I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called - Ephesians 4:1

If you are in Christ, you have received a calling that will transform your life, habits, and practices. In this series, we will go through the ways we are called to walk once being given our new identity. But before we give you a list of practices to apply, we urge you to read about the fountain they flow from, as shown in Ephesians chapters 1-3. The “therefore” at the start of chapter four refers to this fountain of truths. Paul intentionally framed this letter to the Ephesians by detailing what had already been done for us before he listed commands that we were to respond to. Without the proper groundwork and understanding that we are saved by grace alone, we may be tempted to earn our way into the right relationship with God. But to walk in a manner worthy of our calling demands we know that we can never walk in the requirement of perfection, but there is One who did for us. Now, through His work, we Walk Worthy–from a place of gratitude and the outpouring desire of our hearts to glorify Him.

This month we will memorize the transformative text in Ephesians 4:1-4 which gives four ways we are urged to “walk worthy.” Then, over the final four months of the year, we will meditate on these instructions and see what God has spoken to us through His Word about each one. We hope this series brings fresh revival to your walk and reminds you to remain in the vine of Christ and the fundamental Gospel truths that our fruit is grown from. 

To walk in humility and gentleness is to self-reflect and to meditate on Christ’s life. We were called to hope from a place of desperation. Humility and gentleness should mark our lives because the promise of this hope and salvation was given freely to us when we didn’t deserve it. If this isn’t enough to change the posture of our hearts, Christ Himself says that He is gentle and lowly. The Creator of the universe left His throne to come to Earth, emptying Himself out to become a servant. He refused to take advantage of His equality with God but humbled Himself to the lowest possible circumstance, death on the cross in our place (Philippians 2). We now follow in the footsteps of Christ on the path of humility and gentleness.

Over the four weeks of September, we will learn what it looks like to live in harmony with one another, allow Christ to increase all the more, be led into humility and righteousness, and finally, the humility displayed by the king of the universe.

Being a follower of Christ comes with the challenge of learning patience—patience with one another as God has been patient with us, patience for the restoration of God’s creation, and patience in waiting on the Lord to intervene in our circumstances. Long-suffering is realized when we submit to God’s timing and His good and perfect will–not our own. This month will equip you with verses to remind yourself of when you are in a season of waiting, what it truly looks like to allow the Lord to fight your battles, and how deep faith produces patience in us.

Loving one another is the banner beneath which all of the surrounding disciplines in this series fall under. Humility, gentleness, patience, unity, and peace can only occur if love is first found. John 13:35 says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” As disciples, Jesus tells us that loving the Lord and our neighbor as ourselves are the greatest commandments. Furthermore, Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13 that all is in vain without love, even our faith. To say this is an important discipline is an understatement. As we walk worthy and encounter unbelievers, if the way we love one another doesn’t stand out to them, how are we any different than the world?

Throughout November, we will discover the true meaning of discipleship, the only debt we should owe, how a lack of love for one another disproves our love for God, and even love our enemies.

One of my favorite themes in all of scripture is unity, both with our Lord and with one another. Belonging is one of man’s greatest desires: to love and to be loved. There is no greater belonging and unity than for those who are in Christ and have the indwelling of the Spirit. We, as believers, are collectively a part of the body of Christ. Our mission as the body is not only to grow the church in number but also in fullness and maturity by cultivating unity and peace. Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 4 that achieving unity and peace within the body grows us into adulthood, no longer falling prey to deception or distraction. In a polarized world full of division, let us work against the current culture by bringing one another together with peace rather than fixating on our differences.

We will learn that when working properly, the body of Christ will naturally grow in love, the unity produces a pleasant aroma, how to strive for peace, and finally, how we are grafted into the greatest oneness of all–with the perfect unity of our God.