I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. — Ephesians 4:1
For some reason, I decided recently to study Ephesians 4. I don't really remember the reason anymore, but here goes... ;)
As the old pastor's cliche goes, whenever you see "therefore" you have to find out what it's "there for". Paul spends the first three chapters of Ephesians talking in more abstract terms about what it means to be a Christian. Chapter 4 starts the application section of the book. My outline of the book, up to chapter 4, looks like: 1:1,2 Introduction; 1:3-14 Our calling, predestination, and spiritual blessing; 1:15-23 Thanks for the Ephesians, blessing to them, and praise to God; 2:1-3 We were all once under the wrath of God; 2:4-10 God showed us mercy and gave us faith that we could do the good works He's planned; 2:11-18 Remember what you were and how Jesus brought you back into fellowship with God; 2:19-22 We are built up together into His Church; 3:1-6 God has revealed a mystery that the gentiles should take part in the Jewish spiritual inheritance; 3:7-13 Paul has been called to bring the gospel out through this revealed mystery; 3:14-21 Prayer for strength and understanding and praise to God. Paul is basically, saying, given all I've said, apply it this way.
Next, I thought it was curious that Paul would restate the fact that he's in prision, "a prisoner of the Lord." Why state it here? Since this study is completely out of my own understanding of this scripture as I haven't relied on any commentary or other helps I don't think I have a full understanding of what is going on. However, I did note a few things. Basically, this statement links this passage to vv. 3:1ff, "For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you gentiles—assuming you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly." Paul is stating his credentials. He sort of saying, "You can trust my recommendations because of what God has called me to do for you. And look, I am willing to even go to prison for it." He is in prison for preaching the word. His goal is to reach the gentiles and bring them together with the Jews into the kingdom of God (this is the mystery explained in chapter 3).
The part about "a manner worthy" suggests to me that we should remember what we are. As citizens and adopted children of the household of God (v. 2:19), we should act in a manner worthy of that citizenship and adoption. This is build upon the words Paul gives throughout chapter 2, "You were dead in the trespasses and sin..., following...the spirit of disobedience...we all once lived in the passions of our flesh...[and
were by nature children of wrath. But God, being rich in mercy...even when we were dead..., made us alive together with Christ." (Ephesians 2:1-4) We were broken and headed in the wrong direction. God fixed us and turned us around. Remember this and be motivated to act worthy of the God who has called you.
The final key, then, is "the calling to which you have been called." I believe this remark takes us back to the statements of chapter 1. I believe the "calling" is a direct call back to God's purpose in our lives. "He chose us in him before the foundation of the world." (1:4) Before He even created the earth, God had hand picked those who would believe in him. Talk about destiny! "He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." (1:5) God has a purpose for each of his chosen people. He didn't pick us according to blind luck or according to foreknowledge, He picked us because He has a plan. "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the cousil of his will." (1:11) Clearly, this choise was not an accident, but part of God's sovereign plan.
A caution: Even though God called us and we were hand-picked for a purpose, this doesn't make us special or superior. We were all children of wrath (2:3) and our salvation was a matter of God's mercy and his choice, "not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (2:9) Whenever a Christian acts holier-than-thou (and we all do from time to time, if not much of the time), we are hypocrites. This is not "a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called."
Instead, we should know that God chose us, predestined us, called us for a reason. We should walk in a manner worthy of it. We should be humbled rather than prideful over this. We should be grateful rather than ungracious. This should motivate us to lower ourselves even more as a servant to others and spur us on to greater works. Amen.
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