Ephesians 4:1-16

4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”^[a]

⁹ (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?^[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds^[c] and teachers,^[d] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,^[e] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Each of us has a unique walk. Our walk reveals a lot about who we are: think of a shearer, a fencer, a stockman. It is no mistake when Paul starts to apply our identity as God’s people in practical terms, that he chooses the word ‘walk’ (4:1; 4:17; 5:2; 5:8; 5:15). In fact, the whole focus of Ephesians 4-6 is to apply to our daily walk all that we are – our identity – as we have learned in Ephesians 1-3. 

The walking language is everywhere. In fact, verse 1 could really be the title for these three chapters; ‘walk worthy of who you are’. This walk is to be united (vs.1-6) and growing (vs.7-16). The unity is unmistakable; it is the unity of a people who have the same residence ‘in Christ’. The growing is aided by leadership that teaches and people who serve. Put simply, we are to walk as a united, growing household.

Question:

We are often not conscious of how we walk. This day, try to be self-conscious and self-reflective about your walk; how is it displaying your unique identity as one of God’s mob?

Prayer:

Dear Father, as Jesus ascended he laid behind him the things we need to be united and growing as your people. Please show us these truths and gifts, applying them to us for the benefit of all your people. Please change our walk in this way. Amen.