http://offsecnewbie.com/2018/05/10/celestial-hackthebox/feed When I was a teenager and first received my driver’s license, my parents increasingly gave me more freedom to drive places on my own. The further they let me drive on my own, the more they would remind me that driving wasn’t a right, it was a privilege. I should drive as though I wanted that privilege to continue. The state of WI gave me the right to drive, but my parents could take away the privilege if I didn’t drive in a manner worthy of that privilege. This inspired me to drive carefully because I didn’t want to not be able to drive places to hang out with my friends!

In Ephesians 4:1, Paul tells us as believers to “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” What does this mean, and how do we do it? I often talk with believers who are concerned they aren’t doing enough for Jesus. Many ask: “Am I reading the Bible enough,” or “Do I know the Bible well enough” or “am I obeying it right enough, or consistently enough?” These all are valid questions, but often they are asked with a fear that God may be angry with them, disappointed in them, or worse, not love them if they fall short.

Two Questions

Two questions need to be addressed in order to understand what Paul is saying when he says “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called:” First, what is the calling to which we have been called? Second, how do we walk worthily?

Paul answers the first question resoundingly throughout the first three chapters of Ephesians. In Ephesians 1 he makes it very clear that our salvation is entirely a work of God through Christ for the glory and praise of God alone. In Ephesians 2:8-10 Paul succinctly summarizes this content when he says,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

So, the manner in which we were called was by grace, not of our doing, and it was gifted to us by God. We can’t boast about it, because God did it through Christ. Furthermore, God didn’t just save us from our sin by his grace, he created us to live for his glory!

At the end of chapter 3, Paul continues to answer the question, “What is the calling?” when he says this in verses 14-19:

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

The Fullness of God

Notice a few things with me: First, we get the riches of God’s glory! Imagine that! We get all of God’s riches at Christ’s expense! Second, we get Christ’s power through his Holy Spirit. In this way, Christ himself dwells in us! Finally, because Christ dwells in us, we have the ability to comprehend our infinite God’s love and we get to be filled with ALL the fullness of God! These are amazing truths!

He doesn’t stop there! Paul continues with praise for who God is in Ephesians 3:20-21:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Wow! Do you see how amazing the calling with which we’ve been called is? The power that is at work with in us (Christ through the Holy Spirit) is able to do far more abundantly than we are able to ask of even think! That is the power with which you have been called! It is at this very point that Paul then says, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called!”

Is it Even Possible?

You might be thinking, “Wow, how can I ever walk in such a manner? That’s so amazing what God has done for me, in me, and through me! Is it even possible for me to live that way?” The answer is, YES! Here’s why:

How were you called? By Grace!
How then do you walk? By Grace!

How much of your salvation did you achieve by your strength? None of it!
How much of your walk will be in your strength? None of it!

How are we strengthened? By the Holy Spirit of Christ!
How do we walk in strength? By the Holy Spirit of Christ!

When we were saved, how much of God was given to us? All the fullness of God!
How much of God do we have to strengthen us to walk? All the fullness of God!

Who gets the glory because of our salvation? God does!
Who gets the glory when we walk worthily? God does!

How much of this is in your own power? None of it! In fact, unlike my illustration from the beginning, there is no danger of losing the status we have with God. I could lose my driving privilege, but we will never lose our privilege as sons and daughters of God!

Hopefully by now you are getting the idea. It’s also interesting that Paul used the term “walk.” Some translations say “live” and that is correct as well. Both words give the sense that we ought to live in a such a way that reflects who we already are in Christ.

One Step at a Time

What’s interesting about the term “walk” is that Paul didn’t say “run,” and he didn’t say “fly’ or “teleport.” He said “walk.” What does it take to walk physically? Putting one foot in front of the other. You take one step at a time. Sometimes we get off course, and we have to take one step at a time to get back on course. Sometimes we walk in the wrong direction entirely, and we still have to get back on course by walking back in the other direction one step at a time.

Our Christian life is like this. We read the Bible one verse at a time. We live our lives one day at a time. We don’t suddenly become super Christians who know the entire Bible overnight. It takes time. It takes effort, but remember that you have at your disposal all the fullness of God dwelling within you! Walk as though you do!