In Christ: Know It, Live It - 36 (Power and Motivation for the Worthy Walk)

As the Apostle Paul begins to focus on DOING and LIVING OUT the doctrine of "In Christ" in chapters 1-3 of Ephesians, we must not miss the immediate context of "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" in 4:1. When he writes "walk" of course, he is referring to our LIFESTYLE. 2:1 tells us that our lifestyle BEFORE Christ was "trespasses and sins." 2:10 tells us that because of the astounding grace of God in Christ we are His masterpieces created "for good works." What are these good works? What is this new lifestyle in Christ? It is the SAME lifestyle that he refers to as the "worthy walk" in 4:1.

But before we think about this worthy walk, let's think about the 2 verses immediately preceding 4:1. Any particular verse or verses, of course, can and often do have an important bearing on what comes both BEFORE and AFTER them. In this case 3:20-21 is VERY IMPORTANT when considering the worthy walk of 4:1 and following. That is, 3:20-21 tell us both HOW we can walk this worthy walk and WHY we should walk this worthy walk.

• HOW can we walk this worthy walk, this new lifestyle in Christ to which we have been called? Here's how: Through "...Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us..." (20). We have not been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ only to KNOW that and then TRY to live the Christian life on our own! We have this great standing as God's sons and daughters in Christ, we were made alive when we were spiritually dead in Christ, we are God's new creations in Christ...AND we are to walk worthy of God's calling BY and IN Christ and BY and IN God's power. How much power is available for this worthy walk? Far more abundant than all you can ask or think. I can think of what seem to me to be some BIG prayers for power: overcoming anger, agitation with my kids, being pure in thoughts and with the look of my eyes, loving those very unlike me and who hold different convictions, doing all I do with joy and for the glory of God, being minded in every contact with the lost to speak and act for their eternal good, etc. But God ASSURES me that not only can He do MORE than this, HE can do FAR more. And not only FAR more, but FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY. Well then, I suppose God is going to do a new thing and bring into my life some experience that will raise me up to the penthouse of spiritual power? NO! This far more abundant power is "according to the power at work within us." That is, brothers and sisters, the HOLY SPIRIT who is NOW within us is the power through WHOM God means to do the far more abundantly... And note, He IS at work within us. It is not that He WILL begin that amazing work of power at some future date; He IS NOW doing that work. One of our great problems CAN be that we look for too many lightning flashes in God's work in our lives. However, the TYPICAL way that God works is to do His deep, radical changes in us OVER TIME and GRADUALLY. So, we wake up one morning and find out we are more patient, more loving, having more compassionate reactions to unlikable folks, etc. But this "sudden change" is really the result of a long process over time. All gradual change has periods when that change becomes visible. However, the change did not begin WHEN we noticed, but was happening regularly over a lengthy period. We need to leave off LOOKING so much for the sudden change and instead BELIEVE that God is doing in us FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY through His Spirit that transformation which makes us more and more worthy walkers.

We will continue, the Lord willing, with these thoughts tomorrow.