To Walk Worthy is to Walk in Unity Pt2

Ephesians 4:1–3 NKJV

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We are continuing in this passage this morning where Paul exhorts us to walk worthy of our calling. In particular we are focusing on verses 2 and 3 where Paul expands walking worthy to walking in unity with one another. We looked a few of weeks ago at these two words

Lowliness

and

Gentleness

Lowliness, we noted, is a mind set. It is a humbleness of our mind. All unity in Christ begins with a humble mind.

In Rom 12:3

Romans 12:3 NKJV

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Humility is not to lower myself below what I am. If I think that I’m humbling myself by think myself less than I am then I’m actually not humble at all. In my pride I think I’m something that I am not and my humility is nothing more than an extension of that pride. True humility of mind thinks soberly. that sober thinking understands that I am nothing other than one who has receieved the gift of God’s grace.

Paul said in Rom 7:18

Romans 7:18 NKJV

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

John 15:5 NKJV

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

If we abide in Christ and He abides in us then we will bear much fruit. But always remember that without Him you can do nothing.

So as Peter says 1 Pet 5:6

1 Peter 5:6 NKJV

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

And this is the first step towards walking worthy of our calling and the first step towards Christian unity.

And Gentleness which is meekness. which in the case of Christ was the restraint of His almighty power. and for us it is the yielding of our rights rather than fighting for them. Or being careful to not take advantage of people when the opportunity arises. Or being careful not to crush someone who is weaker.

Romans 14:1 NKJV

1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

Romans 15:1–2 NKJV

1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

Just because you are right doesn’t mean that you have to win the argument. And if you right and you’re the stronger in the faith then show meekness in order to lead to edification.

If someone offends you then show meekness and overlook the offence.

Proverbs 19:11 NKJV

11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

Humility of mind and meekness form the foundation of unity and lead into the next two things Paul tells us to do in order to walk in an appropriate manner.

Enduring one another and Endeavouring to keep unity

Enduring

So it says

“With longsuffering, bearing with one another in love”

Ephesians 4:2 NKJV

2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

With “longsuffering” That is with patience, self-control and tolerance.

“bearing with” means to suffer or endure.

The problem that a lot of us have is that we assume that in the church we should all be good Christian people so why would I need to with patience suffer or endure someone?

Paul write this because he knows the reality which is that there are aways going to be people in the church who offend you, hurt you, criticise you, slander you, and just annoy you. But if we are to walk worthy of the calling of Christ we must not return evil for evil but rather suffer, and patiently endure one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NKJV)

15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

Matthew 5:38–39 NKJV

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Or as Peter says

1 Peter 3:9 NKJV

9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Or as back in our text

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Walk in a way that is becoming of your calling. And to walk worthy, when someone annoys you, or offends you or criticises you, or hurts you then we must overlook the transgression. With patients endure. And we do it in love. Why? because

Ephesians 2:4–5 NKJV

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

And do this Paul says

Ephesians 4:3 NKJV

3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Endeavouring

The word endeavouring means be diligent. Labour diligently to keep the unity of the Spirit.

What is the unity of the Spirit?

It is the Unity created by, consisting of, and kept by the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:13 NKJV

13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Ephesians 2:22 NKJV

22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

So it is in the Holy Spirit that we are being built together for a dwelling place for God. And the way that God dwells in His people is by the Holy Spirit. So the unity that we have with God and with each other is by the Spirit.

So if it is the Spirit who creates this unity how can we possibly maintain the unity?

And the answer must be that the Spirit works in and through us to keep this unity.

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

So the Spirit works in us the work that is required of us.

Philippians 2:12–13 NKJV

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

We are to earnestly endeavour to walk worthy of this high calling, press towards the mark, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and as we do we prove our own election because it is only the Spirit of God who gives us the will and the power, who produces the fruit of our salvation in us.