Day 347, December 13 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Ephesians 4–6
Live a Worthy Life
The vast majority of parents or teachers wants their children or students to live a worthy life. They want them to do well, graduate from high school, trade school, or college. Furthermore, they wants them to succeed in finding a rewarding job, get married to the right person, raise healthy kids, and prosper materially.
What makes life valuable? Is it money, fame, prestige, or possessions? Is our net worth calculated by adding up our assets or our contributions to society? Our world measures our success and value in these ways, but God doesn’t.
The Apostle Paul addresses the Ephesian believers by a letter from his imprisonment in Rome: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1, NIV).
What did he mean? What was the calling the Ephesian believers have received? If we look at earlier chapters, we can see Paul is talking about living a life worthy of the call to the salvation they have received. It is a gracious call—there is nothing they did to deserve it. It is an inclusive call—both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) are included as they express their faith in Christ for salvation.
How do believers live worthy of the salvation they have received? From today’s Bible reading, Paul gives the Ephesians (and us),
Seven Principles that will Lead to a Godly Life (these will be our Take-Away Lessons)
- “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” (Ephesians 4:2-3, NIV). We all have differences. We have differences of nationality, culture, personality, talent, and ability. We must respect each other’s differences and strive for unity and mutual edification as one body of believers in Christ. Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) are included in the body of Christ by our common faith in him for our salvation.
- “Be imitators of God and walk in love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:1, NIV). To do this, we need to practice living a pure life, be kind and good, act with justice and mercy and love others sacrificially.
- Live like children of the light. Don’t return to previous hedonistic and heathen lifestyles from which you have been saved (Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-7). Don’t live in the darkness of sin.
- For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (Ephesians 5:8-11, NIV).
- “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV). We should try to live every day for the glory of the Lord. We have only one life on this earth, and we should make the most of it. We never know when our freedoms or health, which we enjoy today, may be taken away.
- Submit to one another in love—husbands to Christ, wives to husbands, children to parents, and slaves to masters (Ephesians 5:1–6:9). (Note: In many places of our world, where slavery is almost non-existent, we might correlate the slave-master relationship of Paul’s day with the employee-employer relationship of today). Paul said fathers shouldn’t exasperate their children, and masters (or employers) must treat their slaves (employees) fairly.
- “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:17, NIV). Understanding God’s will comes from reading, meditating, and practicing the Word of God, the Bible.
- “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10-11, NIV). The devil will attack and try to ruin us and our testimony. We must be wary and ready for him by putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Following these seven principles will lead us to a worthy life, a life that has worth in the eyes of God, doing things that are well-pleasing in his sight. Do we know him so we can please him? (more...)
Focus Verse
Ephesians 4:1b (NIV) “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
If you want a more in depth and interactive study from Ephesians, look in our interactive Bible studies.
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Looking Ahead: God doesn't just want us to live a worthy life; he wants us to find True Fulfillment. Find out where this can be found in our Next Lesson.
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