THE WALK OF THE BELIEVER
By Pastor Ted Palaroan
Ephesians 4:1-3
As we enter Chapter 4 of Ephesians we enter the last half of the book. Ephesians is a beautiful example of the way the apostle Paul always maintained a balance between doctrine and duty. The first three chapters of Ephesians have dealt primarily with Christian doctrine and the last three chapters will deal primarily with Christian duty i.e., our responsibilities to Christ. The key word for the first half of the book was WEALTH. The key word for the second half is WALK. Paul is going to admonish us to walk in
(1) Unity (4:1-16).
(2) Purity (4:17-5:17).
(3) Harmony (5:18-6:9).
(4) Victory. (6-e t)
We have probably under-emphasized the importance of the Christian walk . We find it easy to tell people of the wealth we have in Christ, but lost people generally are not receptive to the walk which we have in Christ. Many people want a simple, easy Christianity with no responsibility to live right. They want all the wealth of the Lord’s blessing but they do not want the walk of the Lord’s burden. Genuine Christianity includes both wealth and walk, doctrine and duty, riches and responsibility, salvation and service, conversion and a cross. Any other type of Christianity is false and not genuine.
NOTE: Both wealth and walk, salvation and service are the two sides to the same coin. Both are necessary.
TEXT - Ephesians 4:1-3
There are two important words to notice in the opening verses of this second section of Ephesians. They are (1) "therefore" and (2) "beseech.". I’ve always been told that when you see a" therefore" in the Bible, you need to understand what is there for This "therefore" has a purpose. Paul is basing what he is about to say upon what he has just said. He is basin his duty upon his die. He is basing his walk upon his wealth.
He is saying in Chapters 1-3 that "God has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 1:3) And because of God’s great blessing we are to "Walk worthy of the vocation. Wherewith ye are called." (Eph. 4:1)
The word "beseech" is a tender word which indicates that God, in love urges us to live for His glory. Paul could have said, "I demand you." But he said, "I beseech you." I believe God is saving through the inspired apostle, "I have blessed you and loved you and saved you, now in response I plead with you to obey me." If we walk in response to God’s marvelous grace toward us and in obedience to Him, our walk will include:
1. A calling (v. 1). 2. An attitude (v. 2). 3. An endeavor (v. 3).
I. THE WALK OF THE BELIEVER INCLUDES A CALLING
(v. 1). Paul exhorts the Ephesians to "walk. worthy of the vocation to which ye are called." NOTE: "vocation" = literally calling to which you have-been called.
A. The calling is a calling to salvation.
1. We often think of calling as some particular vocation.
a. Ex.( We talk of being called to preach, the mission field, the music ministry, be farmers, be bankers, etc.
b. These all are indeed callings but there is a higher, holier calling that always precedes these. It is the calling to be saved.
II Timothy 1:9 Paul says, "God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."
c. The most gracious, honorable, wonderful thing that can happen to a person is for God to extend to them an invitation to be saved.
B. Several things to notice about this calling.
1. God calls us first, we don’t call Him.
a. We are not the caller, we are the called.
b. God calls us, we do not call on Him.
c. Through the agency of His Holy Spirit God calls us by:
(1) Convicting us of sin. (2) Convincing us of the sufficiency of Christ. (3) Causing us to come to Him to be saved. NOTE: Some men say, "I’ll come to God in my own time." But we don t come to God in our time or on our terms, rather in His time and on his terms.
2. The calling to be a Christian is the greatest honor bestowed upon man.
a. Paul refers to this calling in other epistles as:
(1) The high calling (Ph. 3:14). (2) The heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1). (3) The holy calling (II Tim. 1:9).
b. When God calls upon a person to be saved and become a Christian, it is the highest calling that person will ever receive.
c. There is no calling on earth that bestows more dignity, nobility, prestige, honor and glory than the calling to become a Christian, child of God, joint heir with Jesus Christ, ambassador for Christ. What a position of prestige and honor!
3. Christians must-live a life which is becoming to such a high calling.
Paul says, "Walk worthy of the calling (or vocation) to which ye are called."
a. He is saying that we have been called to the highest, most noble position awarded to men that of being a Christian and we should live a life which is becoming and suitable to such a position.
b. We carry the name of Christ upon us. We are Christians! We must live worthy of this name.
C. It is through us that Jesus finds His earthly walk. He walks and lives in our lives We present the only Christ the world will ever know.
d. We must walk worthily, appropriately with the name of Christ.
e. Paul is-simply saying here. "Remember whose child you are and act accordingly."
We have been extended by God, the highest calling available to mankind - the calling to be a child of the living God. May we never do anything in our lives that would bring shame or dishonor to His glorious name by the way we talk, dress, act, think or work. In everything we are or do we must walk worthy of the vocation to which we are called.
II. THE WALK OF A BELIEVER INVOLVES AN ATTITUDE.
To walk worthy of the name of Christ means to have the right kind of attitude. Paul says, in verse 2. our attitude in life must be "with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." Paul says we must have an attitude which is lowly, long-suffering and loving.
A. As Christians our attitude must be lowly. v. 2 "Walk with all lowliness and meekness."
1. Paul says we are to walk with "lowliness."
a. actually means humility.
b. We are to have an appropriate opinion of ourselves. We are not to have an inflated opinion of ourselves that is caused by pride.
2. Paul also says we are to walk with meekness.
a. To be meek does not mean to be weak. Meekness is power under control for the benefit of others.
b. To be meek means to display the qualities of kindness, mildness, gentleness, teachableness.
c. The virtuous quality of meekness is one which our Lord possessed and one which His followers also possess when they take on His nature.
Mt. 11:29 Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
B. The Christian’s attitude must be long suffering (v. 2).
v. 2 Paul says we should live "with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering."
1. To be long-suffering means to bear injuries patiently without seeking revenge.
a. To be long-suffering means to be willing to be hurt without lashing back in defense and revenge.
b. It means to be patient, gentle, and slow in avenging injuries.
Paul says in II Cor, 6:6 that we "approve ourselves
as ministers of God... by long-suffering."
c. We must learn to bear patiently the remarks and injustices which hurt and threaten us,
e. This is so very difficult for us today. when we have been taught to look out for good- ole #1," or don’t let anyone take advantage of you," or "don’t let your rights be violated."
Yet Jesus taught us to be long-suffering i.e., to patiently bear injustices without seeking revenge in anger. Jesus said, "To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat." (Luke 6:29)
2. To be long-suffering also means to ..patiently bear the faults of others.
a. All of us are imperfect creatures. We all have our faults, infirmities and vices.
b. We will constantly be at each other’s throats if we cannot learn to patiently forbear each other’s faults with a great deal of long-suffering.
c. Our churches and homes would be much more peaceful if we could just- learn not to get under each others skin but to forbear each other, even with all our faults, imperfections and mistakes.
d. If we can learn to be long-suffering, to bear each others faults, we will
(1) Enjoy the fellowship of other Christians more.
(2) Get along with our neighbors better.
(3) Get along with our spouses better.
(4) Get along with fellow workers better.
e. Some of us would be much happier at home church, work if we could just learn to be a little more long-suffering and to bear each others imperfections.
h. Husband and wives your marriage will have little joy in it if you do not learn to be long-suffering and to bear the faults of your spouse.
C. The Christian must have an attitude of love (v_2.
Paul says we should walk with ’All lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." NOTE: "love" = the deepest type of love experienced in the human heart.
1. Love is the key to being long-suffering. I Cor. 13:4 "Love suffereth long and is kind."
a. We are able to put up with each other because we love each other.
b. In fact, we are to keep on loving and forbearing each other in spite of our faults,
The Christian walk involves an attitude of (1) lowliness, (2) long-suffering and (31 love.
III. THE WALK OF THE BELIEVER INVOLVES AN ENDEAVOR (v. 3).
Paul says that our walk must involve some effort to accomplish certain important tasks. He mentions one of the most vital tasks of the entire Christian life in verse 3. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
A. We are to work at maintaining unity.
Paul says literally, "Work hard at, or strive diligently or apply yourself earnestly at Maintaining a unity, oneness, sameness, or harmony in the spirit of peace.
1. Unity is something that we must work to keep.
a. Unity and harmony, whether it be in a marriage , home. church, or at your job is not something that happens automatically. We must work at it.
b. harmony and unity in a relationship does not happen automatically or accidentally, you must work at it constantly.
This sometimes means
(1) Biting your tongue when you wish to speak out.
(2) Not always demanding our way but following joyfully the will of the majority.
(3) Avoiding at all costs gossip and cutting, critical remarks.
(4) Avoiding the spread of rumors.
(5) Eliminating negative, cursory remarks from our conversation.
d. Any church that is going to experience harmony and unity must work at it!
B. Division and disunity are the most detrimental vices a church can experience. Jesus said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand!" (Mark 3:25)
1. A divided church is a dying church.
a. Some churches can’t buy a bus, paint a bathroom, plan a promotion, schedule a revival or take a special offering without fighting and squabbling about it.
b. God cannot and will not bless such childishness.
c. Some people in the church seem to work at bringing disharmony more than working at maintaining unity.
(1) Some people seem to thrive on controversy.
(2) Some people appear to be looking for an opportunity to be divisive, looking for an opportunity to catch the preacher in a mistake, looking for a way to sow little seeds of dissention and unrest.
d. Every church seems to have two or three such people who are always questioning what’s going on, always criticizing the leadership, always demanding explanations for actions. please note that one of the 7 things God hates is "He that soweth discord among the brethren." (Prov. 6:19)
e. If this is true, then we must guard every thought, control every word, discipline every action to be sure that we are never sowing discord among the brethren.
f. We must "Endeavor to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."
2. Division can also destroy your home.
a. If your home is going to avoid constant division and strife and turmoil, you will have to "endeavor" to work hard at guarding its unity.
b. Harmony in the home does not come easily. It takes work and lots of it!
The Christian walk includes an endeavor. We must endeavor to maintain the unity of the Spirit. It does not always come easily or automatically. But unity is a must for a home or church which is expecting to be blessed by God. No ingredient in either home life or church life is more important than unity. If we want unity, we must diligently, carefully, earnestly work to keep it.
Conclusion of Sermon:
The Christian walk involves
I. A calling (to be a Christian).
II. An attitude (of lowliness, long-suffering
and love).
III. An endeavor (working at maintaining unity).
Have you been walking the walk or simply talking
the talk?
