NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Luke 23-John 1
SCRIPTURE READING
Eph 4:1-6 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy
of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness,
with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the
one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Why do you think Paul starts this section by calling attention to the fact that he is a
prisoner? Paul wants us to see that walking worthy of our Christian calling is worth being
imprisoned for and worth dying for.
Writing from prison tells us that his message is dangerous (not in a bad wayJ). His
message is not a nice, middle class way to solve our problems and be comfortable.
Real, radical Christianity is risky and unpopular and dangerous. Paul urges us "to lead a
life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." We must recognize how much
our place in God family should demands from us. The focus is not on our worth but on
the worth of our calling. Verses 2-3 tell us what it means to walk worthy, we are to be
growing in humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love (longsuffering or
endurance), as well as eager to maintain the Spirit in the bond of peace (unity and oneness
in Christ). In verses 4-6 Paul continues to explain the unity that he has mentioned in
verse 3. There is one body (the body of Christ), one Spirit (the Holy Spirit), one hope that
belongs to your call, one Lord (Jesus), one faith (salvation by grace through Jesus), one
baptism, one God and Father of all. In other words, there is nothing different about the faith
for Jew or Gentile and there should be no division in the faith. Paul is establishing oneness
in Christ, before he goes on later in the chapter to discuss diversity in gifting and equipping
the church to grow.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Pray that you would live your life in a manner that is pleasing to God. Ask the Lord what
this means for you.
2. Ask the Lord to help you grow in the areas of humility, patience, gentleness, love and to
grow our church in unity.
