Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
– Ephesians 4:1-4
The word “therefore” acts as a crucial transition, linking the doctrine of a believer’s newfound unity, identity and position in Christ (Ephesians 1-3) to the practical application of living a transformed life (Ephesians 4-6). Right out of the gate in Ephesians 4:1, Paul charges the congregation to “live a life worthy of the calling they received”. He also emphasises how the Holy Spirit plays a key role in the life of the church, enabling different members to fulfil the different functions in the body of Christ.
The five gifts Christ gave for the equipping of the church are vital for bringing all believers to maturity (Ephesians 4:11). The evidence of our maturity will be visible in the “unity we reach in our faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God”.
We are also called to imitate God, becoming Christlike as we learn to live our lives through the Holy Spirit. By putting on our new nature, we now desire Jesus to be glorified in our marriages, families and in the marketplace, living as children of the Light.
Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesians by reminding Christians that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual principalities. May we, the church, being clothed in the fullness of Christ, stand strong in the face of opposition, trials and temptations.
Let us press on together toward Christlike maturity. Let’s build one another up, walk in unity and reflect Jesus in every area of our lives. As we grow in Him, the world will see His love and power at work through us.
