Grace to You :: esp Unleashing God's Truth, One Verse at a Time

Strength for Today

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which
you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).

The Christian life is simply becoming what Christ has already made you.

Suppose immediately after you were saved, the Lord stamped your forehead with the words, “Watch
me. I’m a child of God.” How would that affect your lifestyle?

We may not have a physical mark like that, but we do bear the name of Christ in this world. When we
first put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we became part of His family (Gal. 4:1-7). He “freely
bestowed” His grace on us (Eph. 1:6). He “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ” (1:3). And we have a rich, glorious inheritance in heaven (1:18). As God’s
children, we indeed have many rights, honors, and privileges, but He expects us to behave like His
children. Just as a child honors his father by obeying him, we honor God by walking worthy of Him.
Our actions must be actions He would approve. Our desires must be His desires. Our goals and
objectives must be His goals and objectives.

One of my seminary professors once told me that the whole Christian life is simply becoming what
you are. Because you are a child of God, you need to act like a child of God. In fact, the root of the
Greek word translated “worthy” in Ephesians 4:1 speaks of equalization and balance. There ought to
be perfect harmony between who you are and how you live. We lapse in our commitment to Christ
when we fail to live that way.

Remember, though, that our obedience to God must not be a conformity to rules and regulations out
of fear or legalistic pride. It is instead a conformity to righteousness out of gratitude and a deep love
for Christ. Our desire to be worthy children is a result of understanding and appreciating all He has
done for us.

Philippians 1:27 says, “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” In other
words, match your conduct to the gospel. The exalted reality of the gospel demands an exalted
lifestyle.

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask the Lord to help you act like His child.

For Further Study

Read 1 John 2:6. Christ is our supreme example of the worthy walk.
 -Find examples in the Gospels where He demonstrates His commitment to the Father.
-How can you follow His example today?

Available online at: http://www.gty.org

COPYRIGHT (C) 2024 Grace to You

You may reproduce this Grace to You content for non-commercial purposes in accordance with
Grace to You's Copyright Policy (https://www.gty.org/about#copyright).