FollowWalking Worthy (1)
© C. O. Bishop
Ephesians 4:1-13
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Introduction:
What Is Our Calling?
According to Romans 1:7, we are called saints—Holy ones. We are called holy by God (which by the way is authoritative: not just an opinion or wishful thinking.) And, we are called to BE holy, by the Grace of God.
But what does that look like? Do we wear white robes and walk around with a pious look, or a trance-like look? (Everyone would just think we were on drugs!) Paul goes on to explain “what it looks like” to walk worthy of the calling with which we are called. He says it involves humility, not pride, and yieldedness (meekness) not self-will.
Submission to God
We tend to “show up for work ,” before the Lord, and say, “G’mornin’ Lord! Here’s what I’m gonna do for You today…after I’ve had my coffee…heh heh…” But, God is interested in workers who will do His will, not theirs, in His timing, not theirs. And He wants workers who see themselves through clear eyes…soberly, as it says in Romans 12:3. We are to see ourselves as God sees us…saved sinners, indwelt by a Holy God. It is difficult to imagine such a person feeling smug about his own holiness, or stubborn about his own will.
Unity
Further, He wants us to get along with one another. We are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God, and we still have trouble getting along. If we were to constantly remember our position in Christ, and our status as saved sinners, made holy by a holy God, it seems we would get along with one another, as well. He says we are to be longsuffering, and forbearing, toward one another.
Longsuffering
We tend to simply think “longsuffering” is patience…but I think, though longsuffering is almost an archaism, it is a stronger word. The word “suffer,” in old English, means to “allow.” Jesus told John the Baptist, “Suffer it to be so for now…” meaning, “allow this to happen.”
Longsuffering toward one another means that we are not to be irritated by one another, but to see everyone, even the unsaved, as precious souls for whom Jesus died, and the saved, particularly, as our brothers in Christ—precious to us. They may do things that are irritating, but, as God is longsuffering toward us, we must be longsuffering toward them. We are to allow them to be who they are, without becoming defensive or resentful.
Forbearance
“Forbearing” carries a similar idea—that we are to put up with one another. Not grimly hanging on, gritting our teeth, and rolling our eyes, as it were, and “putting up with” one another as a grievous burden, but “forbearing one another in love.”
There are things in the lives of people whom we love which we cheerfully endure as a part of the package that is “them.” Perhaps “endearing quirks” in our mate, or “amusing eccentricities” in our grandfather, or “cute” naughtiness in our children or grandchildren. These are the things that, in a co-worker or neighbor, or someone else’s child, we might find irritating, or even infuriating. But God says we are to treat all our brothers and sisters with the same tender forbearance that we would our best friend, our spouse, or our grandchild. “Forbearing one another in love.”
Endeavoring to Keep the Unity of the Spirit
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Notice simply that the command is to “endeavor” – a continual attempt—to “keep,” not “make” the unity of the Spirit. This is the unity with which God is primarily concerned: The unity of the Spirit…not the artificial “unity” that we create with pacts, covenants, and creeds, or church constitutions, with their innumerable bylaws.
This is the Unity that God created, by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are to make it our business to keep that unity, in the bond of peace. God says that we are to be at peace with one another, and that we are to maintain the unity that He created, in the bond of peace. Paul begins to lay out the basis for that unity, here, in the following verses:
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Seven God-given Unities are Listed:
- One Body
- One Spirit
- One Hope of our Calling
- One Lord
- One Faith
- One Baptism
- One God and Father
If all these unities are in place, then I have no right to break unity with someone, even if I find them to be difficult to get along with. We may just have “some work to do” in our relationship.
Is the person, with whom I am struggling to be at peace, a fellow believer? Then we both belong to that One Body of Christ. We are indwelt by that One Spirit, and we share in One Hope of our collective Calling. Also, we have One Lord, and we admit no other. We have One Faith in His completed work at Calvary, and in the Risen Savior who is coming again. We have both been baptized into the Body of Christ with that One Baptism that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in every believer at the moment of salvation. And, finally, there is only One God, who has begotten us both anew, by His Grace, through faith.
Now—is the person simply someone who says they “believe in the One God ,” but who does not share our faith that Jesus’ blood is the propitiation for our sins? Then the unity is not complete, and, while we are still to love that person, there can be no true fellowship, as they are not saved. They are not part of that one Body, as they do not believe that Jesus’ blood is the sacrifice that satisfies God’s Holiness. They have not been indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and the apparent “lack of unity” is simply a result of the Missing Unity.
We are to maintain the existing unity, not cobble together a man-made unity. What should that look like?
The Gifts of Christ
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Paul goes on to explain that we are all given gifts by which to participate in the unity of the Body of Christ. As in a physical body, where every cell has a purpose, in the Body of Christ every believer has a function. (See verse 16) We are all to function as members of the Body. Our specific tasks may differ widely, but we still are members of that One Body, and need to function that way. Let’s read:
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
“How” and “When,” first: then “What” and “Why”
Paul prefaces his remarks on function with an explanation of how and when the gifts came into being: When Jesus ascended back to God, he led a host of previously captive souls with him: Those who had been in Paradise, the “pleasant” half of Sheol, the place of the righteous dead, went with him into Heaven. The way had been opened with the tearing of the temple veil —It previously stood as a sign that the way to God was not yet open. But, when Jesus died, the veil was torn, and theway was opened for all who desire to enter in, by His Blood, and through that veil.
He goes on to say that at that time, Jesus endowed the Church with gifts. Paul does not give a list of many gifts, here …in fact, here he lists only four gifts (called the gift of Christ) that are given to the Church, and which are people, not practices. Other lists include the other gifts, given to individuals.
The Office Gifts…Gifts of Christ
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
The people listed here—or their offices—are gifts to the church…these persons planted, strengthened, taught, and managed the church. Their purpose was to equip the saints to do the work of service…the work of the “ministry.” Notice it does not say that they are to “do the work of the ministry :” They are to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.
Many teachers assume that the Apostles and Prophets existed only for the time of Christ, and the transition period of the beginning of the Church age. There is some scriptural reason to think that: However, the following verses give me pause, as they contain a time–clause that has NOT been completed. The word “till” (or, “until”) in verse 13 establishes the longevity of the gifts.
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
You see, none of the above has happened yet—we have not all come in the unity of the faith, of the full knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (complete, or mature) man, etc.. We have not become fully mature, in the full measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
When Will The Gifts Cease?
It will not happen fully until we are with Him. 1st John 3:2 says that when we see him, we shall be like Him…not before. In 1st Corinthians 13:8-13, we see that the gifts will cease…and also when it will happen. It says they will cease when “the perfect comes.”
We will get our new bodies, and the church will be complete (perfect) in every sense, at the Rapture. Not before.
The perfect will have come; we will see Him face to face; we will know Him fully, even as we are also fully known, when we see Jesus face to face, as the completed Church. Not before.
From those three passages (1st Corinthians 13:8-13, Ephesians 4:13, and 1st John 3:2) I must conclude that all the gifts probably are still extant, though not in the way that the charismatic movement portrays them.
We will talk more about the gifts next week.
Lord Jesus, please draw us to believe Your Word, as opposed to believing the many voices teaching us otherwise. Sometimes Your Word is difficult to understand. Let us strive to understand what You actually say, not water it down and miss the meaning.