EPHESIANS 4:1-16
EPHESIANS 4:1-16
New International Version
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
EPHESIANS 4:1-3
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
REFLECTION
In previous chapters, Paul encouraged his readers in doctrine: what we believe as Christians. But in this chapter, Paul gave instructions for Christian living. These are practical guidelines for the way we walk out our Christian faith day-to-day. As followers of Jesus, the first “calling” we have received is the call to Salvation. As we follow Jesus and yield our lives to Him, He transforms us and helps us live the Christian life, full of the fruits of the Spirit we learned about in Galatians 5. Ultimately, our lives will look differently than those who do not follow Jesus because we carry the life and light of Jesus within us. As you read, allow the Holy Spirit to encourage you to walk “worthy of the calling you have received.”
RESPONSE
What does it mean to live a life worthy of the calling you have received?
Take a look at the characteristics Paul expected to see in the life of a believer: humility, gentleness, patience, and love. Does your life reflect these things? Why or why not?
Paul encouraged the believers to strive for unity and peace. Do you aim to be a person of peace? Do you bring peace wherever you go?

