“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation (calling) wherewith you are called” (Ephesians 4:1).
This calling is for the earthly life of a believer to be in total harmony with the high and exalted position in which he has been placed. The word here “therefore” refers back to a number of things that have been presented in the preceding chapters which are the basis for the appeal. An understanding of those chapters will provide the greatest revelation of the present position and eternal destiny of all who believe in Christ. This amazing admonition is not for the purpose of living a life of obedience so as to obtain this exceeding high calling. This would be totally impossible because this magnificent position is so high that it is impossible to be earned or deserved by the most perfect human effort.
Most human beings know their best is not a constant, and daily they demonstrate to themselves that they are most imperfect. What folly it is for imperfect man to imperfectly attempt a perfect salvation. It is comforting to peer into God’s word and realize that this perfect and high position belongs to the believer in Christ and is possessed because of God’s calling and purpose and is a gift from His marvelous grace. More good news about the gracious calling: It is a calling from God and it is unalterable and can never be diminished or lose its force or effect.
“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29).
God does not change His mind and withdraw these amazing divine operating assets. They are for the believer’s effective service in order to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, the unique and only Savior. Children born into a royal family are taught early to conduct themselves as is becoming to royalty. The good and exemplary conduct is not performed in order to become a royal member of the family because they are full-fledged royal members of the family by birth. These well-trained members of the royal family honor the king and their country only as they conduct themselves in conformity to their position as a royal member of the family. This high and royal position is the basis for the requirement of exemplary conduct. Paul had this in mind when he pointed to a believer’s high position in Christ. We will share his thinking here:
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling wherewith you are called” (Ephesians 34:1).
Paul pointed to the believers high and exalted calling as the reason for a life to be conducted in harmony with their eternal position in Christ. This high calling from God is sufficient reason for this lofty appeal. When the mind focuses on the calling to such a high and exalted position much becomes secondary concerning Christian conduct. A clear understanding and acceptance of all that is included in the believer’s calling is essential for the impetus and power that is supplied for an obedient and exemplary life. A calling is essential yes, but exactly what is this calling? Many things which make up the calling are introduced by the words, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
The calling obviously pertains to spiritual blessings that are related to heavenly things. A worthy walk of a believer must be in a spiritual order that is on a heavenly plane. This worthy walk involves much more than a good moral life; it also includes the joy of living an elevated walk. “He God) has chosen us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4). This joyful love before Him is experienced in heavenly places because of God’s limitless love. This lofty position, in His presence, is that of a son because “God has predestinated us unto the adoption of children (sons) by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (v. 6).
God in His sovereign will has determined, according to His good pleasure, that in eternity all believers who are His sons shall eternally continue to be His sons. This amazing relationship is a full membership in His family and is a position higher than that of any other celestial being. Yes, higher than angels. It is almost beyond imagination to contemplate that one day we will no longer be in this temporal and fading body but will have a resurrection body and a position that is higher than angels. This is pure grace and occurs because the believer is “accepted by God in His beloved son” (v. 6). This future reality is similar to a son bringing home a bride; though previously an entire stranger, she is accepted into the family because of her union with the son. Position in the Son of God means the believer has “redemption through his blood, and forgiveness of sins according to the riches of the infinite grace of God” (v.7). In addition to an inheritance purposed by God Himself, the Holy Spirit has been given the seal for this position as an earnest (payment) that the inheritance shall be received (v. 14).
It is logical to ask why and how has God done all of this so perfectly. We are immediately informed “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved); And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:2-6). God has provided all of these treasures purely because of His mercy and great love. No human merit was allowed here; it was given “when we were (spiritually) dead in trespasses and sins.” “He has made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (v. 6). The very place where God set Christ when He raised Him from the dead. This position is “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name this is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:20-21).
Here again the emphasis is centered on the exalted position of the believer in Christ. God’s overarching purpose is, “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). Pause just for a few seconds! Throughout all eternity the believer in Christ is the object of the exceeding riches of the Grace of God. What a day that will be, what an eternity that will be, and what a high and exalted position it will be to be included in His great calling. This amazing plan of God is infinite in duration and in its unsurpassed exceeding glory.
In contrast to this inexpressibly high and glorious position, believers are reminded that in time past they were, “without Christ, being aliens and strangers, having no hope, and without God in the world” (v. 12). “But now in Christ Jesus they are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (v. 13). They are “therefore NOW no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (v. 19). And in the Lord, they “are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit” (v. 22). All of this blessed information describes the calling of God to which every believer should walk worthy.
You may inquire, “Is your condition as a believer in Christ driven by your perfect position in Christ? Is your life and behavior empowered by the certainty of your secure position in Christ?” This is the only true measure to determine if the life is being lived in accord with the certain and secure eternal position that is centered in Jesus Christ. It is only after establishing the believer’s exalted position in Christ, and because of it that the admonition is made for a worthy walk. The initial condition of a worthy walk is not expressed in any manner of action, nor deed, but in a state of true humility.
Notice: “With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2,3).
These characteristics are not from the natural man; they emanate from a particular life that is worthy of the high calling of God in Christ. They are expressed that the believer may see that “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10) and that the gracious calling of God is all of grace and in no way of one’s self determination; it is God’s way of teaching the essence of a proper mental attitude in service.
Another condition of the life that is worthy of the high calling of God is growth and development of the new spiritual life that was imputed in the believer at the instant of initial salvation. Special provisions have been made by the appointment of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers “For the perfecting of the saints; for the edifying of the body of Christ; 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 fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness” (Ephesians 4:7, 11-14).
Because of this provision for spiritual growth and development, to remain immature and deficient in the knowledge of the things of Christ is to walk unworthy of the calling.
It was only after Paul’s discussion of a believer’s mindset that he referred to specific acts of conduct. Even then he did so by relating these acts to putting off the things of the “old sin nature” and putting on the things of the “new man.” The “old man” is the natural unregenerated man. His walk is “in the vanity of his own mind.” His “understanding is darkened” as to spiritual matters. Through ignorance he is “alienated from the life of God.” He is spiritually “corrupt by deceitful lusts” (Eph. v. 17,18, 22). The new man is positioned in Christ and not in himself and who “after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (v. 20, 24).
Please pause to consider this important truth. The test of individual acts is whether they are things that belong to the old or to the new man. If the acts are from the old man they should be put off. For each act of the old man that is put off there is a corresponding act of the new man to be put on. The manner of life is not made worthy of the calling by merely putting off the things of the old man; the things of the new man must also be put on. A worthy walk is not negative, it is definitely positive. The admonition that centers on putting off things of the old man and putting on the new is one of the most important of all provisions of the magnificent grace of God. It is most reasonable that the individual who has been taken out of the world and translated into the kingdom of the Son of God should no longer live as the world lives but as an entirely new being. If the new believer develops a basic understanding of the nature of the old man and of the new and of the thinking that belong to each, he would see the inconsistency of continuing in the old. Not until a believer’s conduct is related to the high calling that is in Jesus Christ can there be a clear understanding as to the “Yeses” and “No’s” of many things in life.
It is only after the contrast between the old man and the new have been set forth are admonitions made regarding specific acts of behavior. Notice: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor” (Eph. 4: 25).
“Let him that stole steal no more” (v. 28). “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying” (v. 29). “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and evil speaking be put away from you, be ye kind one to another” (v. 31,32). In particular notice, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption” (v. 30).
All of the old characteristics are to be put off, being from the old man, and the positive put on from the source of the new man. Our relationships with other believers are to be “worthy of the calling wherewith we are called” (Eph. 4:1) and should be as though they actually are between the believer and our Lord Jesus Christ. All of these behaviors are to be performed “in good will doing service, as to the Lord and not to men” (v. 6:7). The worthy walk of the believer will be in conflict with Satan and the unseen fallen angels that serve him. Thank God for this powerful truth. To be a victor in this very real conflict the believer must be “girt about with truth, having the breastplate of righteousness, the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:12-17).
This powerful admonition closes with the words, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (v. 18). Each of the admonitions mentioned above are essential requirements in order for the life to be consistent with the high calling of God in Christ. This amazing life is on an infinitely higher plane than what may be imposed by any humanistic moral standard. It is a life under God’s divine viewpoint that is lived under the controlling power of the Holy Spirit here on planet Earth. Only the calling of God is a sufficient basis for these powerful admonitors. The callings of God are without repentance and are designed to be executed in the time He gives you today. He has a plan for you and that plan is for now on planet Earth.
You are not promised tomorrow; therefore, you only have today. Tomorrow never comes, and once we think we are in it, it is already the next day which is another tomorrow. This is the reason the Scriptures warn “boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:1). This is the day you have been granted to live and serve, be aware of its specialness and the privilege you have to live and execute it.
“The daylight is fading and the shadows of evening are growing long” (Prov. 6:4).
“Today if you will hear His voice harden not your heart” (Heb. 3:7,8).
“Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Heb. 3:12).
Unbelief can become belief in an instant. Try for yourself.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
“Whosoever (that’s you) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). You call. He saves. You refuse, He does not save! God is a gentleman; He does not impose when He has already given you the privilege and opportunity to believe on Him.
