Ephesians 4:1-6

Ephesians 4:1-6 Verse 1: "I therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you  walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." "the vocation wherewith you are called." is the content of Ephesians 1-3.When we first come to church, we place a strong emphasis on ecclesia.We are taught to recognize that we have been called from the world to the church.The problem, however, is that we never progress beyond the church community, and we become stuck.I heard a sermon from a pastor at a relatively large church in Korea. He muddled through, saying we are justified by the blood of Jesus and by the merits of Jesus.Jesus' merit is true, but it doesn't properly explain where he moved us through his cross and where he is calling us.The Bible says that he has called us into Christ, justified us, and glorified us (Romans 8:30).It says that if we believe in and obey the Lord's death and resurrection, we will be justified, have peace with God, and look forward to his glory and rejoice.(Romans 4:25-5:2)That's why he say repentance is a challenge to glory.A ridiculous seminary professor says that the glorified salvation  can only be achieved after death.That professor deserves to have his teeth pulled out with pliers.God has raised us, united us with resurrection and life of the Lord, and brought us to the right hand of the Father's throne, calling us to come there through blood of Christ, the cross of Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The fact that we have been called into Christ, united with him, and seated in heaven is like being remade into a completely different product.It is a calling to be born again as truly amazing beings, to become God's inheritance within him, and to partake in the riches of his glory.Paul, already aware of his changed status, strongly urges us to live worthy of that calling.As I preached through Ephesians, I felt a surge of emotion fill my body as I confessed that even an ignorant person like me had become an heir to God's glorious inheritance of praise. Verse 2: "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing with one another in love." lowliness is humble and considering oneself small, while meekness is an attitude of service.He says, "Serve because you are small."He urges us to be patient with this attitude and to bear with one another in love.He urges us to always be receptive (John 13).Therefore, love is not about giving to others first, but about continually bearing with them, like a mother. Verse 3: "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." He tells us to continue to strive diligently to keep the unity of the Spirit.We are not striving to become one, but to maintain our unity.We must strive for the bond of peace, that is, for the community bound together in the Spirit.Just as prisoners are tied together with ropes to sit, lie down, and even go to the bathroom together, Christians in the Spirit are a community with a shared destiny.People of the Spirit serve and accept their brothers and sisters as members of one body in Christ.There's a saying: If you hit the head of two Siamese twins to determine if they are one, if the other feels pain, they are one. If there is no pain, they are two, and surgery is needed to separate them.People of the Spirit cannot help but feel pain when a member of the same body hurts. Verse 4: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling;" Christ's body, we eat his bread and become one bread, and in one Spirit, we become one body.The baptism that immerses us in Christ is through the Holy Spirit.Therefore, there is one body and one Spirit.We are all called together in the hope of his calling, become the Lord's, and move toward one goal.If we are called in Christ and have learned the truth through the Holy Spirit, we approach the throne of God's grace, sometimes ahead, sometimes behind.Thus, we reach Mount Zion, where the Lamb stands. This is where we are identified as the 144,000 in Revelation. Verse 5: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." The Lord is Christ, and faith is receiving Jesus Christ as Lord, that is, accepting him.Baptism is immersion in him.I die and live in Him. This is the only faith. That is why the Lord, faith, and baptism are all one. Verse 6: "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." The Father of all is also one.God the Father is above all.He is the source of all things.He unites all things and governs all things.And then, He is within all things.He pours his power and divinity into all things.All things are permeated by the breath of God.Therefore, we should eat plenty of vegetables, especially fruits, for those that bear seeds are true food (Genesis 1:29). All things cannot exist without God.Colossians 3:11 says, "Christ is all."If the Word, the Lord, were to slumber or sleep for even ten seconds, this universe would be utterly destroyed.Therefore, we have a mission to ensure that the life-giving energy of Christ fills us so that no one can tamper with the gospel of God's truth. Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.Translated by Nancy KimCOME AND SEE WORLD MISSIONTO GOD BE THE GLORY