and Background:
– The Apostle Paul writes this exhortation “therefore,” indicating it is based on earlier teachings, particularly from Ephesians 3:16-19, where he prays for the spiritual strengthening of the believers through the Holy Spirit so Christ may dwell in their hearts and they be rooted in love.
– Paul identifies himself as a “prisoner of the Lord,” likely writing from Roman imprisonment (cf. Ephesians 3:1, Philemon 1:1), demonstrating his literal bondage due to his faith and dedication.

“Prisoners of the Lord” and Our Application:
– Paul mentions fellow prisoners like Aristarchus (Colossians 4:10) and Epaphras (Philemon 1:23), showing that literal imprisonment was common for early Christians.
– Today, while not many are literal prisoners, believers can be “imprisoned” by trials such as illness, past mistakes, or temperament.
– Christians are urged to “remember the prisoners” (Hebrews 13:3; 1 John 3:18) through prayers, acts of kindness, and support, reflecting genuine religion (James 1:27).

Exhortation to “Walk Worthy” (Ephesians 4:1):
– The Greek word *parakaleo* translated as “implore” or “urge,” is used by Paul elsewhere (Romans 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1) to strongly encourage a holy lifestyle.
– The “calling” refers to the Gospel age calling to be followers of Christ (Hebrews 3:1; Philippians 3:14; Romans 2:7) — a call to glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life.
– This calling requires:
Sacrifice: Presenting our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), denying self, taking up the cross and following Jesus (Matthew 16:24-25).
Holiness: Being holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), cleansing ourselves from defilement (2 Corinthians 7:1), growing into spiritual maturity (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
Conformation to Christ’s Image: Being changed into Christ’s glorious character (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18), putting on Christ and rejecting fleshly passions (Romans 13:14).
Sonship: Being children of God by the Spirit (1 John 3:1-2; Romans 8:14; Galatians 4:6), sharing in Jesus’ sufferings to be perfected (Romans 8:17-18).

The “Walk” as a Spiritual Journey:
– Begins with consecration and new birth by the Spirit; believers start as spiritual infants and must grow up into Christ (Colossians 2:6-7).
– The goal is unity in the body of Christ, built together with Christ as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22).
– “Walk worthy” means living a life that aligns with God’s standard, walking in the light (John 8:12; 1 John 1:7) and by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25), thus overcoming the flesh and pursuing eternal life (Galatians 6:8; Romans 8:13-14).
– Follow Jesus as the perfect example and Shepherd (Matthew 16:24-25; John 12:26; John 10:27-28).

Qualities Required for Worthy Walk (Ephesians 4:2):
Humility: Modeled by Jesus who humbled Himself to death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8; Matthew 11:29).
Gentleness: The meekness of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:1), a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), encouraged in Colossians 3:12 and 1 Timothy 6:11.
Patience: Essential to endure trials and opposition, exemplified by Christ’s patience with Paul (Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:12; 2 Timothy 4:2).
Tolerance (Forbearance): Bearing with one another in love, forgiving as God forgave (Colossians 3:12-13; Romans 15:1; Ephesians 4:32).
– These qualities are grounded in agape love, the selfless love that is the essence of God’s character (1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5:2).

Preserving Unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3):
– Christians must be diligent and make every effort to maintain unity and peace (NLT: “make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit”).
– This unity is founded on one body and one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4), shared equally among all believers regardless of background (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 12:5).
– Maintaining unity requires active application of humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love.
– Paul’s experience with division in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:11-13; 3:3-4; 4:6-7) shows the dangers of pride and lack of love that disrupt unity.

Practical Applications in Speech and Conduct:
– Always respond with gentleness and reverence when sharing or defending faith (1 Peter 3:15; James 3:13).
– Patience with others, especially those with different views or weaknesses, is vital (1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Timothy 2:24-25).
– The goal is to win individuals to truth, not arguments.
– Tolerance is not acceptance of evil but bearing with one another’s struggles in sanctification (2 Corinthians 11:19-20).
– Forgiveness and compassion are essential (Colossians 3:14).

Love as the Foundation:
– Love is “the bond of perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14).
– Brother Charles T. Russell emphasized love as the principal quality fulfilling God’s law, representing God’s personality and producing joy and blessing (Reprint 5668).
– As children of God, reflecting God’s love should be central to the believer’s life and personality.

Closing Encouragement:
– Walk worthy of the calling with humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love.
– Remember and support those imprisoned by faith or circumstances.
– Walk in the light, led by the Spirit, conformed to Jesus, the Head and Shepherd.
– Make every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit in peace for the spiritual benefit of the entire body.

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Key Bible Verses Cited or Referenced:

– Ephesians 4:1-4, 32
– Ephesians 3:16-19; 3:1
– Philemon 1:1, 23
– Colossians 4:10; Colossians 3:12-14
– Hebrews 13:3; Hebrews 3:1
– James 1:27; James 3:13
– Romans 12:1; Romans 2:7; Romans 2:4; Romans 8:13-14, 17, 29; Romans 13:14; Romans 15:1
– Philippians 2:5-8
– 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Peter 3:15
– Galatians 4:6; Galatians 5:16, 22-23, 26; Galatians 6:8
– 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:14
– Matthew 16:24-25
– John 8:12; John 10:27-28; John 12:26
– 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Corinthians 10:1; 2 Timothy 2:24
– 1 Corinthians 1:11-13; 1 Corinthians 3:3-4; 1 Corinthians 4:6-7
– 1 John 1:7; 1 John 3:1-2

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This discourse richly interweaves doctrinal truths about the Christian calling, sanctification, and unity, emphasizing practical Christian virtues rooted in divine love to maintain harmony and grow spiritually toward the glorious inheritance promised to the faithful.

Transcript

Our subject this morning is found in the words of the Apostle Paul, found in Ephesians 4:1,4, which we’ll read. Therefore I, a prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another, with love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were also called in the one hope of your calling.

In those four verses there’s just a wealth of information, and we want to touch on some of that this morning and hopefully bring that to your attention with the Lord’s help.

You know, Apostle begins his exhortation with the word. Therefore that means his exhortation is sort of a conclusion based on something that he’s written before. So we go back to the third chapter of Ephes, and we start with verse 16. That he would grant to you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his spirit in the inner man. Paul’s desire for the Ephesians is they would be strengthened in their new creature minds through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, that Christ might dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, you know, the goal of this strengthening of their new creature minds was so that Christ’s mind and character might dwell in their hearts.

And as a result they would be rooted and grounded in that characteristic of love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. The ultimate objective of a disciple of Jesus is to know the love of Christ in its breadth, in its width, in its height and its depth, so that we can personally copy it, and thus we might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Paul launches his exhortation with the phrase, therefore I a prisoner of the Lord. Now Paul had used this expression before. He used it in Ephesians 3:1, where he says, for this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, and he also used it in his letter to Philemon, where he said, paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus.

Now how was Paul a prisoner of the Lord? Both the Bible commentators and Brother Russell suggest that Paul was in Rome when he wrote this epistle to the Ephesians. Brother Russell writes, in reprint 3165, he said, it is from his Roman prison that the Apostle Paul wrote The Epistle to the Ephesians, one of the most beautiful of all his letters to the churches. Elsewhere, Paul had called himself a bondservant of the Lord. Romans 11 Paul A bondservant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle.

You know, Paul had bound himself to Christ through his consecration to God and to our Lord. But now Paul’s service to God had led to literal bondage in Rome.

What about us? Are we prisoners of the Lord? Paul wrote in Colossians 4:10, Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings. Now Aristarchus had accompanied Paul to Rome, and perhaps it sounds like he was in prison as well. Similarly, Paul mentioned in Philemon 1:23, he said, Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus greets you.

So perhaps they were in literal prison. But what about us? Paul makes an interesting statement in Romans 13:3, where he says, remember the prisoners as though imprisoned with them, since you yourselves are also in the body.

Now. Today there are not many brethren who are literal prisoners as Paul and Peter or Jesus was. But we can remember our brethren who are prisoners, as Jamis and Frost and Brown says, remember them in acts and prayers and acts of kindness.

How is Paul’s request remember the prisoners applicable to us today? While some brethren are imprisoned by their circumstances and need our help, as James writes in James 1:27, he says, Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for the orphans and the widows in their distress. Others are imprisoned by limitations of illness and temperament. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, we urge you brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everybody. Some are imprisoned by events that have taken place in their past, either perhaps mistakes they’ve made or things that other people have done to them.

But in each case there are things that we can do to help the brethren. As John writes in First John 3:18, he says, Dear children, lets not merely say that we love one another. Let us show the truth by our actions. Let us remember the prisoners.

The next phrase Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:1, I implore you to walk. The NLT translates this, therefore I beg you. The Greek word here translated employs parakaleo, and it’s used elsewhere in the Scriptures to exhort the brethren, as Paul uses it in Romans 12:1. Therefore I urge you brethren, to present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. I implore you.

And in First Thessalonians 4:1, Paul uses this exact same Greek word, parakaleo, to exhort to the Thessalonians to do the same things he’s exhorting the Ephesians to do here in Ephesians 4:1. Notice his words. Finally, then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus Christ that as you have received from us instruction as how you ought to walk and please God that you excel still more and more.

The next phrase Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:1 is, walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. So what calling is Paul talking about? It’s the calling of the Gospel age, this calling that we have heard to follow in the footsteps of Christ. It is as Paul Describes in Hebrews 3:1. Therefore, brethren, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling.

In Philippians 3:14, Paul mentions it as an upward call, where he says, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, and in Romans 2:7, Paul tells us what this call is to glory, honor and immortality, eternal life.

But to reach the spiritual reward offered, there are requirements that need to be met. First, it is a call to sacrifice, as we alluded to in Romans 12:1, and Paul explicitly says, therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies, a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. We must give up our earthly lives if we want to receive the heavenly reward, and that’s what Jesus said in Matthew 16, verses 24 and 25, when he says, if anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me, for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it.

But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

It’s also a call to holiness, as we’re told about in 1st Peter 1:15 16. But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior, for it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. Paul adds these words in 2nd Corinthians 7:1. He says, Therefore, having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. You know, this work of sanctification that takes place in our lives after we make a consecration and it’s accepted, is to cleanse us and to make us holy, to make us into the image of the One who has called us and begotten us by His Spirit, the object as told to us in 1st Thessalonians 3:13, so that the Lord may establish our hearts without blame in holiness before our God.

And Father, at the parresia of our Lord Jesus.

Part of the work of putting on holiness is to be conformed to the image of God’s dear Son, our Lord Jesus, as we’re told in Romans the eighth chapter in verse 29. For those who did foreknow, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his dear Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren. You know, Paul adds in Romans 13:14, he says, put on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its passions or lusts. You know, we’re to put on Christ, to put on the mind of Christ, to bring every thought into conformity to that mind of Christ. You know, the apostle Paul gives us these words in 2nd Corinthians 3:18.

He says, so all of us who have had that veil removed, who’ve had our eyes enlightened by God’s Holy Spirit, can see and reflect the glory of the Lord, and the Lord who is spirit, will make us more and more like him as we are changed into the same glorious image. We must be changed into Christ’s glorious image, meaning his glorious character, before we are qualified to be made like him and see him as he is.

It is also a call to sonship. We read in 1 John 3:1 2, see how great the love God has bestowed upon us that we would be called the children of God, and such as we are beloved, we are now the children of God. Think about that statement.

We are called to be spiritual sons, and Paul writes in Romans 8:14, for all who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Adding in Galatians 4, 6, because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying abba, father, you know God giving us a spirit does two things. It identifies us as his sons, and it helps us in the work of being conformed to the character likeness of our Lord. However, Paul writes in Romans 2:10, he says, for it was fitting for him for whom are all things, and through whom are all things.

In bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings, Jesus was made complete, both as a new creature and as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, through the things that he suffered, and if we want to be one of the many sons of glory, one of many sons that share that glory, we’re going to need to endure and be made complete in similar sufferings.

By describing this calling and our response as a walk, the apostle Paul is really describing. A journey begins at consecration, and its goal is spiritual. To become a member of the bride of Christ, part of the divine family, a son of God receiving the divine nature. We begin this journey after we’ve been begotten by God’s Holy Spirit. We begin as babes, babes in Christ.

But we are to grow up. We are to grow up into Christ, as Paul writes in Colossians 2, verses 6 and 7. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in him and established in your faith as you were instructed, overflowing with gratitude.

But the goal of the walk is to grow into conformity with Christ. As Paul tells us in Ephesians 2, verses 20 and 22, Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. You know, it’s only as we’re fitted together in alignment with Christ as the chief cornerstone, will we receive the promised spiritual reward.

But to reach the successful conclusion of our journey, Paul exhorts us that we have to walk in a particular way. Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. The NLT translates this phrase, lead a life worthy of your calling. Paul is talking about the life that we will lead once we have accepted the heavenly call. Weymouth translates this phrase, live and act as it becomes those who receive the call.

But we really like the Good News translation of this phrase. Live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you.

We live up to God’s standard by first walking in the light, which reveals to us both the standard that God set and how to live up to it. John 8:12, I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but would have the light of life.

That’s how Jesus tells us to gain life. 1 John 1:7. But if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son, cleanses us from all sin. Walking in the light brings us into fellowship with God and his Son and with one another, and we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus in Ephesians 5, 8, 10.

You who were formerly in darkness, but now are in the light, and the Lord walk as children of the light. For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Trying to learn what is pleasing to The Lord the Light teaches about the goodness and righteousness and truth of God and how to walk in that light.

Walking up to God’s standard also means we walk by the Spirit, as Paul says in Galatians 5:26 16, if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. We need to let God’s Spirit lead us into growth and development as a new creature in Christ Jesus, and this will help us overcome the opposition of the flesh. Galatians 6:8 tells us, One who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap ever eternal life. The Spirit will lead us to the goal of eternal life if we will follow it.

And Romans 8, 13 and 14, if by the Spirit you’re putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. But if you for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

But walking up to God’s standards means also following the example of Jesus, our role model. Jesus stated in Matthew 16:24,25 if anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, follow me. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it, and he repeated this in John 12:26. This concept, if anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.

In fact, the entire illustration of the church as sheep reinforces this idea that they follow Jesus, their shepherd. John 10:27 28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I will give them eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

So to be successful in this walk, we must walk in the light, because the light shows us the direction to walk and the pitfalls that await us if we stray to the left or to the right. Scriptures also tell us to walk in the Spirit because that the Spirit helps us understand the scriptural principles and then helps them apply them in our lives, in our life experiences. Finally, we are to walk as Jesus walked, following him as our shepherd, our captain, the author of our salvation. You know, walking as Jesus walked is probably the best way to be conformed to his image, you know, and Paul makes this point later in the book of or the chapter of Ephesians 4 in verses 13 and 15, where he says, until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to the measure of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

We are to grow up in all aspects into him who is our head, even Christ. He’s the example that we are to model.

In verse two, Paul gets more specific about the standard that God has set for us to meet. We are to do this with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another with love. Or as the NLT translation renders it, always be humble and gentle. Be patient with one another, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. You know, we like the way the NLT says always before humble and gentle.

There are no situations where we should not exercise these qualities, and then it emphasizes tolerance for each other. Making allowance for one another really comes from our love for them, our agape love. You know, Paul’s statement here really matches pretty closely to his definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 love is patient and kind. Love is not proud, but it’s humble.

We are to walk with all humility. That’s the example Jesus set for us. He said in Matthew 11:29, Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, and Paul explains this in Philippians the Wonderful he gives us a wonderful description of Jesus Humility Philippians 2 beginning with verse 5 have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who who emptied himself, taking the form of a bond, servant and being made in the likeness of men. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

You know, even though Jesus was the Logos, he was before all things. All things were created through him and for him. Yet still he humbled himself and submerged his will into God’s will to accomplish the Father’s plan.

We’re to walk with all gentleness. Paul talked about Jesus Gentleness in 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I, Paul myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

We’re familiar with the gentle way Jesus dealt with his disciples and those he came in contact with. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit, and it’s closely related to humility. Galatians 5:22 23 but the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, is gentleness, and Paul counsels us in Colossians 3:12 to put on a heart of gentleness, and Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:11 pursue gentleness.

We are to walk with all patience because this is essential to dealing with the trials and oppositions we’ll face.

Yeah, he’s being Patient while the ducks cross the highway, isn’t he? You know, actually Paul holds up Christ dealing with Paul himself as an example of the patience that we should have, so that in me Jesus Christ might demonstrate his perfect patience as an example for all those who would believe in him for eternal life. Jesus, the same patience he exhibited towards Paul exhibits towards us, and we are to copy Galatians 5:22 says, but the fruit of the Spirit is patience, and Paul counsels us in Colossians 3:12 to put on a heart of patience.

You know, patience comes from the heart. It comes from our love for God and for his Son, for our truth, the brethren, and even our enemies. You know, how did Paul exhort Timothy 2nd Timothy 4:2, Preach the word, reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction.

Verse 2 ends with the fourth requirement, showing tolerance for one another in love. You know, Colossians 3:12 13 emphasizes this. Put on a heart of compassion, bearing with one another and forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. You know, God and Jesus have tolerated they’ve forgiven us, and we should do likewise.

Romans 15:1 now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength.

And Paul uses the same Greek word when he talks about in 1st Corinthians 4:12. He says, when we are persecuted, we should endure it, we should forbear it. We do not as we should not, as we learned about in our manna this morning, return evil for evil, that is, to abandon God’s ways for Satan’s ways.

But one of Paul’s best exhortations for tolerance we find, is in the very last verse of Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

Now, the foundation of these four qualities that Paul mentions in verse two humility, kindness, patience, tolerance is divine, or agape love, just as Paul writes mentions in the end of verse two, and to walk up to the standard God has set for us, we must walk in agape love, and that’s just exactly what Paul counsels us to do in Ephesians 5:2 Walk in love. That’s agape, just as Christ agape you and gave himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Then Paul wraps up his thought on walking worthy in a somewhat unexpected way in verse 3.

Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. You know other translations add depth to his advice. The NLT says, make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together in peace. Phillips translates it, make it your aim to be one in the Spirit, and you will inevitably be at peace with one another.

And finally, weymouth translates verses 2 and 3 this earnestly striving to maintain in the uniting bond of peace the unity of given by the Spirit.

Our unity comes from the one Spirit given to each of us by God his Holy Spirit.

You know, that’s why the Apostle mentions oneness that we started out with in verse 4 of Ephesians 4. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in the one hope of your calling. You know, we all start our Christian journey with this oneness.

First Corinthians 12:13 for by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we’re all made to drink of one Spirit.

See the unity in this verse that we all share one spirit, one body, one Father. Romans 12:5. Paul emphasizes this point. He says, we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members one of another.

You know, when we’re begotten by God’s Holy Spirit as a new creature, we are baptized into this oneness. But and that is a really big but. It is our responsibility to maintain the oneness in peace, as Paul wrote about in verse three.

Going back to verse three, why did Paul emphasize the importance of diligence? Because it was going to take work to maintain this unity. As the NLTree translates, make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, and how do we do it? Just exactly as Paul said back in verse two, through humility, gentleness, patience or forbearance, tolerance, all based on agape love.

And it’s also based on our diligence in being conformed to Jesus, the image of God’s dear Son. It’s also based on putting on the fruit of the Spirit, which not only motivates us to make this effort, but also gives us the tools and the characteristics to make the effort successful.

Now, Apostle Paul was well acquainted with the struggle to maintain the unity of the Spirit. He faced it head on with the Corinthian brethren. As we read in 1 Corinthians 1:11 13, he says, for I have been informed that there are quarrels among you, that each one is saying, well, I’m Paul, I’m Apollos, I’m Cephas. Has Christ been divided? Did this disunity come from God’s Holy Spirit?

Now Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3, verses 3 and 4, he says, since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly? Are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, I am Apollo and another says, I am Apollos, are you not mere men? And later Paul mentions kind of the root cause of this was a lack of humility, his arrogance. First Corinthians 4, verses 6 and 7 says, if you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you wouldn’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another.

For what gives you the right to make such a judgment?

It was their lack of humility and ultimately their lack of love that led to these schisms in the Corinthian Church.

You know, Paul spoke about gentleness in 1 Peter 3:15. He says, Sanctify the Lord Christ as Lord in your hearts, being always ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you to give account for the hope that is written with you, yet with gentleness and reverence. You know, in speaking to anybody about the truth, we should always do it with gentleness and reverence, whether we agree with them or disagree. James says in James 3:13 he says, who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

Spiritual wisdom leads to gentleness in our speech, in our behavior, and that is the example that Jesus followed in his first adventure. We’re told about this in Luke 4:22 reading from Weymouth, and they spoke well of Jesus, wondering at the sweet words of kindness that fell from his lips.

Let those who hear us marvel at the sweet words of kindness that come out of our mouths from the spiritual wisdom we have received from our Heavenly Father.

You know, patience or forbearance is also critical to maintaining the unity of the Spirit. As Paul wrote in 1st Thessalonians 5:14, we urge you brethren, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. You know there’s going to be ample opportunities for us to be patient with everyone, especially with those who might disagree with us. You know, we’re particularly like how Paul weaves patience and gentleness and lack of strife into dealing with those who opposed his message, and as he counseled Timothy to do in 2 Timothy 2:24.

And this is Reading from Phillips.

The Lord’s servant must not be a man of strife. He must be kind to all, ready and able to teach. He must have patience and the ability to correct those who oppose his message. He must always bear in mind the possibility that God will give them a different outlook and that they may come to the truth. The object in dealing with those who differ with us is not to win the argument, but to win the individual.

You know, we don’t know how these differences will play out over time, but we must consider that God may give them or us a change in heart, and thus with patience and gentleness is the key to keeping those lines of communication open.

But how can we show tolerance and yet still stand up for the truth? You know, the Apostle Paul mentioned something about this in Romans 2, 4.

Do you not think lightly of the riches of God’s kindness and tolerance and patience, knowing not that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

God is our model of humility and kindness and tolerance and patience that he showed through Jesus in his earthly ministry to Israel, to the whole world of mankind, to us, and to be emulated by us because we want to be part of his family.

But you know, this tolerance does involve some of the kinds of tolerance that the Corinthian brethren practiced. You know, Paul in 2nd Corinthians 11, 19, 20, he criticizes them. He said, you tolerate the foolish. You tolerate anyone who enslaves you, who devours you, who takes advantage of you, who exalts himself, who hits you in the face. You know, our tolerance is not to be a tolerance of evil, but a tolerance of the struggles that each one of us have in putting on Christ, of laying aside the old self and putting on a new self.

We all struggle in that.

Maintaining the unity is all based on agape love for our brethren, and we like the way the Apostle Paul puts it in Galatians and, excuse me, in Colossians 3:12, 14.

Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with each other and forgiving each other beyond all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity. Love is the foundation of a heart of kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, all the things that we need to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and Brother Russell has a really interesting quote on this we’d like to read from reprint 5668.

Why is this quality of love made so prominent in the word of God? Because it is the principal thing, the fulfilling of God’s law. But why put love first? It is because no other quality of character is so lovely, is so beautiful, is so productive of happiness and joy, so great a blessing upon those whom it operates. It is the very essence of God’s character.

God is love, and this quality particularly represents his personality.

You know, if love represents God’s personality as sons of God, it should represent our personality as well.

In conclusion. Ephesians 1:4 1:3 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of his calling, with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let us remember the prisoners as we have opportunity. Let us walk in the light, following the leading of God’s Holy Spirit and in conformity to Jesus, our Shepherd, our captain, our Head, our role model. Let us walk in humility and gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love.

Let us make every effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit given to us in the bond of peace, and may the Lord add His blessing.

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