https://odb.org/2025/10/08/jacks-story
Ephesians 4:1–6 (NIV): 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.
God’s love poured out through the creation of a new community made up of believing Jews and gentiles—something Paul calls “the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4)—is the foundation for the apostle’s encouragement to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (4:1). Jews and gentiles—two groups long estranged from each other—were called to devote themselves to cultivating the unity created through Christ’s Spirit (v. 3). They needed to serve one another “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (v. 2 esv). Today, we’re also called to love and serve others with the gifts we’ve been given. (Monica La Rose, ODB 7 October 2025)
Christianity is not just about professing our faith but living out our lives that glorify Christ. In the early days when the early adopters were Jews, they accepted and worked together with the gentiles (non-Jews) and were united in love for Christ. The Jews have customarily excluded non-Jews in certain matters, in particular, their religious obligations. For example, gentiles were only permitted at the fringes of the Temple, the outer courts. With the veil broken by the victory of Jesus on the cross, believers in Christ have direct communion with God, and in the process, the distinction between Jews and gentiles was also broken. We are now all equal in Christ and are rightful beneficiaries of the Abrahamic Covenant and its blessings.
In parallel, we are to live lives that are worthy of our calling in Christ being co-heirs and sons and daughters of God. Always remember who we are whenever we do anything lest the name of our Saviour is put to shame. We may easily behave like others of the world, but we won’t because we have Christ in us. We are different. We have Christ in us. Because of the Holy Spirit in us, we are able to act differently. There is a saying, as Christians, we live right side up in an upside down world! Paul puts it another way in Romans 12:1 – we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, as our spiritual act of worship in view of God’s mercy (in saving us).
As I have always said in these pages, we all know where we are with God in our relationship with Him, in our faith, and the extent of our spiritual formation and character building in Christ. We still have personality flaws. We still sin. Sometimes, we still act or speak, in a manner unworthy of our calling. As long as we are aware and seek to change; do better next time, we will eventually think, speak, and act as if we were Christ! We can only get better if we work with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to transform us from within. I’m therefore confident that we will all be able to live a life worthy of our calling! If not right now, one day soon! Amen
Ronnie's Thoughts 