Ephesians 4:1-3

“Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, ³ diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us.”

Beginning with Ephesians 4, Paul outlines the responsibilities in Christ – our Christian walk. In the very first verse, we are urged to walk worthy of the calling we have received. I am reminded again that we must have a true encounter/experience with our Creator, God the Father, before we can truly comprehend this pledge. We will naturally draw near to this type of walk once we become slaves of Christ. As Christians, we identify Jesus as our Lord and Master which gives us freedom in eternal life – a true gift!

Romans 6:22 states, “²² But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the end is eternal life!” Being enslaved to God = freedom!  This is not a worldly freedom where one is granted permission to indulge in the ways of this world. No, this freedom is a gift that cannot be bought or won by works – a freedom that is gained through dying to self and following Christ. If we truly understand how much God did (and does) for us, then we would be eager to follow and obey. This requires self-evaluation at the deepest level.

This type of Christian walk in unity is marked with humility, gentleness, patience, and love for one another. It is important that we strive for such personal/spiritual characteristics that enhance the entire body of Christ. Each part of the body might be different yet all are important and functional to the greater cause. The flesh battles against such characteristics as we struggle against pride, harshness, revenge, frustration, agitation, and even hate. It is time to break the chains of these destructive behaviors and claim the victory through deliverance in Jesus Christ – there is freedom in Him alone!

Finally, in this passage, we are to diligently keep the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us. This requires daily work; it requires more than love. Love in itself is an action. We are tasked with constantly exerting ourselves in keeping this type of unity. We must not back down. It is not time to become complacent so that Satan can easily move in to destroy what is rightfully ours. May the peace of God bind us all as we go forward and do His will and masterful work.

Question: How can you strengthen your walk and unity today?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta